"Jayson Stark ?@jaysonst

Jeff Wilpon says firmly: "The payroll is going to go up next year" and talks about "flexibility" after contracts come off books in 2014 "

Still got to see it to believe it, but I guess that is better than what we have heard previously.

Only if attendance increases this year which is not going to happen

At least everyone will see how scummy they are if payroll does not go up in '14

Spending money that is coming off the books doesn't spell payroll going up to me. It just means that maybe they will have some money to spend on that free agent class.

If the payroll was going to go up, why would the contracts need to come off the books? It doesn't sound like it's actually going to go up, just that they'll spend what comes off.

The way he stated it it looks like it is going to be both.

Great - we may be able to go after some $5million a year free agents instead of $2 million a year ones.

Well people were fooled in thinking they "spent money" when they signed Wright so why not try and spin this one. My biggest fear is how much lower it will get this year before its "raised" in 2014

That's nice and all. But going up from what? if it's going up from 90 or wherever they are now to 95, it isn't really a big deal.

Furthermore, next years FA crop isn't a group the Mets should be interested in raising payroll for. that's just a mistake waiting to happen. Well besides Robinson Cano & maybe Jacoby Ellsbury (personally i hate the idea of giving big time bucks to an injury prone mess like Ellsbury) that is.

Honestly it won't look good, but the best course of action for the mets to take is probably to lay off of FA for next year also. There's just nothing available that's worthwhile.

Right now, 2013 payroll is about $59 million.

seeing is believeing and jeffy is a known liar so.............. jury will be out till then lol.

Wilpon Sandy and Wright I believe are going to be on with Francessaa today, so hopefully he asks those questions.

I doubt it will be asked, now if it were with Joe Beningo he would have raised those issues.

How exactly does that break down?

Jeff Wilpon on WFAN Regarding Payroll, "We are moving up from last year, this year and I'm sure next year it might move up a little bit more"

They better be careful they don't go over the luxury tax threshold.

Why is that threshold going to be halved next year?

I have it on good authority but don't quote me.

They were at $74.5 at the end of 2012. They deferred $15 million from Bay's contract. Santana, Wright, Dickey, Francisco, Niese and what they're paying Bay account for $59 million. Davis Murphy, Thole and Parnell will probably add another $8 million to get to $67 million for nine players.

Tejada, Kirk, Duda, Harvey, Gee, Baxter Edgin, etc are all minimum salary. Let's say they have 11 minimum salary guys on the roster. That's another $5.5 million. So we're at $72.5 for 20 players.

Assuming payroll is really going to be the same as last year that should leave $22 million to fill five spots or payroll is going down again.

If payroll this year is going up from last season they should be sitting on at least $25 million in available money.