UPDATE --> Timetable: Mets 2014 Payroll Expectations

As the offseason has trudged forward we have heard rumor after rumor of the Mets being priced out on a variety of players.  With $55 million dollars coming off the books, how could that even be possible?  Nonetheless, here is a look at how payroll expectations have changed over the pays five months:

6/11/13: Joel Sherman reports in the NY Post that Sandy Alderson believes the 2014 payroll will land between $90 and $100 million dollars, meaning the Alderson will have between $35 and $45 million dollars to spend.

9/30/13: ESPN's Adam Rubin reports that Alderson has roughly $35 million dollars to spend this winter, and that fans should expect the team's payroll to drop slightly from its $95 million dollar level from 2013.

11/19/13: ESPN reports that Sandy Alderson believes the 2014 payroll will be no lower than it was in 2013, using a figure of $87 million.

11/21/13: John Harper of the NY Daily News reports that Sandy Alderson has just $25 to $30 million dollars to spend this winter, which would result in an estimated payroll between  $80 and $85 million in 2014.

12/8/13: Sandy Alderson tells the team's press corp that he believes the 2014 payroll will be no lower than it was in 2013, using a figure of $85 million ($2 million less than he reported on 11/19/13).

The team's projections for next season continue to trend downward despite the recent signing of medium ticket free agent, Curtis Granderson.  Meanwhile, Fox Sports reported Ken Rosenthal reported that the Mets do not have a strict offseason budget.  So is this more smoke and mirrors from the Sandy Alderson front office, or have things changed yet again.  We'll have a better idea by the end of this week in Orlando.