Phillies Managing Partner John Middleton told USA Today last week that he is going into free agency "expecting to spend money" and will "maybe even be a little stupid about it." ESPN.com's Buster Olney wrote if the Phillies "spend exorbitantly and those acquired players lead them into the postseason, Middleton's words will be remembered as prophetic." The team has been "going through an extended period of reduced spending and farm-system rebuilding -- a polite way to describe tanking." But the Phillies now have "significant financial resources" and are "perfectly positioned to be aggressive" (ESPN.com, 11/18). The Phillies have $69M "committed to only six players for next season," and that financial flexibility was "planned with this offseason in mind" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 11/17).
MONEY MATTERS: Following back-to-back losing seasons after making the World Series in '15, Mets COO Jeff Wilpon said the team needs to "win more games" next season. However, Wilpon "refused ... to say he was willing to increase payroll" to do so. Wilpon: "I don't want to get into whether it's higher or lower because everyone counts it differently." He added new Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen "knows what the parameters of what the payroll is and what we're planning to do." Wilpon: "His board is full in terms of what he's looking at" (N.Y. POST, 11/17).
UNCLEAR FUTURES: Red Sox President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski is signed through the '19 season, and in Boston, Nick Cafardo wondered if team ownership will "extend him as they just did" manager Alex Cora. Meanwhile, former Mets Special Assistant J.P. Ricciardi said that he "hopes to remain in baseball and to have something solidified by the Winter Meetings" next month. Ricciardi said that he is "currently talking to two teams" about potential roles (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/18).
