Mets hire J.P. RICCIARDI

The Mets just sent out this email about the first new hire in the new Sandy Alderson regime.
What do you guys think?

METS NAME J.P. RICCIARDI SPECIAL ASSISTANT
TO GENERAL MANAGER SANDY ALDERSON

FLUSHING, N.Y., November 2, 2010 – The New York Mets today announced that J.P. (John Paul) Ricciardi has been named Special Assistant to General Manager Sandy Alderson. From November 14, 2001 through 2009, he was the Senior Vice President, Baseball Operations and General Manager for the Toronto Blue Jays. Ricciardi spent last season as a baseball analyst for ESPN.

“J.P. brings a wealth of knowledge and a breadth of experience to the organization,” said Alderson. “I worked with him for over a decade in Oakland and I know first hand he’s a superb talent evaluator. He’ll be a tremendous resource in a variety of areas.”

In his new role, Ricciardi will assist Alderson in all aspects of the baseball department.

The 51-year-old worked for the Oakland Athletics for 16 years (1986-2001), including 12 years (1986-1997) when Alderson was the team’s General Manager.

“I couldn’t be more excited about being reunited with Sandy,” said Ricciardi. “We enjoyed tremendous success together in Oakland and it’s my goal to help duplicate that here with the Mets. As a former Met farm hand, it’s a double homecoming for me.”

Ricciardi played two seasons in the Mets minor league system after signing as a non-drafted free agent. In 1980, he was a teammate of current Oakland GM Billy Beane in the New York-Penn League with Little Falls and in 1981 he played for Shelby (A) of the South Atlantic League.

Formerly New York Giants win the World Series!

Good morning Formerly’s Fans!

I had a great night the couch, Junior at my side. I slapped on my orange SF-less Giants jersey for probably the last time for some time (less I look front-runnery), Mrs. MP fell asleep allowing Junior to cheat his bedtime, so father and son watched the World Series.

I thought of my own father. In ’54 did he think the Giants would never win again in his lifetime? To think there were only three seasons left of Giants baseball? The team had been to the WS twice in four seasons and yet would soon leave. The “golden age.” Unreal.

The Giants were never mentioned around the house when I was a kid, so it’s not like we were SFG fans then nor am I one now.

Someone had to win the series, and if not the Mets why not the team of my ancestors? I am happy for them, as the franchise picks up a 6th championship and gets people to talk about the first five instead of whining about the stupid team from Brooklyn.

56 years is a long time. In Mets years that would be the equivalent of 2044. I will be an old man watching that World Series with my grandson and many if not most of the 1986 Mets will be dead. Lets hope Sandy can get us one (or ten) between now and then.