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Alderson Clarifies '5-Dollar Bill' Comments, Explains Mets' Offseason Plans

NEW YORK (WFAN) -- Mets GM Sandy Alderson joined Mike Francesa on Friday afternoon to chat about the Mets' offseason plans.

Alderson clarified his "5 dollar bill" comments that got underneath the skin of Mets fans.

Sandy Alderson

"Well, I've made attempts at humor in the past that have gotten under a few people's skin," Alderson said to Francesa. "I try not to do it too often. I think it is important sometimes to at least reflect on the relative importance of all of this -- trying to put it in some perspective. I know it becomes a sensitive issue with Mets fans, has been for a few years. I, myself am sensitive to that."

Alderson said that his humor "won't be back any time soon."

Francesa asked Alderson how far along the Mets are in the process of addressing the Mets' offseason needs.

"We're early in the offseason," Alderson said. "A lot of things don't happen until well after the winter meetings. We didn't trade R.A. Dickey last year until after the winter meetings. We didn't sign Marlon Byrd until well after the winter meetings."

Alderson understands the desperation of Mets fans to see their roster. He outlined the Mets' game plan to Francesa.

"I understand that people are anxious to see what we're going to do," Alderson said. "I'm anxious to see how everything develops. We've got some holes to fill, there's no question about that. But the nice thing about that -- is that it gives us a lot of different combinations. While there are some obvious weaknesses, there are also some areas where we have relative strengths -- that we might be able to further strengthen."

Alderson said the status of injured starter Matt Harvey hasn't significantly changed the Mets' approach.

"We're still committed to improving," Alderson said. "If you go back over the last three years, I've said this more that once -- we wanted to accumulate talent, we wanted to create some more payroll flexibility and we wanted to do as well as we could along the way without compromising the first two goals. Now, we're re-ording those goals -- Harvey, or no Harvey. No, it hasn't changed anything."

Alderson revealed his number of outfielder targets in free agency and outfielders he could be looking to acquire via trade.

"I'm staring at my board right now," Alderson said. "In the outfield category, I've got seven guys on my board who are free agents -- varying degrees of quality. In the trade category just as an example, I've got four, five -- nine. Those are guys we talked about internally. They range from A+ to C+."

Alderson confirmed that he is shopping one of his first basemen. The Tampa Bay Rays and Colorado Rockies are reportedly interested in Ike Davis. The Mets could opt to move Davis or Lucas Duda.

"Yeah, I'd say that's accurate," Alderson told Francesa. "I actually like them both in terms of profile. There are things we like about Duda, there's some things we like about Ike -- the fact that he's hit 30-plus home runs before, which is something that Duda hasn't done. There are different things that we look at, not just from a scouting standpoint, but from an analytical standpoint. At some point, you gotta make a choice and we may be getting at that point with these two guys."

Mets fans are waiting with bated breath for Alderson to open up the checkbook and burn up the phones to bring fresh talent to Citi Field.

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