The Mets are currently playing their own version of the dating game, trying to find a new soul mate to occupy their top executive position. Although the Wilpons, and the Mets organization in general, have botched so many situations in the past, Mets fans are hopeful. We’re not hopeful because the Wilpons have a great 
track record in hiring talented executives. We’re hopeful simply because the Mets are actually interviewing candidates. Over the last 13 years the Mets have bounced around from one GM to the next, never conducting a full vetting and interview process. In 1997, Steve Phillips was made GM when his superior, Joe McIlvaine, was fired. When Steve Phillips was let go, Jim Duquette, a member of the Mets front office, was made interim GM and then was given the full position. Finally, in 2004, the Wilpons raced to hire Omar Minaya. It’s time for the Mets to finally enter the dating pool and see what the GM candidates out there can offer our little ball club.
Jeff Wilpon has announced that the Mets will choose their new GM by the World Series. (Perhaps the Wilpons are hoping that Mets fans will be so thrilled by the prospect of a new GM that they won’t notice that it’s been a decade since they watched their own team in the World Series?) The Mets are currently pursuing a courtship with five different bachelors: MLB executive and former Padres CEO Sandy Alderson, former D-backs GM Josh Byrnes, former Royals GM Allard Baird, current White Sox assistant GM Rick Hahn, and Dodgers assistant GM Logan White. (Just as an aside, if you haven’t noticed, all of these candidates are white. This seems strange considering Los Mets have been heavily Latino over the last few years.)
track record in hiring talented executives. We’re hopeful simply because the Mets are actually interviewing candidates. Over the last 13 years the Mets have bounced around from one GM to the next, never conducting a full vetting and interview process. In 1997, Steve Phillips was made GM when his superior, Joe McIlvaine, was fired. When Steve Phillips was let go, Jim Duquette, a member of the Mets front office, was made interim GM and then was given the full position. Finally, in 2004, the Wilpons raced to hire Omar Minaya. It’s time for the Mets to finally enter the dating pool and see what the GM candidates out there can offer our little ball club.Jeff Wilpon has announced that the Mets will choose their new GM by the World Series. (Perhaps the Wilpons are hoping that Mets fans will be so thrilled by the prospect of a new GM that they won’t notice that it’s been a decade since they watched their own team in the World Series?) The Mets are currently pursuing a courtship with five different bachelors: MLB executive and former Padres CEO Sandy Alderson, former D-backs GM Josh Byrnes, former Royals GM Allard Baird, current White Sox assistant GM Rick Hahn, and Dodgers assistant GM Logan White. (Just as an aside, if you haven’t noticed, all of these candidates are white. This seems strange considering Los Mets have been heavily Latino over the last few years.)
Even though the Mets have quite the group of candidates, the Wilpons have their eyes set on the great stat
e of Texas. Rumors have been swirling that the Mets’ Plan A involves Rangers GM Jon Daniels, a former New Yorker who grew up a Mets fan and whose parents currently live in Bayside. I LOVE the idea of a GM who is a Mets fan. I especially love the idea of a GM who has led his organization into the playoffs (with the added bonus of forcing Yankee fans into the fetal position). However, the Mets seem to be wasting their time and energy on Daniels.First, the Wilpons have announced that they will choose a GM by the World Series. Daniels’ team is playing in the World Series. If the Mets truly want him, they will have to delay their timetable and wait until after the World Series to even start to talk to Daniels. Second, do the Mets really think that Daniels is going to leave Texas after the season he’s had? Daniels has an opt-out clause in his contract that allows him to leave the organization if the Rangers change owners. However, Rangers owner Chuck Greenberg has already stated that he wants to sign Daniels to a contract extension. When times are so good in Arlington, I can’t imagine that Daniels will jump ship, even to his hometown team.
The Mets are considering five other candidates, but there’s really only one who can be the Mets’ Plan B if Daniels doesn’t come through: Sandy Alderson. Allard Baird has a history of making bad deals and has little success in the draft. Rick Hahn has little scouting experience, and although he’s a negotiator-extraordinaire, the Mets already have John Ricco as their negotiation guru. Logan White is great at scouting…and that’s about it. Mets fans don’t need a Minaya Jr. The Mets didn’t invite any of these courters back for their second round of interviews.
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