NEW YORK -- The first five weeks of the Hot Stove season may have come and gone quietly for the Mets, but that is about to change. A team in need of multiple significant pieces is bound to spring into action soon, with the baseball industry's annual Winter Meetings providing the proper atmosphere next week in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
After trading Lucas Duda, Addison Reed, Jay Bruce, Neil Walker and Curtis Granderson last summer, the Mets simply have too many holes to fill to stay quiet. They've spent much of the last month focusing on their managerial, coaching and training staff hires, as the player market around baseball stayed cold. It's not a silence that can last.
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Here, then, is a look at what the Mets hope to accomplish at the Winter Meetings and beyond:
Club needs
Bullpen: The Mets have made this their clear top priority, and it's one they're likely to address soon. General manager Sandy Alderson's goal is to find at least one established reliever to group with Jeurys Familia, AJ Ramos and Jerry Blevins at the back of new manager Mickey Callaway's bullpen, and it appears he's willing to spend a sizeable portion of his budget to do so. Realistically, the Mets will shop in the second tier of free-agent relievers -- a group that includes Brandon Morrow, Bryan Shaw and Reed.

Second base: Though there is a chance the Mets could pivot and acquire a third baseman instead, pushing Asdrubal Cabrera to the keystone, the team's clear preference is to fill its infield gap at second. The trade market appears riper than free agency, with Ian Kinsler among those reportedly available. But the Mets could also pursue an old friend, Walker, on the open market.
First base/outfield: Ideally, the Mets will acquire a hybrid capable of playing both these positions, such as Bruce, Logan Morrison or Adam Lind. That would cover them in the outfield in the event that Michael Conforto's recovery from shoulder surgery stalls, and at first base in case Dominic Smith's rookie struggles spill over into his sophomore season.

Who they can trade if necessary
The Mets do not have many trade chips available at the Major or Minor League levels. Their lack of rotation depth should prevent them from dealing Seth Lugo or Robert Gsellman to fill other needs, and their selloff of veteran hitters last summer left them without much fat on their active roster. Perhaps Wilmer Flores, a valuable platoon infielder, could become expendable if the Mets acquire the right infield piece. Perhaps Smith could entice, but the Mets would be selling low on him.
On the farm, the Mets have already graduated top prospects Amed Rosario and Smith, leaving their system relatively thin. It is unlikely the Mets could make a major trade splash using just prospects.
Top prospects
Per MLBPipeline.com, the Mets' top prospects are left-hander David Peterson, right-hander Justin Dunn, shortstop Andres Gimenez, left-hander Thomas Szapucki, outfielder Desmond Lindsay, right-hander Marcos Molina, first baseman Peter Alonso, infielder Gavin Cecchini, catcher Tomas Nido and third baseman Mark Vientos.
Of that group, only Cecchini and Nido are likely to play significant roles in 2018. Gimenez, who is just 19, shot up the prospect ranks this year and boasts a high ceiling. Peterson, the Mets' first-round Draft pick in June, is about to enter his first full professional season.

Rule 5 Draft
The Mets have selected and kept just one Rule 5 selection, Sean Gilmartin, since 2010. That trend isn't likely to change now, with a jammed 40-man roster and a crowded bullpen.
Big contracts they might unload
The only guaranteed contracts on New York's books are those of David Wright, Yoenis Cespedes, Cabrera, Juan Lagares and Blevins. Of that group, only Lagares stands even the slightest chance of being traded, and that's unlikely given the Mets' uncertainty in center field.
Payroll summary
The Mets opened last season north of $155 million, a number that Alderson has expressed a desire to stay below this offseason. But the GM hinted that he convinced ownership to overspend its budget last offseason, with a promise to unload salary if things went south. When they did, Alderson kept his promise, which could earn him enough trust to make a similar bargain this offseason.