The Mets have gone through their own version of the 12 step program this off-season: sometime mid-summer, they admitted to themselves they were powerless over sucking, then they made a fearless moral inventory by admitting the wrongs of Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel and firing them both. They held a press conference in which they admitted their failings, asked the media for forgiveness, and promised to make amends to the fans. And now, through prayer, meditation and a complicated interviewing process, the Mets are reportedly going to sign Sandy Alderson to be their next general manager.
The official announcement is expected to come at the end of the week, according to ESPN. Alderson served as as general manager of the Oakland Athletics from 1983 to 1997, and won four division titles, three pennants and the 1989 World Series. He was the mentor to Billy Beane, who followed his strategies using sabermetric principles to build winning teams with low payrolls. Alderson was executive vice president for baseball operations in the commissioner's office from 1998-2005, and most recently served as CEO of the Padres from 2005-09.
Alderson's hiring was confirmed by former Arizona Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes to the WSJ in a text; Byrnes was one of the two final candidates for the position. Alderson definitely seems like the best, shrewdest choice to overhaul the overpaid Mets roster and revive the team's flailing ambitions, but we still hope that the unpredictable, irascible Wally Backman has a shot at manager.
