The New York Mets Continue Their Major Organizational Makeover
As the newly appointed general manager (GM) of the New York Mets, Sandy Alderson isn’t wasting any time in revamping the club from the inside out. According to a source familiar with the discussions, Alderson has named J.P. Ricciardi, the former general
manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, as a candidate for a prominent front office position in the Mets’ organization.
The two individuals worked closely together during their time in the Oakland Athletics front office, where Ricciardi was a scout for Alderson, and eventually served as a special assistant. Ricciardi, 51, ultimately joined the Blue Jays, acting as GM from 2002-2009.
He currently works as a baseball analyst for ESPN.
Ricciardi is no stranger to the storied New York organization, having played 150 minor league games for Mets-affiliated teams from 1980-1981. During that time, Ricciardi played for a Shelby, North Carolina, squad in the Class A South Atlantic League that included
John Gibbons, an individual that Ricciardi would eventually tab as manager during his tenure in Toronto.
In an introductory press conference held at Citi Field (the Mets’ home ballpark) on Friday, October 29th, Alderson announced that he would more than likely add at least one or two knowledgeable executives to his front office.
There have been a number of position shifts in the Mets’ clubhouse since the conditional resignation of former GM Omar Minaya, though a few individuals remain with the organization. John Ricco will continue to serve as the assistant GM, and Wayne Krivsky, formerly
a GM for the Cincinnati Reds will remain under contract as a special assistant through 2011.
Although Minaya has brought up the possibility of returning to the team should the opportunity arise, Jeff Wilpon, the Mets’ chief operation officer expressed the team’s stance regarding Minaya’s future role in the front office, saying, “He's going to wait
it out until Sandy gets a real handle on what's here, what he might need and what the role might be.”
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