Mark Polishuk of the great MLB Trade Rumors does a nice assessment of MLB general managers who are entering their last year of their contracts. That includes the Mets’ Sandy Alderson, but the team does hold an option for 2015. Here is what Mark had to say about that:

Sandy Alderson is facing pressure to upgrade the Mets lineup this offseason, though any hopes of contending in 2014 probably went down the drain thanks to Matt Harvey’s Tommy John surgery.  The Mets hold an option on Alderson for 2015 that I’d expect them to exercise (perhaps as soon as this winter) given his reputation in baseball, though adding a big bat or two would certainly cement Alderson’s case.

Alderson might be one of the first GM’s in recent history who could get his option renewed after four straight losing seasons with one team. Depending on how 2014 works out, it could be ten straight losing seasons for him personally in his career as a general manager – a modern baseball record.

I can’t believe it’s going to Sandy’s fourth year, time flies…

Alderson has previously served as the general manager of the Oakland A’s, the chief executive officer of the San Diego Padres and the vice president of baseball operations for Major League Baseball before coming to the Mets.

I came across some quotes by Sandy when the Mets officially announced him as their new GM at his introductory press conference. He took over a team that was two years into the full blown Madoff revelations and the threat of a billion dollar law suit at the behest of commissioner Bud Selig.

Here Comes The Marine

“The Marine Corps was helpful to me, early in my time in baseball, was for credibility — as odd as that sounds. Without having a background in baseball, people look at you — and you’re a lawyer — and they could have some skepticism about that, but as a former Marine, it’s like — it wasn’t as if I was a former player or someone that had direct association to the game, but it was still something that people respected. I didn’t wear it on my sleeve, but I think, in addition to the inherent qualities that one develops by being in the Marine Corps, from a credibility standpoint it also helped bridge the gap there early, when I was an outsider basically.”

Meet The Met

I was on his introductory conference call on October 29, 2010, where he addressed several areas of focus:

“I am thrilled with this opportunity and am eager to work with ownership and the entire organization to achieve a successful and sustainable future for the Mets and our fans.”

He referred to the Mets Minor League system as merely middle of the pack, and that it was unacceptable for a team that plays in New York.

Regarding his fondness for statistics, Alderson said that he liked information, but that doesn’t mean it’s all statistically-based. He trusts subjective view points as well and added that the game is also about character, and many other things that can’t be measured with stats.

When asked about rebuilding or focusing on 2012 and beyond, he brushed it off as nonsense. “Let me repeat myself again. I am focused and determined on 2011 and not beyond that. We have a competitive team and would have fared better with 600 at-bats from Jason Bay and Carlos Beltran.”

I laughed this morning when I read something I wrote about him after the call.

“I am totally rejuvenated as a Mets fan. I feel like I just drank from the fountain of youth and the future can’t get here fast enough for me. Welcome to New York Sandy.”

How times change…