Mets GM Alderson is ready to go

PHOTOGRAPHER: The New York Times

After winning the National League pennant last year with the help of outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, center, New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, left, is ready for the new season to begin. At the right is Mets chief of operations Jeff Wilpon.

About four days after the New York Mets clinched the National League East in September and general manager Sandy Alderson was doused with champagne, looking happier than he had in years, he was told he had cancer. He dealt with the news quietly as he fine-tuned his roster and had two more champagne baths in the Mets’ run to the World Series.

“It was a little surreal, you know?” Alderson said Wednesday. “Having not been to the World Series in 25 years. Having never been diagnosed with cancer.”

He chuckled.

“It was a little bit odd,” he said. “But the great thing about the postseason was it was a distraction at that time. Distractions are always nice.”

Now another distraction — spring training, to be followed by another season — has arrived. Alderson met with the media for about 20 minutes Wednesday, cracking jokes as usual and discussing the state of the team’s pitching, David Wright’s back and his own health.

Until recently, Alderson had not divulged much about himself, and he still has not said what type of cancer he has. The Mets waited until the first week of December to announce his condition and the eight to 12 weeks of chemotherapy he would undergo. Alderson missed the winter meetings because of those treatments, but he has been working full time, taking time off for the additional treatments he receives every couple of weeks.

“I feel great,” Alderson said, beaming. “I’m ready to go.”

Some of his enthusiasm could have spread from the general confidence of his players. Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom indicated recently that getting back to the World

Series, and winning it, was the Mets’ goal this season — and it seemed reasonable.

If the Mets are contenders, it will probably be because of their pitching, and Alderson vowed to take care of his young pitchers, even if Harvey, a year removed from Tommy John surgery, deGrom and Noah Syndergaard would be let loose and not have innings limits.

“We’re going to be mindful of their health,” Alderson said. “Not necessarily looking at innings limits. But at the same time, making sure they are as strong and as healthy and as capable as possible throughout the season. We may do some things this year that we did last year to ensure that.

“I think with any pitching, whether a pitcher has had Tommy John or not, in this day and age, as hard as many guys throw, and as hard as our guys throw, you’ve got to be very careful about it.”

Judging by his tone, Alderson seemed more concerned about Wright’s health as he enters his first full season after being told he has spinal stenosis. Alderson had not outlined a plan with Wright yet. But he said he expected Wright to play 130 games “or so,” which meant the Mets would use spring training to try rotating other players at third base, including, perhaps, Neil Walker, Asdrubal Cabrera and Wilmer Flores.

“We’re going to have to be mindful of his physical situation and anticipate rather than react to that condition,” Alderson said of Wright. “It’s hard to say right now, but certainly we’re going to go beyond just monitoring his health. We’re going to have to be proactive.”

Other than maintaining everyone’s health, the Mets do not have position battles to sort out this spring, unlike in years past. The Mets’ to-do list seems far less dire: Figure out the outfield rotation, find another position for catchers Travis d’Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki to play at times, fill out the bullpen and nurture Zack Wheeler and Josh Edgin back from Tommy John surgery.

The culture around the organization has changed so much that as Alderson was packing his belongings for spring training, he brought with him a news headline that referred to his statement from two years ago, calling the Mets to shoot for 90 wins. Alderson was mocked for suggesting that, given the state of the team at the time. Then in 2015, they won 90 games.

A reporter asked Alderson if that meant the Mets were aiming higher now.

“Well, look,” he said, “we want to win enough games to win the division. Is that 90? Is it 92? Is it 94? I don’t know what the number is. I was with a team that won a division with 82. We certainly have higher expectations than that. But we have to go realize them.”

So, the reporter joked, was the number 95 then?

Smiling, and on cue, Alderson quipped, “That’s a freeway.”