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          New York Mets

          Mets projected to have 7th-lowest payroll

          • Adam Rubin, ESPN Staff WriterMar 1, 2014, 09:23 AM ET
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              Adam Rubin has covered the Mets since 2003. He's a graduate of Mepham High School on Long Island and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined ESPNNewYork after spending 10 years at the New York Daily News.
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          PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Fans already know the Mets will have a low payroll in 2014. How low? Try seventh-lowest in the majors and third-lowest in the National League, in the vicinity of Cleveland, Oakland, Minnesota and Tampa Bay, according to a fangraphs.com study.

          Here are the top seven:

          1. Dodgers $223 million

          2. Yankees $197.5M

          3. Phillies $175.5M

          4. Tigers $161M

          5. Red Sox $155M

          6. Angels $151M

          7. Giants $147M

          And the bottom seven:

          30. Marlins $42.5M

          29. Astros $49M

          28. Pirates $71.5M

          27. Rays $75.5M

          26. Athletics $79M

          25. Indians $80M

          24. Mets $82M

          The article projects Opening Day rosters to calculate payrolls. Performance bonuses apparently are not included, and players such as Jose Valverde could get significant bumps with performance. Also apparently not included is the $4 million to $4.5 million that teams annual include for extra expenditures, since players land on the DL and more than 25 players are being paid at any given time.

          So, in reality, the Mets' payroll is actually closer to the $87 million to $88 million range.