Watch CBS News

Jeff Wilpon: Mets May Be Buyers At Trading Deadline

NEW YORK (WFAN) -- The Major League Baseball trading deadline is a little over five weeks away. The Mets are just two games under .500 and five games behind in the wild card race.

With the cash-strapped franchise still battling a $1 billion lawsuit from the trustee trying to recover money for the victims of Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme, Mets COO Jeff Wilpon surprisingly told the New York Post that general manager Sandy Alderson may get the green light to add -- yes, add -- players for a stretch run.

"He'll have all the opportunity in the world to bring anybody he wants in," Wilpon told the paper on Monday. "The way for him to do that is to bring the ideas to us and we'll talk about it. But he does not have restrictions. We'll deal with everything on a case-by-case basis."

But for the Mets to be buyers at the July 31 deadline, they'll have to remain in the thick of things in the National League.

"The next three to four weeks will tell a lot," Alderson said.

Jose Reyes has been bandied about as a probable chip to trade for cheap prospects. But Wilpon hasn't lost hope that the team will be able to re-sign Reyes after this season.

"Why would we (lose hope)?" he said. "There's a long time between now and next year ... a lot of things that can happen in a lot of different directions."

He added: "Sandy and I have had conversations about all the different scenarios that could happen with Jose."

Alderson will surely be fielding calls from teams looking to land Carlos Beltran. The outfielder, finally healthy, is just trying to keep his focus on the field.

"I can control what I have control over," Beltran said, according to the paper. "All I know is that now I feel good physically playing the game and I'm doing OK. For me, that's the most important thing."

The Mets know they have to step up if the Wilpons really are willing to stretch their budget for a playoff run.

"We feel like we want (Beltran) around so we can make the playoffs," said Angel Pagan. "It would be tough without him or Jose. But we all know it's a business, so now we have to take care of our own business."

Should the Mets be buyers or sellers at the deadline? Fire away in the comments below...

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.