Sandy Alderson Moves away from Mets for Cancer Treatment

In the middle of Mets spiral down the rankings, their general manager, Sandy Alderson, announced on Tuesday that he would take a leave to deal with a recurrence of cancer. But it could be a permanent departure, he said, because of the current performance of the team that he has formed.

Alderson, 70, who presided over the team's 2015 World Series and the Wild Card in 2016 as well as his epic collapses this season, learned that he had cancer at the same time. In the fall of 2015. Last year, before spring training, he spoke optimistically about his treatment, but warned that he was undergoing balance sheets every four months.

"The game goes on and we have a season to play," said Alderson, who battled tears as he spoke to reporters alongside Jeff Wilpon, chief operating officer. Mets. "So in the best interest of the Mets and for my health, it's the good result."

Asked about his desire to return after treatment, Alderson said, "If I had to examine the problem on the merits, I'm not sure that coming back is justified."

Alderson, who became the GM of the team In 2010, he said he had a recurrence of an unspecified form of cancer almost two months ago. His prognosis was good, he said, and he did not consider resigning at that time. Since then, he is slowly undergoing chemotherapy and should soon undergo surgery.

In its place, the team will be led by three leaders: John Ricco, a long-time Deputy Director General; Special Assistant J.P. Ricciardi, former Director General in Toronto; and Omar Minaya, predecessor of Alderson as general manager, who is now a special assistant. They will guide a team once expected to play in the playoffs but who has fallen to a record 31-45, among the worst baseball teams.

Wilpon would not say when or if Alderson would come back, saying that his health was the priority. He said Ricco's committee, Ricciardi and Minaya – not one person – would jointly lead the team and come to him for a final word on any action.

"It's a matter of results," Wilpon said. "We are well below our expectations, property down."

Alderson had not traveled with the Mets as often as before. While the Mets season was deteriorating after a promising start, Alderson was often absent, although many team officials insisted that he was fine and that he was just busy with his responsibilities.

In private, Wilpon was aware of Alderson's health change. And Alderson admitted Tuesday that it had been hard to keep up with the pace of work. Noting Alderson's wear, Wilpon said that he had talked to Alderson about taking a break.

On Sunday, Alderson said, he met Wilpon and told him of his decision to leave. Wilpon has brought together the team from Ricco, Riccardi and Minaya to provide new ideas on team improvement.

After 92 losses in the 2017 season, the Mets replaced their manager, Terry Collins, but Alderson has been granted a two-year extension to correct the team's course. The Mets reorganized their medical staff and spent $ 89 million for six free agents, although all six are over 30 years old.

But now, three months after the end of the season, the Mets have been derailed by injuries, poor performances from young and old players and a weak farming system. Alderson blamed himself too.

"I would not call those mistakes," he said of free agents. "But they certainly did not go as well as we had hoped."

Alderson, a former lawyer and long-time baseball executive, is the oldest general manager of baseball.

He left the office of the Major League Baseball Commissioner to head the Mets in 2010 during the economic turmoil caused by the Bernard L. Madoff scandal. He guided the Mets to two consecutive winning seasons in 2014 and 2015 before returning to the defeat of the past two seasons.

Before talking to reporters, Alderson sent tears to the team's players, who gave him a standing ovation after he finished speaking.

"We are going to be there for Sandy as much as Sandy has been there for us," said David Wright, the team captain. "Many times he took the temperature on our behalf."

In discussing his cancer treatment prior to training last spring, he said that although he had recovered 25 pounds that he had lost for 20 weeks of chemotherapy and two surgeries, he was reluctant to declare themselves in good health.

"It's not a win," Alderson said. "It's a temporary certification – a four-month postponement, maybe."

And on Tuesday, Alderson would not offer much insight into his future.

"None of us is writing his script," he said. "We are dealing with the circumstances as they arise, and I am thankful for all the opportunities I have had here and in the game, and for all the opportunities that may arise in the future. future, but it's a vertiginous world. "