Mets Quiet on Busy Hot Stove Day

It’s been a busy 24 hours in MLB’s Hot Stove. It started Monday night when the Nationals stole Doug Fister from the Tigers. All hell broke loose Tuesday — the A’s acquired a closer who has saved more than 100 games over the past two seasons for practically nothing. Then they gave away a top prospect for practically nothing. Dexter Fowler was traded for a couple of spare parts. Heath Bell changed teams again in a three-team deal. And finally, a few free agents signed on the dotted line, most notably Jacoby Ellsbury with the Yankees for a whopping $153 million. The Mets? They did nothing.

Many of these trades were very curious; it does not seem like teams got equal value for established players. They had all the markings of salary dumps, so teams were happy just to shed those millions from their payrolls.

That likely explains why the Mets could not get in on the action — they were not anxious to take on any new salaries. Perhaps the Mets are saving their money for Curtis Granderson, who confirmed that the Mets bought him a salmon dinner. Although he did not say the Mets picked up the tab;  you can never be sure with the boys from Flushing.

Acquiring Granderson would give the Mets the big bat they need. But he would also eat up most of the Mets available funds. Sandy Alderson said he had $25 million-$30 million to spend. Chris Young used $7.25 million of that, and Granderson is expected to get around $15 million per season.

That would leave $2.75 million-$7.75 million to spend, and the Mets still need a couple of starters and a couple of relievers. Which means get used to seeing Ruben Tejada at short and Ike Davis/Lucas Duda/Josh Satin at first.

Whatever happens, the Mets do not have enough money and Sandy Alderson does not have the wherewithal to give the team the complete overhaul it so desperately needs. So any way you look at it, the 2014 Mets will look a whole lot like the 2013 version.