Report: Mets Cut 2012 Loss to $23 Million

A published report on Thursday says the Mets have cut their 2012 loss to $23 million. So that means an increased player payroll in 2013, right? Not so fast.

The New York Post report suggests that the Wilpons are not exactly swimming in red ink. They made around $65 million from their majority ownership in SNY. Deduct the $43.5 million they owe each year on Citi Field, and that leaves around $21.5 million — about the same amount as their loss from team operations.

The Mets lost $70 million in 2011, so they cut payroll by $50 million for this season, which means all of the reduced losses for 2012 came from the payroll reduction. So that means everything else pretty much stayed the same.

All of this will likely translate into the Mets payroll also staying the same for 2013 — $95 to $100 million.

So if you liked the 2012 Mets, get ready for pretty much a repeat in 2013.