As one New York team attempts to complete an ALDS sweep today, the other continues to hunt for its next general manager. We know the Mets will interview Rick Hahn, Allard Baird, and Josh Byrnes this week, and that the club is also considering Sandy Alderson. Pat Gillick meanwhile, has removed himself from consideration for the position. Here are the latest updates from the team's GM search, with any new items added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- Jon Heyman tweets that Alderson seems to be excited about the opportunity with the Mets. In a separate tweet he stresses that even if Alderson ends up as the Mets' GM, Tony La Russa will not be joining his former general manager in New York.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (via Twitter) that the Rays' Gerry Hunsicker isn't interested in the Mets' GM job.
- Alderson will be interviewed Thursday or Friday, writes David Lennon of Newsday (subscription required). Lennon's colleague, Ken Davidoff, calls Alderson a "dream candidate" for the Mets.
- Reds GM Walt Jocketty told David Waldstein of the New York Times that if the Mets hired Alderson, Omar Minaya could work very well with him. According to Jocketty, Minaya is "deciding whether to stay or not and of course it would depend on who they bring in."
- In his Insider-only blog, ESPN.com's Buster Olney says that Major League Baseball would probably be glad to see the Mets hire Alderson, "to help restore a franchise that should be one of the sport's best."
Maybe it’s just me, but I find it sort of funny that Omar Minaya gets to decide whether he wants to stay in the organization.
why ?
they did the same thing with jim duquette…he was canned and stayed until his contract was up…
during the press conference jeff said he made up his mind about not renewing Jerry and getting rid of Omar back at the end of July.
Notice the mets did not fire Jerry and put an interim manager…
Notice Jerry playing Mike Hessman instead of Nick Evans
Notice Jerry playing Luis Hernandez and Arias over Tejada
Notice Jerry letting Niese throw 130 pitches in a meaningless game
these ownership decisions have an adverse effect on the product on the field.
the problem is that the ownership is too afraid to put a mirror in front of their face.
Hopefully Sandy Alderson will hold up that mirror.
Alderson is not coming to the Mets. The Wilpons are not going to relinquish significant control of the everyday running of the club. Regardless what they say in the media. That, as owners is their right and Alderson knows that, so he will not take the job.
You know him personally or something?
Don’t know the Mets owners or Alderson personally, but know how the Wilpons work. Last year, at season’s end, they went on a media blitz, telling everyone that Omar and Jerry had the run of the team. Telling everyone how the GM and manager would be held accountable, so they would run the show in ’10. Anyone who has followed the team this year knows that ownership has been calling the shots since opening day. Alex Cora was cut before his vesting option kicked in for next year .The Mets saved 4Mil, but Perez and Castillo were kept on the roster. They hardly played after June, but were kept on because the only way to move them was to eat a significant part of their salary. That never happened because Minaya was not allowed to do so. When they went on this year’s media blitz, they stated that Omar was never told he couldn’t go after any FA he wanted, but danced around the fact that he could not eat any salary to move a player if need be. They mentioned in interviews that they like Wally Backman, meaning who ever comes in as GM will have that option as manager to deal with. That says they are not going to give up significant control to any GM. Alderson is smart enough to read between the lines and doesn’t need the money. Mets GM is a difficult job to begin with as is. I can’t see Alderson getting involved.
C’Mon dude Mets will get either Daniels, Hahn, or Alderson and all represent a significant upgrade dept. Look at the bright side
You have not been paying attention. Jeff Wilpon has been calling the shots since mid-season, Minaya just took the fall. If Wally Backman becomes manager, that will confirm the fact.
Let’s be honest this was a rebuilding year….we have another one to go
I hate to sound negative, but you’re starting to sound like Jeff Wilpon. Now this past season was a rebuilding year? On opening day until July, this was the year they were supposed to contend for at least a Wildcard. The team has pieces to really contend, but they need starting pitching, a manager, and a GM who knows what to do, with the freedom to run the team. What they DON’T need is a wannabe GM owner who calls the shots and dumps on the GM and manager when things go wrong.
Minaya had 6 years. He’s done
Wilpons are broke and can’t out spend mistakes like Castillo and Perez plus we have other $$$$ issues with Krod Santana Bay and Beltran.
Rebuilding and reloading for 2012 is the smart thing to do
Again, you’re not paying attention! Minaya is STILL under contract, he’s owed $2MIL and has the option of coming back in some capacity. The Wilpon’s are NOT broke according to no less the authority than Fred Wilpon, who categorically denied being broke in the press, radio and T.V. You sure you’re a Mets fan?
To be fair, why believe Fibbin’ Freddie when he says he’s in grand financial shape? He rarely tells the truth about anything else, so why on earth should we give credence to anything he says, especially when it’s as counter-intuitive as this?
