MEET THE NEW BOSS
METS TO INTRODUCE VAN WAGENEN AS GM TODAY
The last time the Mets introduced a new general manager, Sandy Alderson was leaving a job with MLB, but he had a résumé that included stints running the A’s and Padres.
Eight years later — almost to the day — the Mets officially named Brodie Van Wagenen their GM and the former agent will almost certainly have a longer — and more varied — list of questions to answer when he meets the media at a press conference on Tuesday at Citi Field (2:30 p.m., SNY.)
“Brodie is an extremely knowledgeable, creative, progressive and collaborative leader, who I’m confident will lead us toward sustainable success,” Mets COO Jeff Wilpon said in a statement Monday. “I’m very excited for our fans to hear and see the direction Brodie outlined for us.”
It’s a risk for the Mets — and the Wilpons.
“Jeff brought forward an array of candidates and we all agreed that Brodie’s high character, blend of analytics, scouting and development ideas illustrate why he will be successful in this role,’’ CEO Fred Wilpon said.
Alderson brought with him a history of being at the forefront of analytics, but by the end of his tenure last season, the Mets had among the smallest analytic departments in the majors.
Van Wagenen’s philosophy is yet to be determined.
“I’m beyond excited and motivated to take on this new challenge,” said Van Wagenen, who has a reported four-year deal. “I want to thank Fred and Jeff for believing in my vision and abilities. I look forward to beginning the progress of getting the Mets to contend for a championship year after year.”
Unlike most executives, who either have been promoted from within an organization or spent time as an executive with another team, Van Wagenen is pretty much an unknown.
While players and execs certainly are aware of the 44-year-old who was the co-head of CAA’s baseball division, there’s considerable uncertainty about how Van Wagenen will see fit to run a franchise instead of an agency.
In addition to how he’s going to handle going from the players’ side to the organization’s, Van Wagenen will have to determine what to do about his former client, Jacob deGrom.
During the season, Van Wagenen the agent said the Mets should give deGrom — under team control through 2020 — a contract extension. Now he’s in a position to offer one to the right-hander, who is coming off his best season.
How Van Wagenen and the Mets handle deGrom and the rest of the rotation will be determined in part by how far ownership lets the team go in payroll.
Alderson hadn’t been a GM in more than a decade when he took over the Mets. But as Golden State Warriors GM Bob Myers — who made the same leap Van Wagenen is making — said on Sunday, running a team is significantly different than running an agency.
“As an agent, you’re responsible for the players you represent,’’ Myers said. “There’s a weight to that, too. But for me, there’s a shift to making 15 or however many players I had [as an agent] happy, as opposed to going to a game and feeling the weight of the whole fan base in a city.”
Van Wagenen inherits a roster that as of Monday included seven free agents— none of whom are guaranteed to return.
He’ll also have to decide whether to tender contracts to Travis d’Arnaud and Wilmer Flores.
On Tuesday, he gets to work.