According to Paul Hones of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Cleveland Indians have announced that Sandy Alomar Jr. has left the Mets to become their their first base coach in 2010.

Alomar, 43, was named manager Manny Acta’s first base coach today. The former All-Star will also instruct Indians catchers. With Class AA Eastern League MVP Carlos Santana knocking on the door to the big leagues, what better tutor for him than Alomar?

Last week at the general managers meeting in Chicago, Mets GM Omar Minaya said Alomar was staying in New York. He hadn’t been officially named to the Mets big-league staff, but Minaya made it clear he was going to keep him.

Alomar has a long history with the Cleveland Indians who he broke in with and won the Rookie of the Year award in 1990.

What I find most interesting is that Minaya confirmed that Alomar would be back just five days ago in Chicago, while Acta was busy lobbying Alomar to join him in Cleveland.

It’s just another sign that Minaya does not have his finger on the pulse of this team.

As Alomar bolted the Mets complex, he was overheard screaming, “It’s a madhouse… a madhouse!”