The Mets are set to hire Sandy Alderson as their new general manager, sources have told Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman (via Twitter). Heyman adds (in another tweet) that the hiring could be announced on Friday, the first off-day of the World Series.
Alderson and former Arizona GM Josh Byrnes were the two finalists for the position and both men conducted follow-up interviews with the Mets over the last two days. Alderson, 62, has been considered the favorite for the last week, and indeed seems to have been a top candidate ever since his name was first mentioned in connection with the job.
Alderson was general manager of the Athletics from 1983 to 1997, capturing three AL pennants and the 1989 World Series championship during his tenure in Oakland. He spent eight years as Major League Baseball's executive VP for baseball operations, four years as CEO of the Padres organization and most recently has been working for MLB to investigate drug use and identity fraud among Dominican prospects. MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith recently profiled Alderson and the influence that he has had on baseball over the last three decades.
Wilpon’s didn’t elect the bargain in Byrnes. things are already looking up for the Mets in my book because of that.
I’m suddenly very excited for this offseason.
Great Success!
Congratulations to Sandy Alderson and the New York Mets. Sandy’s both talented and a great guy.
i believe he is talented. But great guy…… had to listen to him in SD for 4 years, rubbed alot of people the wrong way
i believe he is talented. But great guy…… had to listen to him in SD for 4 years, rubbed alot of people the wrong way
SPAN will be jumping for joy in 3… 2… 1…
Anyone who likes good baseball moves will be jumping for joy.
God forbid one of the most knowledgeable posters on this blog actually wants to see some progress of a baseball team.
*Jump*
Terrific hire… I can see the dawn.
Is that…a sunrise in Queens?
Ask Fred Wilpon.
I like this hire, I wonder how much his success in Oakland with Canseco & McGuire was due to the PED past? “Small ball” was not played there and that is exactly what you need in gigantic Citifield.
Long overdue.
Wait……..did Fred Wilpon actually do something right??
He had great success with the A’s. He’ll be great for the Mets.
Great hire for the Mets!
Now that Fred has made the right move, the next step for them ( and for Met fans ) is to be PATIENT.
the 2011 mets are not going to win 100 games and run away with the division. They probably will keep Castillo/Perez/Beltran ( to much of the crowd’s dismay ) at least until Spring Training ( for Castillo/Perez ). Unless Beltran can bring back some young controllable talent, he probably stays as well ( at least til the All-Star break ).
I’m just hoping Jeff doesn’t start his nonsense in 2012/2013 if the mets dont win a chip.
If Beltran plays better than expected, absoloutley trade him
wow…optimism. i completely forgot what that was like coming from the mets for a long while.
wow…optimism. i completely forgot what that was like coming from the mets for a long while.
Now for Backman and Lee and Grienke and a pony and a new car and a pool and a puppy and and and
Now for Backman and Lee and Grienke and a pony and a new car and a pool and a puppy and and and
Am I wrong for dreaming of this scenario?
Beltran is traded…around 8 mil is paid off his remaining 18.5 by the Mets
Mets sign Carl Crawford for 6 years 100 mil (around 17 per as an estimate)
Mets sign Orlando Hudson for 2 years 9-10 mil (or maybe he’ll sign another one year deal)
Trade for a good, but not great starter. Perhaps Mejia for Garza?
Sign a solid setup man (Benoit, Downs, etc.)
I have been saying I would trade Bay (the good Bay who was a Pirate and Red Red) for a bag of balls if it meant they got Crawford
Am I wrong for dreaming of this scenario?
Beltran is traded…around 8 mil is paid off his remaining 18.5 by the Mets
Mets sign Carl Crawford for 6 years 100 mil (around 17 per as an estimate)
Mets sign Orlando Hudson for 2 years 9-10 mil (or maybe he’ll sign another one year deal)
Trade for a good, but not great starter. Perhaps Mejia for Garza?
Sign a solid setup man (Benoit, Downs, etc.)
“has been working for MLB to investigate drug use and identity fraud among Dominican prospects.”
Talk about cleaning up after Omar Minaya hahahahahaha
DOES THIS MEAN NO BOBBY V????? 🙁
Politically speaking Sandy’s hiring is a good deal. It is always beneficial to have a foot in the commissioner’s office. As for improving the Met’s play on the field and in the standings, Sandy’s hiring doesn’t send chills up and down my spine. He has been away from the action for too long. 2011 will be more of the same old, same old… same players, same attitudes, and same results. Best not rock the boat, eh Fred…?
