According to ESPN's Adam Rubin, President Tony Clark and the Major League Baseball Players Association will be monitoring the payroll of the Mets franchise.
Some quotes from the article:
The Mets enter the season with roughly an $87 million payroll, which is estimated to be seventh-lowest in MLB, despite playing in the game's largest market.
Union chief Tony Clark says the MLBPA is paying attention to the Mets' payroll."Let me offer you this: If there are concerns, what often ends up happening is we have an opportunity, along with Major League Baseball, to sit down and discuss perhaps what the game plan might be or could be going forward," said Clark, who played for the Mets in 2003.
"Is New York one of the marquee franchises? Yes. Will they always be? Yes. Are we paying attention in general? Yes."It certainly sounds as though the Mets have the attention of a group of people that you would hope not to upset, although I really don't know what type of action they could take. That said, yes, the union should certainly take notice that one of the top market teams in the game is spending like Kansas City. While they are really only acting in the best financial interests of the players who are members and looking to drive up salaries as a whole, it is also incumbent upon them to seek out irregularities in income to pay ratios such as this.
It's certainly something fans can hope will force the Wilpons' hands a bit when it comes to putting a better product on the field.
I would love to the Mets to spend money on appropriate players but I strongly object to the idea they have to sign a player to money he may not deserve to satisfy a union. They are concerned that Drew isn't signed yet - how about Drew having more reasonable demands. The Mets aren't the only team who wont meet his demands. Sounds like union extortion to me. However, again, I want them to spend (and spend big time0>
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