Sandy Alderson On WFAN: ‘Now We’re Entering A New Phase’

NEW YORK (WFAN) – The Mets’ season has mercifully come to a close, with the club finishing 74-88 and third in the National League East.

The Amazin’s recorded their fifth consecutive losing season, but with more than $50 million set to come off the books this offseason, general manager Sandy Alderson believes that things are looking up for the forlorn franchise.

Just a couple of hours after announcing that manager Terry Collins has signed a two-year extension, Alderson joined WFAN host Mike Francesa to discuss how he plans to improve the club for 2014.

For starters, he expects to spend more money than in previous years.

“I think we’re gonna have enough (money) available to make significant improvements,” Alderson told Francesa. “No question about that. If you go back and look at what we actually spent on free agents over the last three years, it’s been not minimal, but modest. Last year, for example, just on free agents, I think we only spent about $5 million.

“Certainly compared to that, we’re gonna have significantly-improved resources.”

The Mets have a solid core of starting pitchers returning next season, with Dillon Gee, Zack Wheeler and Jon Niese all under contract. And the staff could be one of the best in the National League if ace Matt Harvey, currently dealing with a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, is healthy for Opening Day.

The fireballer is attempting to rehab his elbow, though Tommy John surgery remains a possibility for the 24-year-old.

Alderson didn’t discount the possibility of re-signing Johan Santana, who missed the entire 2013 season after re-tearing his shoulder capsule.

But where the club really needs to improve is offensively. Outside of David Wright and Daniel Murphy, the Mets’ lineup is very week.

Alderson is determined to fix that.

“We’re gonna be aggressive,” the general manager told Francesa. “We’re gonna play the market, see what’s there. I think an important thing to keep in mind is that we’ve gone through the last three years trying to clear payroll, trying to acquire and develop talent and win games without sacrificing the longer-term view.

“I think now we’re entering a new phase where the short-term becomes somewhat more important than the long-term. And that’s how we’re going to go at it.”

Asked at the end of the interview if “the future is now,” Alderson simply responded with one word.

“Yes.”

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