Sandy Alderson on WFAN Earlier Today

[Sick Of It All]

http://risingapple.com/2013/01/17/sa...-mets-address/

On how he feels about the process of putting the 2013 team together.

Right now it’s an incomplete, but there’s still time in the semester…we’ve been watching the market, we know what’s available…there are a number of things that we’re currently involved in pursuing, and I expect we’ll have some additions before Spring Training starts. To say we’ve been patient is an understatement.

On Travis d’Arnaud potentially making the club out of Spring Training.

We expect to get a good long look at him (in Spring Training). I think it would be unfair given his situation to say he can’t make the team out of Spring Training. I just don’t want to rule anything out. He hasn’t played since last June…he would’ve been in the big leagues last year had he not been injured…as far as Opening Day is concerned, he could be with us.

The current state of the outfield.

The outfield is not a strength at this point…there’s a need for an upgrade at every one of those positions. Some of those could come internally. Center field right now is Nieuwenhuis and Collin Cowgill, who I think will be an interesting player to watch in Spring Training. He’s a hard nosed, dirt player…I think he’s an under the radar addition. Right field is a couple people there, but nobody that would be a headliner for us.

On Scott Hairston being back or another player in the mix before ST.

We hope to. With Scott, it’s also a question of playing time. He wants to play, we understand that. One of the things that exists for us is that in order to sign Scott, it’s about playing time and what we can commit to Scott.

On whether he’s still in the mix for what could be considered a “bigger” move for the outfield.

We are. To handicap…probably 50/50. There are a couple of things going on, and they don’t both have to happen.

Was there any frustration regarding the R.A. Dickey process?

Didn’t have any frustration. The trade percolated for a long time. In the meantime, we had a very good idea of what R.A. was looking for. Things slowed down not because there was this great chasm between him and us, but rather because we wanted to see what was out there on the trade front.

On the health of Dillon Gee and Johan Santana.

We’re very optimistic and don’t have any reason not to be…Dillon made a pretty quick recovery from his surgery. It wasn’t terribly invasive. He should be fine. Interestingly, Johan apparently feels good enough to want to pitch for Venezuela in the WBC (World Baseball Classic). He’s [Santana] not currently eligible to pitch, but it’s encouraging that he wants to. There’s no reason to think that he won’t be 100% and ready to go. When he shut it down last year it wasn’t because of a significant injury, it was as much fatigue from the reconstructed shoulder as anything else.

Is it fair to say that Alderson has one eye on 2013 and one eye on 2014?

I’d say that’s accurate, except I would only add that my dominant eye is on ’13. The stronger focus is on ’13, and I know that doesn’t really corroborate with what we’ve done this offseason, but let’s see when everything’s said and done where we are. I can assure you that where we are now is not where we want to be opening Spring Training. It’s conceivable we could be in the same position but it’s not where we want to be.

His thoughts about the bullpen.

Let’s say uneasy. We’ve got a lot more young guys that are candidates for the pen than in recent years. We’re not gonna get locked into some low ceiling, stop gap possibilities. If guys are not performing we want to be in a position to move them out. At the same time, we think we have some talented young guys that are on the cusp. We like our lefthanded depth… closing the game is still critical, and we think Frankie’s gonna be healthy but you can’t be sure.

On Brian Wilson‘s workout.

Given where he is in his rehabilitation I think we liked what we saw, but the day we were there he only threw 20 pitches…there was no real issue about velocity - it wasn’t there. He’s got a ways to go. We saw him throw, I saw someone else throw earlier this week in the southeast. We keep looking. When we do convene periodically, that day there’s always a decision to make. If ‘X’ comes off the board are we OK with that? We’re not just monitoring the pulse, we’re all over it.

On the moves Washington has made.

They’re in a slightly different position. ..they’re filling a niche, they’re not reconstructing or having to add major pieces. They’re fine tuning. We need to be in a position where we’re fine tuning and we’ll get there. We’re not in the fine tuning business right now.

On Travis d’Arnaud’s health.

Before we made the trade, we snuck Travis into New York and had him examined. They felt good about his back and we had long conversations about his knee…we were comfortable enough to make the deal, and there’s enough upside there to run that risk.

On the R.A. Dickey trade and a trade proposal the Mets refused for d’Arnaud.

We had been talking to two or three teams about RA Dickey, and we had an interest in a couple players from one team and were prepared to make a trade to that team for those players (they wouldn’t give the players up). After we made the deal with Toronto, we got a call from that team. They wouldn’t give us the two players for R.A., but they called and said they’d give us the two players for d’Arnaud straight up.

On the possibility of Zack Wheeler making the Opening Day roster.

It’s unlikely that he starts at the Major League level. Hypothetically, let’s say we don’t add a starting pitcher between now and spring training. Now, you’re looking at Hefner, Mejia, Familia, Wheeler (as candidates for the rotation). That’s not our preferred result.

On what he’d say to get the fanbase excited.

Again, and I’m certainly not promising anything, let’s see what happens over the next three weeks before camp opens….there’s no substitute for winning, but hopefully our fans that are really very knowledgeable see what we’re doing, and hopefully recognize that we’re not dismissing 2013 by any means. But this is a path that we've got to follow.

