Major League Baseball

GENERAL DELAY - WILPON: GM HIRE MAY TAKE 'WEEKS' AFTER 5TH INTERVIEW

Published Oct. 18, 2010 10:12 p.m. ET

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Though Sandy Alderson remains the leading candidate to become the next Mets general manager, don't expect a decision to come anytime soon, team COO Jeff Wilpon said.

Sources said the former A's general manager did "very well" when he met with Wilpon and interim head of baseball operations John Ricco on Thursday and he is expected to be invited back for the next round of interviews. But in a letter to fans sent yesterday, Wilpon said a move would be made "in the next few weeks."

After interviewing Dodgers assistant GM Logan White yesterday, the Mets said there were no second interviews set up for next week because more candidates could visit.

White followed fellow assistant GMs Allard Baird of the Red Sox and Rick Hahn of the White Sox, as well as Alderson and former Arizona GM Josh Byrnes in meeting with the Mets.

On Wednesday, Wilpon said the team was waiting for permission from teams to talk to other potential candidates, so that could delay the process.

"They all are intelligent, creative and passionate about winning," Wilpon wrote in the letter. "They conveyed their honest assessment of our franchise and discussed how we can move forward on our pledge to give our fans the winner that they deserve. We are continuing our search and expect to hire our new GM in the next few weeks."

White, like the previous four candidates who went to Citi Field, spent all day with Wilpon and Ricco as well as other team execs.

Team owner Fred Wilpon and president Saul Katz likely will become involved in the meetings in the next round.

"At this point, they have to figure out what they want to do," one rival executive said yesterday. "Do they want the young up-and-comer or do they want a more established, battle-tested guy?"

Alderson has the most impressive resume, having been the architect of the successful A's teams of the 1980s and '90s and gathering experience working tough jobs for MLB - including his current role in trying to overhaul baseball's Latin American operations.

And it also has become clear that commissioner Bud Selig's office is supporting Alderson's candidacy, urging the 62-year-old to pursue the job.

New Rangers owner Nolan Ryan made it clear he doesn't expect Texas GM Jon Daniels, a Queens native, to go to the Mets, or anywhere else.

"There's been speculation about him getting other opportunities, but I think we feel pretty comfortable that this is his organization and these are his people," Ryan said before Game 1 of the ALCS last night. "So I really would be shocked if he didn't stay with us."

- Additional reporting by Mark Hale in Arlington, Texas, and Mike Puma in Philadelphia

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