SKIPPER SEARCH IS ON

The Mets have not yet scheduled any managerial interviews, but names are already appearing and disappearing from their list. According to multiple league sources, former Mets catcher and Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons will not interview for the job, and is expected to remain bench coach for the Kansas City Royals. There are indications that Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin could become a candidate, and Chip Hale and Wally Backman remain likely to interview. The Mets officially made Sandy Alderson their next GM Thursday by announcing an introductory news conference for 2 p.m. Friday. Alderson agreed to a four-year contract, according to sources. They will soon begin searching in earnest for a manager and other members of the front office. League sources confirmed that Alderson was considering asking Paul DePodesta to leave the San Diego Padres' front office to join the Mets. DePodesta, a former GM of the Dodgers and assistant GM under Billy Beane in Oakland, also worked for Alderson when Alderson was CEO of the Padres. He is currently executive vice president for San Diego. Sources also said they expected Alderson to pursue former Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi, possibly as scouting director. Ricciardi once worked in Alderson's front office. "I would think Sandy would want to bring him in," one National League executive said of DePodesta. "(The) only question is whether he would leave San Diego. I also wonder what that would mean for Ricco." John Ricco, the Mets' assistant GM who coordinated the search that culminated in Alderson's hiring, is well-positioned to eventually succeed Alderson. Although DePodesta and Ricciardi would also be strong voices if they joined the Mets, people who know all three believe they would work well together, and that neither DePodesta nor Ricciardi would necessarily affect Ricco's standing in Flushing. Gibbons, who recently interviewed with the Pirates before removing his name from consideration, has indicated that he is not interested in the Mets' job, either, league sources say. Hale, the Mets' third base coach this past season, is still under consideration, and could be a fit under Alderson. In past statements, Alderson has made clear that he favors managers willing to implement an organizational philosophy. Hale's lack of major league managerial experience could work against him, as could Backman's. The other internal candidates to interview could include Triple-A Buffalo manager Ken Oberkfell and scout Bob Melvin, a former Seattle and Arizona manager. Former Met and current Texas bench coach Clint Hurdle could also emerge.

SANDY ALDERSON NEW GM

Sandy Alderson was in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday, attending to his duties for Major League Baseball in its efforts to clean up the player procurement process. But he has already begun working on his next assignment, which may be equally as challenging — resurrecting the Mets. Alderson will become the Mets’ general manager, and he has begun compiling a list of potential field managers and is looking into re-signing at least one potential free agent, reliever Hisanori Takahashi. Whatever he decides to do, it will most likely be his decision alone. Alderson is expected to be granted full control over the Mets’ baseball operations, within the framework of a budget set forth by team ownership. Essentially, the Mets will be handing the keys of the franchise to him. “I think he’ll be able to keep ownership at bay,” said Steve Phillips, a former Mets general manager who acknowledged he was too young and inexperienced when he held the position to have the clout that Alderson will. “Young guys do need some guidance, but Sandy has the credibility and the maturity to set forth a plan for the entire organization,” Phillips said. “If Sandy says, ‘No, this guy doesn’t fit into our budget,’ or ‘It doesn’t make sense for us,’ everyone will know it’s really coming from him.” Alderson is expected to begin asking teams for permission to speak to potential managers. There are indications he will at least interview Wally Backman, manager of the Mets’ Class A Brooklyn Cyclones; Chip Hale, the Mets’ third-base coach; and Bob Melvin, a former manager of the Seattle Mariners and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Of more immediacy is to decide whether to re-sign Takahashi. By rule, the Mets have until Oct. 31 to get a contract worked out or Takahashi will not be able to sign with them until May 15. Complicating matters, Takahashi recently switched agents after the Mets had begun negotiations with his old agent, Peter Greenberg. But the Mets have reached out to the new agent, Arn Tellem, in hopes of completing a deal before the deadline. While that may be the most time-sensitive issue for Alderson, the more vital one is the next manager. Alderson has said in past interviews that he favors low-key managers who follow the overall philosophy and strategy set forth by him as general manager. The reasoning is: why set policy and formulate a tactical plan only to have a maverick, charismatic manager make decisions that do not follow the plan? Managers like Melvin and perhaps Hale could fit into that framework, but the fiery Backman does not seem to. Alderson has already told others he would not favor hiring Backman, the former Mets infielder, because he has no major league managing experience and would be better served honing his skills in the minors. Ownership is fond of Backman, however, and Alderson is said to be willing to have an open mind. The last manager Alderson hired was Art Howe in 1996, when he was general manager of the Oakland Athletics. Mets fans may cringe as they recall Howe’s listless campaigns in Flushing in 2003 and 2004, but he was more successful with the Athletics from 1996 to 2002. Working closely with Alderson, and later Alderson’s protégé Billy Beane, Howe finished with a 600-533 record with the A’s. He won two division titles while taking Oakland to the postseason in his last three years there. The A’s never won a playoff series under Howe, but he did win more than 100 games two years in a row with a team that had a modest payroll. It has been suggested that most of the decisions, even in-game tactical decisions, were made in the front office by Beane, and when the A’s decided they wanted to turn to their bench coach Ken Macha as manager, they were only too happy to let Howe go to the Mets. When Howe got to New York in 2003, replacing Bobby Valentine after a 75-86 season, the Mets did not need a laid-back button-pusher to follow a plan. Howe finished well under .500 both years with the Mets. Before Howe, the Athletics had Tony La Russa, who is not a managerial automaton by any means. But La Russa was an exceptional talent who has worked well within organizational parameters. Alderson will be introduced at a news conference at Citi Field on Friday. He hopes to begin interviewing candidates almost immediately.

JERRY & OMAR FIRED
According to the NY Post, sources close to the New York Mets organization have stated that both Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel have been informed that they will not be retained for the 2011 season. While Minaya could reportedly return in another capacity, Manuel is expected to be fired as early as Monday. However, while the NY Daily News did not refute reports that Minaya and Manuel will be fired from their positions, their sources deny that either of them have been contacted about their future with the Mets as of yet. Minaya’s stint as Mets general manager was viewed as an abomination by fans and media members alike. Inexcusably, he signed second baseman Luis Castillo to a four-year, $24 million contract in 2007 after he had both of his knees surgically repaired. In 2008, he asserted his reputation as a GM who pays for “names” by acquiring relief pitchers Francisco Rodriguez and JJ Putz.In moves of desperation just one year later, he gave erratic starting pitcher Oliver Perez a $36 million deal and signed free agent bust Jason Bay to a four-year, $62 million contract just one offseason before Tampa Bay’s Carl Crawford - a far superior left fielder - was scheduled to become a free agent. As for Manuel, his managerial record with the Mets is 202-212, a .488 winning percentage, and they have not reached the postseason with him at the helm.