The Wilpons are Billionaires. What you and I consider being broke is light years away from the Wilpons.Old man Wilpon acknowledged being hurt by Madoff, but there is no need to take up a collection for Fred. If the Mets were in money trouble, the team would be put up for sale in a heartbeat. The Wilpons are not astute baseball people, but they know the Real Estate business very well a know how to turn a buck.
Don’t believe the Hype!
It’s looking like the chances of that are good. Backman was seen entering Citifield with Fred on the last day of the season.
As a Braves fan, I’d hate to see the Mets end up with Sandy Alderson as their GM. He’s got the balls to stand up to the Wilpons and he’s really the man for the job.
Don’t worry, it’s the Wilpons. They’ll probably find a way to avoid doing what’s best for the team, put their own needs first instead…and then say they didn’t. >:p
yup, Jeff will say that Sandy wanted to have a special stipulation requiring Jeff to do 100 push-ups Marine style every day first thing when he enters the office. Then as part of his Jeff’s adversion to sabremetrics, Sandy will give Jeff a mathematical equation every day for homework.
example: If a batter gets 25 base-hits out of 100 plate appearence, and also walks 10 times, gets hit 3 times, and gets 2 Sac flies, what is his .OBP & batting average.
Jeff: his OBP is .250 and his batting average is .250 !!!
Sandy: No Jeff…try again…now think …plate appearences dont = AB’s.
Jeff: Can I call John Ricco !?!?
Sandy: No Jeff, John cant help u…now drop down and give me 20
Jeff: 20 what ? dollars ?
Sandy: No Jeff, 20 pushups…u want to learn how to run a team, u need discipline…ur daddy lets u get away with murder…I’m not ur daddy.
Jeff: You’re fired you worthless waste of flesh !! Who do u think u are!?!
Sandy: thanks jeff, u can pay me the 10 million dollars u owe me in convertible pesos, me and Omar about to open a casino in DR with all the money ur paying us.
Thank you for being honest
I hear Dan Duquette wants a job and is sick of his Independent league job. Maybe he would suit the Wilpons?
Kidding aside, but he would pair up well with Minaya.. Running a Cape Cod league team..
Allard Baird is in the running? Geez, are the Wilpons looking for someone to make Met fans want Omar back? Seriously, that has disaster written all over it. The smart move would be to get an established, strong guy like Alderson, Hunsicker or Gillick and then get out of their way.
Before you buy new furniture you clean the house. Mets have done that and now have at least 3 excellent choices at the gm spot – Alderson, Hahn, or Daniels – Finally I have an offseason and future to look foward to as a Met fan
They didn’t clean house, they re-arranged the furniture. They didn’t renew Manuel’s contract and Minaya is still on the payroll. He has the option to return if he wants. Jeff Wilpon lurks behind the scenes.
They didn’t clean house, they re-arranged the furniture.
…And then they dimmed the lighting so we don’t notice the smoke and mirrors in the ‘room.’
Anyway, you got that right…it’s just the same old show in a brand new package.
Considering they have not yet hired a new GM or manager I’m not really sure how you can say that….
Merely not bringing Jerry back while attempting to retain Omar in-house (where other organizations would jettison him and a chunk of his crew before proceeding) does not a housecleaning make. Meanwhile Jeff, who is still at the helm, has said in front of countless cameras recently that he finds nothing wrong with the way he has operated in the past. This indicates that we can expect more of same in that he has no plans to curb his involvement in baseball operations, and that whoever is hired can only effect change to the extent that he will allow it. So on the surface the trappings of change may be there but the indications are that on the fundamental level things will largely remain the same.
You still have to see who ends up as GM, no? If it’s Alderson I expect change. If it’s DiPoto or someone like that then you are probably right.
And the contract has been signed. You can’t take Omar off the payroll.
I’m laughing that Heyman tweets that LaRuusa won’t be joining the Mets if Alderson does. LaRussa wouldn’t survive New York media. Man, I’ve had to suffer through some of LaRussa’s after game pressers because my job takes me to St. Louis and I end up watching the games in my hotel room. New York reporters would not allow LaRussa to speak to them the way he speaks to the St. Louis media. They would, literally, punch him in the nose. He’d deserve it too.
I imagine Mets owners don’t believe they have to pay 4.5 million for a manager either, and may have already told Alderson that. The Cardinals deserve LaRussa. Don’t be bringing him to New York. They have enough problems.
Wow, don’t pull punches do you? Anyway, well said.
Why hire a name GM? Just pick somebody at random, maybe a janitor or a hotdog salesman who is already on the payroll? As long as the Wilpons own this team, the GM is just going to be a figurehead there to take the beating for their own stupid moves.
I don’t even care who they get, I don’t even think it matters. They need new owners not a new GM.