Fred is such a weasel...throwing in conditionals like they'll spend/invest in the team "if its appropriate".

In other words, they'll only SPEND if the deal is incredibly team-friendly. Nothing changes.

They aren't going to spend just to spend like in the Omar Minaya days and be saddled with bad contracts, hopefully an we will see they actually spend smart and spend big, rather than just one or the other.

Bad teams tend to have to over pay to get players to come to their team -- ala Werth

I agree not giving Hamilton 125m, Upton 80m, etc. But there is NO excuse IMO why they couldn't add a Ludwick to a 2/14m deal. That is a VERY fair contract to pay someone who can effectively fill a DESPERATE need the Mets have. THAT is where I am extremely annoyed with this ownership. You don't need a bunch of giant contracts to be good, but you DO have to spend in FA IN ADDITION to building the farm.

"That is a VERY fair contract to pay someone who can effectively fill a DESPERATE need the Mets have. THAT is where I am extremely annoyed with this ownership."

But why do you assume that was on the Wilpons? If they made an offer to Bourn for 4/48 than Ludwick at 2/14M is small by comparison. Marcum can make as much as 8M this season and we didn't even really need much help in the starting rotation.

I think Sandy kept waiting on something better to come and it never came.

It makes no sense to spend big right now.

What was better? I could see not going after big contracts, but Ludwick would have been a fair deal for both. Not saying Ludwick would agree, but it was something to take a shot at.

Ryan Ludwick? Why bother with him?

I put any non spending on the wilpons. Until they prove otherwise, I will still believe that their priority is to lower payroll and not spend more than they have to. I think that is a very fair statement regarding the wilpons.....PROVE to your fans that WINNING is the top priority and not saving money.

There's this old joke about polticians: How can you tell when a politician is lying? His lips are moving.

Just subsitute Wilpon for politician.

thats a big time BINGO!! +1.

soooo what was the wright extension? an illusion?

"Ryan Ludwick? Why bother with him?"

He is a solid ML OFer who is a RH power bat...something we DESPERATELY need....and the contract he was given was VERY reasonable.

Who cares he wouldn't ahve done much to help us win.

"soooo what was the wright extension? an illusion?"

If you are suggesting that because the wilpons extended Wright, it proves the wilpons are willing to spend, I don't believe that would be accurate. The wilpons knew they HAD to sign Wright. It would have been too much of a PR hit ESPECIALLY with the ASG at CF this year. Also, that extension actually allowed the payroll to be LOWER this year! Wright is making about HALF of what he was going to make this year if he just got the option. After this season, Ike and Murphy will have to be extended if they both have good seasons. The Mets need to keep their home grown talent and have to SPEND in order to do it. So, like I said...I will believe the wilpons increasing payroll when I SEE it.

Wait until Fredo sees the attendance at the end of the year when there is 30% drop in attendance

you don't know if he would have enough to help or not...and even if he DIDN'T lead us to a playoff spot, you have TRADE BAIT....which could bring back good prospects, which obviously would improve the future. So really, either way you look at it...there really is no excuse not to offer someone like Ludwick a contract.

He wouldn't bring back much. Look at his last three years prior to playing in that band box last year.

Just because he signed for 2/15 with the Reds doesn't mean he would have taken a similar contract with the Mets.

You would be asking him to move his family and leave a 97 win team that plays in a band box to go to a 74 win team that plays in a pitchers park.

Did you see the contract that he signed just to stay in Cincy? He had a $5 million dollar option for this year that was declined by Cincy when they bought him out for $.5 million. Then in just over a month after becoming a free agent 12/10 to be precise he signed for a $2 mil bonus and a $1 mil salary for this year. Then he gets $7.5 mil next year and a mutual option year worth $9 mil with a $4.5 buy out.

Don't think he would have even entertained an offer from the Mets at all. He wanted to stay in Cincy.