NEW YORK -- With the July 31 Trade Deadline eight days away and the market suddenly starting to shape, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson made two declarative statements Thursday in reference to his strategy and goals for improving his team.
The first came firm and fast.
"We're not trading the four young players in our rotation," Alderson said. "That's not going to happen."
The second centered around what has proved a formidable obstacle for the Mets' front office in recent years: financial flexibility. When asked if the Mets possessed the capability to take on a player with a "major contract," Alderson replied: "Yes.