SI: Mets to Hire Sandy Alderson as GM

[EmpireWF]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AveT8BEI9SPvkTMrPapgI805nYcB?slug=ap-mets-gmsearch

This was expected as the finalists became Alderson and Josh Byrnes.


Once they announce it officially, the next step is hiring a manager.

 

[sraczk2011]

So are they going try to play Moneyball now with a 150 million dollar budget?

 

[IamMedellin]

Big Money-ball?

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

GM's like to sign former players.

Expect Lance Blankenship and Mike Gallego to be Mets this season.

 

[EmpireWF]

Alderson has hired Paul DePodesta to be a special assistant to the GM (he will also serve as VP of player development and amateur scouting) in addition to J.P. Ricciardi who was hired last week as another assistant to the GM.

Alderson, DePodesta and Ricciardi...oh my.

Now let's get to work!

 

[FedEx227]

Moneyball was all the rage in 2002, so let's basically create the exact same front office despite the fact that none of them were successful since leaving Beane or Zito/Hudson/Mulder... but YEAH!

 

[EmpireWF]

Moneyball was all the rage in 2002, so let's basically create the exact same front office despite the fact that none of them were successful since leaving Beane or Zito/Hudson/Mulder... but YEAH!

Well DiPodesta had a hand in the Padres resurgence and Ricciardi did an okay job in Toronto (they were over .500 when he was fired as GM).

 

[FedEx227]

Yeah, they haven't been horrible and I suppose it's a step in the right direction for the Mets, I'm just not entirely sure Alderson is a great guy for the job. He's many years removed from being anything worthwhile in an MLB front office.

The problem I see though is guys like Riccardi and DePodesta were effective under Billy Beane doing cost-conscious type stuff. Once they were given the reigns to a decently sized payroll they made the same stupid mistakes they use to laugh at other GMs for. Paying big money for potential, overpaying veterans for no reason, not finding hidden values. DePodesta not so much but Riccardi failed pretty miserably in Toronto by trying to out spend Yanks/Red Sox which was never realistic. He attempted to buy his way to the playoffs as opposed to going the Rays route of developing through your system.

 

[EmpireWF]

On the bright side, the Mets apparently don't have the money to throw at free-agents...nor the line-up space for them. At least in year one, I'll be interested in what they end up doing. It's unlikely they can dump 2B Castillo or Oliver Perez plus they have Beltran entering the final year of his deal so the line-up is pretty much set in stone barring anything unforeseen.

The Mets farm system isn't the worst in baseball but it could use the change in personnel at the top its received.

I think of myself as a realistic Mets fan. 2011 is "rebuilding" and we'll see what 2012 brings as far as whether Reyes gets a long-term deal, whether Santana can stay healthy, what happens with Pelfrey, Thole, Pagan and whether Bay is at all worth any of the big money he's getting.

All the reports say Terry Collins is the leading candidate for the managerial gig (once Alderson got the GM spot, I resigned myself to the fact Backman wasn't getting it)...you have any opinion on the guy, fedex?

 

[FedEx227]

On Wally Backman?

 

[EmpireWF]

Terry Collins

 

[FedEx227]

I'd be lying if I told you I had even heard of Terry Collins before I looked him up.

After looking him up I still barely know him. Seems like a pretty mediocre manager and without really seeing him in action I can't say one way or another.

I don't think managers really play that big of a role in MLB anyway, so it's pretty irrelevant unless he's completely over his head and has no idea how to construct a lineup.

 

[Mogriffjr]

Collins won't win the managerial job.

and sandy is an EXCELLENT hire...hard nosed and shaping this organization up well with the inclusions of JP and Depo.

 

[EmpireWF]

On a SNY show, Alderson said the following about what he believes is (statistically) important:

I’ve always been a strong believer in On Base Percentage (OBP). I think there is a more direct correlation between OBP and run production than any other stat that you can identify. I think Slugging Percentage is probably more important than Batting Average. So, in the hierarchy of things, I do think you have to look at OBP and power. Conversely, with a pitching staff, if you want to simplify things, it’s about keeping people off the bases and not giving up the power hits.

 

[FedEx227]

Wow Sandy. That's some high level thinking.

 

[EmpireWF]

:smug: