The mastermind of Moneyball is staying put.
For weeks, Oakland A's executive vice president of baseball operations Billy Beane had been linked to the Mets regarding their vacant president of baseball operations position. Beane eventually had to withdraw his name from consideration for the position Monday, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Beane spoke with SNY's Andy Martino Wednesday night and explained why he felt the need to remove his name from the Mets' potential short list.
"Creating chaos in my children's lives for my own ambition feels like a selfish thing to do," Beane told Martino.
Beane and Mets general manager Sandy Alderson have a long history that spans more than three decades. Alderson, who served as the A's general manager from 1983-1997, hired Beane as an advanced scout in 1990, before he rose up the ranks and succeeded Alderson as general manager seven years later. Beane told Martino the "only reason" he'd consider leaving Oakland would be the opportunity to work with Alderson and owner Steve Cohen.
Beane's role with the A's has evolved over the years. He is still heavily-involved with roster and payroll decisions, but also has an interest as a minority owner in the team. In 2015, he ceded day-to-day operations to general manager David Forst, though those two have been working in concert for decades.
A's manager Bob Melvin could have been included in a package deal with Beane, according to reports, but the Mets' search for leadership will have to continue elsewhere. So long as the A's remain competitive, Beane will probably remain coveted, but it sounds like he is locked into life in the Bay Area.
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The Mets have also reportedly been turned down by former Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox Theo Epstein, while the Milwaukee Brewers denied the Mets permission to speak with David Stearns, their president of baseball operations.
From the outside, that looks grim for the Mets when you strike out on your top three candidates. But Beane made sure to show his old boss Alderson some support.
"This is such an amazing opportunity for a young executive," Beane said. "You get to work with one of the smartest executives of all time. I had that opportunity and I've been happy with the way my career has gone."
