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Alderson Proving to be a Master Salesman


By Mike Silva ~ November 8th, 2010. Filed under: Mike Silva, New York Mets.

One of the traits of a successful general manager, in my opinion, is being able to sell stakeholders on his vision. This ranges from employees, fans, ownership, and opposing GM’s. The individual who unable to articulate even the best laid plan is doomed to fail. Just two weeks into his tenure Sandy Alderson has proved to be an adept salesman, one that will elevate the Mets into the elite of baseball.

The hiring of J.P. Ricciardi and Paul DePodesta is more than just the act of bringing in quality front office personnel. It proves that Alderson has a vision that others believe in. Despite the fact each have ties to Alderson in Oakland and San Diego, it was no shoo in that either would accept a position in New York. Ricciardi had the chance to work for Theo Epstein in Boston. It was a position with a prestigious organization, one that would easily keep him on the radar, and just 35 minutes from his home. DePodesta was working for a team on the rise in San Diego, and was quoted back in 2008 as having family ties to the West Coast. Obviously money played a huge role in their decision, but succeeding under Alderson will certainly elevate their Q rating in the industry. I could easily see one, if not both, obtain GM positions due to their work with the Mets. With Alderson at the helm both know the probability of that happening is great.

No Mets general manager has been able to set long term infrastructure since Frank Cashen. It’s clear the Mets will be the “Saber-Mets” under Alderson and company, but more importantly, strive to be part of the league’s elite. Outside of the eighties, the only other time this could be said about the franchise was during Minaya’s first two years when he imported Beltran, Martinez, Delgado, and Wagner. Even then it was a band aid on a wound that needed surgery. That’s why 2006 came and pain followed. This winter Alderson will create an elite front office that surely will put the Mets in a position to compete in 2011, and poised for bigger things later on.

Yes, having forward thinking individuals is paramount to the future of this organization. Selling that future is where it all starts. Alderson sold the Wilpon’s, Ricciardi, and DePodesta. Now comes the part of building a roster. When the dust clears you know he will be able to sell the big free agent fish on New York. Maybe the Mets don’t have money for a Cliff Lee, but if they did I suspect Alderson would give the Yankees a run for it. When is the last Mets regime that set lofty goals and actually achieved it? You could argue never, even under Cashen. That already has begun to change with Alderson.

Omar Minaya was the salesman that overpromised and under delivered. He had the personality without substance. Alderson is the straight shooter who does what he says. The latter will be more effective and respected. Be excited about how Ricciardi and DePodesta improve the front office. Be giddier about how this is probably only the beginning.

Mike Silva is a freelance writer and radio host since March of 2007. This website is his own personal "digest" of New York Baseball He's also hosts NYBD Radio on Blog Talk Radio and 1240 AM WGBB. Check out his sports media commentary at www.sportsmediawatchdog.com. Check out his official website, www.mikesilvamedia.com
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6 Responses to Alderson Proving to be a Master Salesman

  1. Isaac
    November 8th, 2010 at 6:08 pm

    I think you are going way too far with your enthusiasm. There’s no guarantee the mets will be competing in 2011. I trust alderson to make the mets a perennial contender, but it would be difficult for anyone to assemble a roster that will allow the mets to compete next year.

    He’s good, but he’s not superman

  2. Mike Silva
    November 8th, 2010 at 6:13 pm

    Isaac

    A competent manager would have that team at least .500 (Their Pythagorean record proves that), health from Bay, Santana, and K-Rod could have pushed them to around 88-90 wins. Maybe not playoffs, but a winning team.

  3. Louis
    November 8th, 2010 at 7:17 pm

    Mike,
    I couldn’t agree with you more about Alderson and his ability to get the job done. However, given that belief you should delete your previous post about Manny.
    One, Alderson would never do it and he shouldn’t do it, it’s just a terrible move.
    Two, if Alderson did bring in Manny, I’d run in the other direction if I were a Met fan. Wrong message, bad plan.
    2011 should, under Alderson, bring in any number of new faces on the playing field and many of them will not be marquee names…and with the right manager [read: Backman] the Mets will be a better than 500 team.
    There’ any number pf current players he should cut ties with, and I believe he will sooner rather than later.

  4. Isaac
    November 8th, 2010 at 7:18 pm

    That’s the problem, at this point, this team’s health can’t be guaranteed. Santana has gotten injured for 2 years in a row. Bay didn’t play the full year, so he might still need time to get used to citi field. Beltran’s knees are always a risk. We don’t know how productive Ike Davis will be in his 2nd season. Reyes is an injury risk too. Also, pagan had missed significant time with injuries before last season. Who’s to say he’ll stay healthy for a full season again?.

    With a good manager, this team will probably reach .500, but for the team to challenge for a playoff spot, health from those key guys will be needed. over the last 2-3 years, some of them have become injury-prone players, and the team will probably lose games because of the injuries that they are very likely to have.

    I probably exaggerated when I suggested it was very unlikely that the mets would compete next year, but I really believe that our team’s health can’t be guaranteed and that, as a consequence of that reality, it’s success can’t be guaranteed either.

  5. Mike Silva
    November 8th, 2010 at 8:02 pm

    Louis

    I think Manny could fall into the “undervalued veteran” that we talked about here last week. Look at San Francisco. They brought in Burrell, Guillen, etc. They are equally as poisonous, or worse, than Manny. It’s not likely that Alderson will go that direction, but as Howard said if you could get him at 1 year and $4 million why not?

  6. Louis
    November 9th, 2010 at 8:40 am

    Mike,
    “… but as Howard said if you could get him at 1 year and $4 million why not? ”

    Because he’s exactly the type personality [selfish, disgruntled, completely uninspired] that the Mets already have on their roster. Manny, at this point in his career, is an underachiever. Another quality the Mets are loaded with. $4 Million? Alderson can find 2 or 4 no name overachievers for that same $4 mil to plug this roster with and begin to change the dysfunctional culture that has permeated this organization for the last couple of years, at least.
    Again, if you’re a Met fan, you should be thankful you now have a GM that will not start his term as GM with a move that would undermine the team’s makeover before it even begins. “Team”, that’s the dimension that’s been missing from this organization for many years, and Manny is not a guy who contributes to the “team” concept in any way, shape or form.
    No one discounts that, in his prime, Manny may have been the best pure hitter…ever. That has to be irrelevant to Alderson. You put people in the seats in NY with wins.
    Just my opinion.

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