On whether he feels his long term plan is on track.

I think that we are well on our way to building that foundation, and I honestly believe that this doesn’t have to be a long term proposition…in that sense, I’m happy with where we are. I’m not happy with where we are in preparation for 2013.

[Sick Of It All]

1. Patient is sometimes great and sometimes not so much.

2. Even if he mashes in ST, d'Arnaud should be in AAA to start the season.

3. Duda is the internal option it seems, but honestly I rather give Valdespin a shot full time specially given his impressive winter.

4. I am not a guy who wants Hairston back at all cost, I rather give younger guys a shot because imo Haiston is not an everyday player.

5. Will one happen at least?

6. I think he handled the Dickey situation quite well.

7. For the Mets to do anything both these guys need to have bounce back healthy years.

8. Is obvious both eyes are on 2014 and beyond, he glimpses at 2013 at times, but that is it.

9. Fat Frankie closing games a again is not a good thing, I think the rest of the pen will be up and down, but again I rather see younger guys get a shot over over priced bums.

10. Who was it that they saw aside from Wilson?

11. They are a looooong way from fine tuning.

12. It was a good risk.

13. What 2 players were they willing to get for d'Aranud? was it Olt and Martin from the Rangers? It means that the the Mets possibly could of gotten those 2 guys and Syndergaard for Dickey, but I guess the fact that d'A is a catcher the Mets were like forget it.

14. Like Td'A he should start the year at AAA.

15. They are not dismissing 2013 as far building for the future, but do not try to sell me a bridge and tell me that they are doing their best to compete this year either.

16. As of right now it is a long term plan, till the kids start producing at the major league level and the team starts winning. Till then it is a long term plan period.

[StoicSentry]

Depressing. I can't sum it up better than that. 3rd year and this is where we are. "Uneasy" at bullpen. "What outfield?", "I can't promise anything", terrible pitch to get Mets fan "excited", etc.

Well Mr. Alderson, I "can't promise" I'll be buying a single ticket this season.

I thought Mike was too easy on him, to be honest. If he still refuses to sign an MLB free agent, then we'll see how the interview goes before spring training.

[milominderbinde]

"The outfield is not a strength at this point". LOL

Is he actually trying to get us excited about Cowgil? really?

[StoicSentry]

"The outfield is not a strength at this point". LOL

Is he actually trying to get us excited about Cowgil? really?

He's gritty. LOL.

[jomota]

I wonder what the current Mets' OFers think after hearing the boss say that there is a need at every OF position.

[jomota]

"The outfield is not a strength at this point". LOL

Is he actually trying to get us excited about Cowgil? really?

I think he was trying to get us excited about Cowgirl.

http://thechive.com/2011/09/30/a-few...eek-23-photos/

[StoicSentry]

I wonder what the current Mets' OFers think after hearing the boss say that there is a need at every OF position.

Unless they're delusional, they already know that. Everyone knowledgeable about the MLB knows that.

If it offends them, who cares? Go and show it on the field. Otherwise, whatever.

[bklynny67]

i wish we could know who the other two players were??

Could TEX really have wanted to trade Olt and Martin for TDA straight up?



Quick question; what would you have rather ended up with?

d'Arnaud and Syndergaard for Dickey?

or

Syndergaard, Martin, and Olt for Dickey?

It appears that MAY have been a possibility. But who knows... maybe it wasn't Olt and Martin. Guess we may never know.

[jomota]

Unless they're delusional, they already know that. Everyone knowledgeable about the MLB knows that.

If it offends them, who cares? Go and show it on the field. Otherwise, whatever.

"I know you're homely honey, but you're better than nothing." Try that line and see how far you get.

Of course they know it, but they don't need to hear it from the GM. He could have worded it differently.

[jomota]

i wish we could know who the other two players were??

Could TEX really have wanted to trade Olt and Martin for TDA straight up?

Quick question; what would you have rather ended up with?

d'Arnaud and Syndergaard for Dickey?

or

d'Arnaud, Syndergaard, Martin, and Olt for Dickey?

It appears that MAY have been a possibility. But who knows... maybe it wasn't Olt and Martin. Guess we may never know.

They wanted d'Arnaud. We would have lost him.

[bklynny67]

They wanted d'Arnaud. We would have lost him.

yea i knew that.. oops.. it's corrected

so would you rather d'Arnaud and Syndergaard or Syndergaard, Olt, and Martin? ... if hypothetically that were the choice.

[jomota]

yea i knew that.. oops.. it's corrected

so would you rather d'Arnaud and Syndergaard or Syndergaard, Olt, and Martin? ... if hypothetically that were the choice.

I cannot back this up with any facts…but I think d'Arnaud is really going to work out. I'm more interested in him than anyone else trying to make this team or on the way up, even Wheeler.

Call me crazy.

[KingsOfQueens]

I actually found this a good read. Sandy's being quite honest. And I love that he said ALL 3 outfield positions basically suck and need to be upgraded.

[JohnNY62]

"I saw someone else throw earlier this week in the Southeast .." ... Oswalt?