Report: Mets 'Aiming Very High' With Short List For President Of Baseball Ops Vacancy
NEW YORK- The Mets are reportedly shooting for the stars in their president of baseball operations search.
According to MLB Insider Jon Heyman, the Mets are "aiming very high" and have already put together a short list of candidates that features some heavy hitters in the form of: Billy Beane, Theo Epstein and David Stearns.
However, the Mets' previous request to interview Stearns, who is currently the president of baseball ops and general manager of the Brewers, was denied by Milwaukee last year in New York's first failed attempt to fill this position.
As for Beane and Epstein, these are two names the Mets have been linked to recently as well. And according to a source, Epstein will "definitely be in play" for the Mets.
A Case For Epstein
After leaving his position as president of baseball operations with the Chicago Cubs, Epstein took a job in the commissioner's office as an advisor, where he currently resides. However, he is said to be looking to get back into running baseball operations for an organization, but could want a partial ownership stake as well.
It is unknown whether Mets owner Steve Cohen would be willing to meet this demand or not, but if it means bringing in a prominent executive to help accomplish Cohen's goal of winning a World Series in 3-5 years, then he may very well consider this route.
Remember, Epstein has notably helped break two curses in his career. First, with the Red Sox in 2004 where he contributed to putting an end to their 80-year title drought, and then in 2016 with the Cubs, leading the charge in building the team that captured their first World Series crown in 108-years.
The Mets are in the midst of a 35-year stretch without a championship, and if certain things truly do come in three's, as the old superstition says, Epstein might just be the man to bring the trophy back to New York.
A Case for Beane
Regarding Beane, he and Mets team president Sandy Alderson have a long and extensive relationship, given their time spent together in the Oakland Athletics' front office. This automatically puts a reunion in play.
But although Beane's current position with the Oakland Athletics is vice president of baseball operations, which is technically a step below the Mets' president role, New York still may need the blessing of A's owner John Fisher, before they can interview Beane, who has one-year on his deal remaining.
As Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic recently speculated, Fisher could let Beane go to the Mets in order to save money and also promote general manager David Forst to president of baseball ops.
The Athletics' stadium situation is also a mess, which has the ownership group mulling the idea of moving the team to Las Vegas. A re-location that Beane most likely would not want to participate in.
Rosenthal also believes A's manager Bob Melvin could follow Beane if he chooses to go to the Mets, as this duo has spent the last 11 seasons together in Oakland.
For Beane, who turns 60-years-old next March, this could be his last chance to run a big market team in the northeast that doesn't have any payroll constraints due to their billionaire owner.
Beane has put together an illustrious career as a front office exec in Oakland, despite having little to work with, operating with a bottom-five payroll year in, and year out. Imagine what he could do with the Mets' massive budget?
This aspect could make this a match made in heaven for both sides. The Mets drafted Beane as the No. 1 overall pick in the 1980 MLB draft as a player. And now, his career could come full circle next year if he decides to jump ship and come to Queens.
