Mets “Pursue” Curtis Granderson, Nelson Cruz

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports writes on Tuesday that the Mets are “continuing to pursue” free agent outfielders Curtis Granderson and Nelson Cruz, “among others.” Interestingly, though, there is no official quote from Sandy Alderson about it, and that speaks volumes about the way Alderson operates.

Heyman spoke directly with Alderson on the telephone. We know that because Heyman said he asked Alderson if he had “checked in” on Ryan Braun. Alderson’s response? “If you could count a four-word sentence as checking…” Heyman said he asked Alderson what those four words were. He replied, “What’s up with Braun?”

(By the way, Alderson was told the Brewers are not trading Braun).

And that was the extent of the direct quotes from Alderson. You know they just did not hang up after that, that they spoke further. Yet there are no quotes.

Alderson must have told Heyman about Granderson and Cruz and much more, but told him not to quote him. Why? Yankees GM Brian Cashman, for example, is quoted almost every day about specific players, yet nothing can be directly attributed to Alderson? Why?

Maybe it is because Alderson knows deep down that he is never going to get Curtis Granderson or Nelson Cruz or any other difference-maker, so he does not want to be quoted as expressing a desire for them. This way he can say, “We never really wanted them, anyway” after the Mets fail to land them, and there is no quote to dispute that.

Or maybe Alderson just does not want to tip his hand. Either way, his mode of operation, including giving these long radio interviews and never really saying anything, is starting to rub fans the wrong way. If Alderson has a plan, why not let the fans in on it? After sticking by this team, we deserve a front office that does not repeatedly insult our intelligence.