READY FOR THE WORLD

PORT ST. LUCIE — In case the signing of Yoenis Cespedes didn’t not make it clear, or if the addition of Jerry Blevins and Fernando Salas right before spring training weren’t big enough clues, Sandy Alderson just put it right out there Sunday. “We’re all in here,” the Mets GM said after the team’s first full-squad workout. “I think it’s a credit to ownership that our payroll is as high as it is now given where we’ve been as recent as two years ago and where our budget might have been. We’ve had the fortune here recently of being able to take advantage of opportunities or not have to make moves on the basis primarily of payroll. From that standpoint, I think we should all be pleased.”

So a year after the Mets’ stumbled into the wild-card game, where they lost in dramatic fashion to the Giants, the Mets are all in from the top down for a run in the 2017 season.

While the Mets had targeted a $140 million payroll for Opening Day, they came into spring training about $16 million over that number. Alderson had planned to jettison an outfielder and his salary this spring (preferably Jay Bruce and his $13 million), but he said even at this extended payroll, he will have money to make a move at the trade deadline if needed.

The Mets are in the middle of MLB in terms of payroll, but it’s a big improvement from four or five years ago, when they were in the bottom.

This team has obviously been built to win now while its hard-throwing rotation is still young and affordable. And the Mets have their new superstar, Cespedes signed through the 2020 season. While the roster looks the same as at the end of last season, Alderson sees this season as a big opportunity.

“We played pretty well the last couple of years. We have roughly the same squad coming back, but I do think we have the capacity to improve, whether that comes through injury or experience or growth of some of the young players,” Alderson said. “I really think that we have the potential to be better than we have been. I think we’re all excited. I’m certainly as excited if not more so this spring than I have been since I’ve been here and that includes following a World Series appearance last year.”

Coming off a 4-1 loss to the Royals in the 2015 World Series, the Mets players were loud and brash about their future last spring. Pitchers who eventually ended the season on the disabled list were talking about being the best rotation in baseball, Cespedes was putting on a car show in the players’ parking lot and then he and Noah Syndergaard played cowboy to troll the media. This year, the players are quietly going about business and that confident talk is coming more from the top. Alderson and the ownership put their money behind this group and Terry Collins is reinforcing that confidence within the clubhouse.

“What these guys did last year, persevered through the tough times, adversity, the injuries, all the doubters, all the things that happened, they better walk around with their heads up. They better have a little swagger. They better talk winning and better play like they are going to win. They better act like they are going to win,” Collins said. “Obviously when Jake (deGrom) got hurt and he was out and after (Steven) Matz was out and Matt (Harvey) was out, I remember saying, ‘How are we going to do this,’ and they just rose up.

“They came into this camp knowing what they accomplished and they should be proud of what they accomplished,” Collins continued. “The character on this team is second to none. They should come in here understanding they can challenge anybody. They can challenge everybody.” ollins walked around the back fields of the complex watching the players workout Sunday and was struck by the mix of proven, veteran players and young talent he will have. The talent and the experience makes Collins excited. Though he laughed off a question about winning the 2017 World Series as too “bold,” to answer on Day One in spring training, he’s confident in the group he has.

“You are sitting there saying this is legit,” Collins said of watching his team come together. “These guys are legit.”

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