PENNY-WISE

Four ways to go about fixing budget-conscious Amazin’s

THIS is the puzzle: Take the Mets’ current hole-filled roster, thin farm system and — perhaps most vital — just $10 million more to spend and create a contender.

You can scream in fury at the scenario, rail against ownership that a New York team trying to win may come in with about the 20th-highest payroll in the majors. But unless plans change dramatically, this is the basic conundrum facing Sandy Alderson.

Good thing he has Marines training, because as far as baseball goes this is an arduous challenge. I never spent a day on Parris Island or at Camp Pendleton, but as someone who has interviewed both Steve Parris and Terry Pendleton during his careers, I offer my assistance. I essentially am putting myself in Alderson’s role and thinking what I would recommend to my bosses:

1. Trade Yoenis Cespedes

This is not going to happen. Cespedes has a no-trade clause. But probably more important, the Wilpons often act in anticipation of how the media/fans will treat a move and my gut is they would fear a hostile reaction for dealing Cespedes.

But, remember, this is a puzzle. I was given $10 million and it is not enough probably to tackle all of the Mets’ needs and they might be a better team in 2018 and moving forward by dealing Cespedes, who is owed $87.5 million the next three years, including $29 million next year. Don’t you have to at least broach the possibility?

The Giants missed out on Giancarlo Stanton and would love a big righty power bat. Does Joe Panik and Mark Melancon as a counter-salary (three years at $38 million left, $10 million in 2018, but also a no-trade clause, coming off an injuryfilled season and the ability to opt out after 2018) get it done? The Mets don’t just get those two players, they get the extra cash to chase Jay Bruce, etc. But I don’t think Cespedes would move that far away from his Florida farm, especially not to play in a tough home for righty power in AT&T Park.

But what about Boston, where Cespedes already has played? He was traded there from Detroit by then GM Dave Dombrowski, who now runs the Red Sox’s baseball operations. I asked someone who knows Dombrowski well who said, “He loved Cespedes.” At the moment, the Red Sox have been unable to corral free-agent slugger J.D. Martinez, seemingly willing to go to five years with agent Scott Boras wanting more. Could the Red Sox grow tired of the dance? Would they do Jackie Bradley Jr. for Cespedes, who as opposed to Martinez, is not a defensive liability, and have Mookie Betts move to center? The Mets get an elite defensive center fielder, plenty of dollars to spend and the ability to trade Juan Lagares.

2. Trade Lagares

Again, this is about trying to find some more dollars to use in the marketplace and is way, way more probable than dealing Cespedes. Lagares is owed $15.5 million the next two years ($6.5 million this season) with a 2020 option for $9.5 million or a $500,000 buyout. The Mets want Lagares’ defense in center field, and I have to say I am intrigued that he is working this offseason with the hitting guru who changed the mechanics of Martinez and Chris Taylor — even a 15-homer Lagares would be an asset considering his glove.

But I do think Michael Conforto was fine in center last year. As long as he is healthy, he can handle the position regularly and a defensive star such as Jarrod Dyson could be signed, probably for less than Lagares was due this year. But I would lean toward Austin Jackson, who is down a peg from his best defensive days, but really crushes lefty pitching while remaining competent against righties.

The two teams that could perhaps use Lagares most are the Giants and A’s, though I could also envision interest from the White Sox (second baseman Yolmer Sanchez is above average defensively with growth potential as a hitter).

I admit I put a much higher ceiling on Panik than most. The Mets skipped Panik with the 13th pick in the 2011 draft (taking Brandon Nimmo) though he was playing in their backyard at St. John’s (Panik went 29th to San Fran). The Giants, like the Mets, need upgrades on both sides of the ball so I am not sure they would gamble that Lagares’ amended swing brings positive results.

The A’s might. Jed Lowrie is a free agent after this season and makes $6 million, so a swap with Lagares would be relatively salary neutral for 2018. The switch-hitting Lowrie gives the Mets versatility at second or third. The Mets might need a drop more to give up three years of Lagares for one of Lowrie.

3. Try a “pillow contract”

Boras came up with the term to describe a soft landing spot for a veteran free agent who would take a one-year deal when multiyear offers were difficult to come by in an attempt to rebuild value to re-enter the following season’s free-agent class.

My guy is Carlos Gonzalez. I asked about him at the GM meetings and the sense was he would want to go to a more favorable hitter’s park than Citi Field. But he is still out there. Can he be had for

between $6 million-$10 million? Dan O’Dowd, Gonzalez’s longtime GM in Colorado, said Gonzalez took groundballs almost daily at first base, has great hands and can play the position, though he hasn’t in the majors. He offers an alternative to Dominic Smith, while providing security in right if Conforto is not ready to begin the season after shoulder surgery. This is essentially the Bruce role, and the Mets have not given up on resigning Bruce.

4. Small signings

Let’s face it, the Mets also are going to have to operate at the margins. I love Howie Kendrick for them as an alternative at second, left, right and a terrific bench piece. I know Danny Espinosa’s offense has gone downhill, but he has elite defensive skills in the infield, probably can be had on a minor league deal and has pop in his bat.

If no other first-base/right-field alternatives arise, the Mets might consider Jose Bautista. He is coming off a year that suggests the end is near (.203 average at age 36). But he is a proud athlete, still has a good eye and one of Alderson’s main lieutenants, J.P. Ricciardi, as Toronto’s GM, once made a steal of a deal for him. Perhaps the Mets do not want to reunite with Dillon Gee, but I think their bullpen still needs depth and as a multi-inning reliever (albeit in just 33 ¹/3 innings), the righty did a fine job in inducing groundballs (46.2 percent) while limiting homers (one) and walks (1.9 per nine innings).