Politically speaking Sandy’s hiring is a good deal. It is always beneficial to have a foot in the commissioner’s office. As for improving the Met’s play on the field and in the standings, Sandy’s hiring doesn’t send chills up and down my spine. He has been away from the action for too long. 2011 will be more of the same old, same old… same players, same attitudes, and same results. Best not rock the boat, eh Fred…?
Oh so this is what progress feels like. Nice.
Oh so this is what progress feels like. Nice.
Good hire, but this guy’s got his work cut out for him. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him do something similar to what Kevin Towers did in San Diego. Adding power outfielders like Jason Bay isn’t going to do the job for the Mets. They need to build a team on speed, athleticism, and defense, and grow / sign a couple of decent pitchers.
In hindsight, signing Jason Bay was a terrible idea. Should they have waited the market out a year, they probably could have bid on Carl Crawford, who would have fit into their ballpark rather nicely. In my opinion, they should be targeting guys who can get on base, and not worry about hitting the ball out of the ballpark. Orlando Hudson would be a nice start, but trading some of their aging veterans to bring in an influx of young talent is a must.
You make some very good points, but I disagree on two.
The Bay signing has the smell of Wilpon all over it, so it’s a little botched up.
1. The Mets needed to make some kind of splash after the Yankees won the WS and they had a dismal season with injuries and such. Bay was the big name in FA
2. Bay did have a good year with the Red Sox, so it could be sold to their fans, giving them some hope. They were missing a power bat at the time.
3. They basically outbid themselves, especially after Boston painted themselves into a corner by giving Bay and Boras a signing deadline ultimatum.
I think it’s still to early to pass judgement on the signing after just one year. Bay is a good player, with a proven record. If he’s healthy he should produce.
As far as Crawford, he wasn’t coming to the NY anyway. The Mets were not going to blow him away with any offer that wouldn’t be matched by several teams if they really wanted him, including the Yankees. Besides, if you had the pick of going to NY, why would you go to the Mets?
I agree and disagree. Even if it was a publicity stunt, as you say, signing Jason Bay was never a good idea. Even if this was the Wilpons trying to gain the respect of some of their fans, signing Jason Bay was not the way to do it. As far as I know, most fans were actually disappointed with the signing. It was painfully obvious that Bay doesn’t have the tools to play the outfield in Citi Field. If you’re going to shell out a large contract, makes sense to hold off a year and get someone who can actually produce in the lineup. Not so sure it was “Bay or nothing.”
The Bay move was not a publicity stunt. Bay is a proven player, overpaid yes, but he has ability. He is not a slugger, he’s a power hitter, in a good line up he will be productive.. The Mets needed a big name, not just a publicity stunt and he was it. Remember, the Wilpons made this move, you do not use ‘sense’ and Wilpon in the same sentence very often. Again, I will say that it’s just his first year at Citi Field, let him do his thing this coming season before we pass judgement.
Bay still was not a good move, hell his batting average was not all the good even playing in Fenway and his defense there was actually worse than when Manny played LF there
Signing Bay was an awful idea, not because Bay was a bad player, but because Carl Crawford is practically made for Citi Field. Bay is a .260 hitter with power. The HR total is obviously going to go down when he moves from one of the smallest ballparks in baseball to one of the biggest. Why not wait until Crawford? If Beltran is healthy they would have the best defensive outfields in baseball which they need in a spacious Citi Field. Not to mention it is triple haven and Carl Crawford might be the best triple hitter in the game. I like a 1-2 of Reyes-Crawford
That was a move by the Wilpons, needing to make their them relevent. Besides Crawford is not going to the Mets. If Bay is healthy the Mets will still have a good defensive OF. Bay is not a good as Crawford, but everyone underestimates his ability. He can play.
1) The Mets are stupid to give a guy a huge contract just because the Yankees win the WS. That is a reckless way to run a team.
2) Citi Field’s dimensions hurt players with swings just like Bay’s.
3) Aside from Boston, Bay really had no strong suitors
Signing Bay was a miserable idea. We should have signed a 1 year deal to a guy like Jonny Gomes and held out for Crawford this year.
Gomes would have hit .230 playing half his games at Citi
As opposed to what Bay did this year? It would have just been a stop gap move until we could throw money at a player that belongs in a park like Citi. Any name would have done in that senario, Randy Winn maybe?
I have my hopes that Bay will adjust and be fine this coming year. Just wasnt the right move at the time and for the future.
Only if Bay cuts down the uppercut in his swing and stays with more balls to shoot for opposite field gaps
Only if Bay cuts down the uppercut in his swing and stays with more balls to shoot for opposite field gaps
The 2011 Mets motto – “Respect”
great choice!