Wright optimistic about new regime

David Wright's only contact with the Mets' new front-office regime has been a congratulatory phone call to Sandy Alderson that lasted only a few minutes. But from that brief conversation, and after reading up on Alderson's strategy, he said Saturdaythat he's confident the Mets are heading in the right direction.

"It's unfortunate when you see bad things happen to good people," Wright said, referring to the dismissals of Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel. "But I think they would probably understand this is New York and you're expected to win, and when you don't, sometimes you bear the brunt of that and probably get a lot of fingers pointed at you unfairly.

"As players, we feel responsible. But I think that moving forward, you almost had to make a change based on what we've done the last few years."

That change has a "Moneyball" flavor to it, not only for the hiring of Alderson but the subsequent additions of special assistant J.P. Ricciardi and Paul DePodesta, the vice president of player development and amateur scouting.

Of course, the Mets could wind up shuffling more than front-office personnel this offseason as Alderson works to improve the roster. Wright realizes that with costly free agents pretty much out of the equation, anyone is potential trade bait. The question of breaking up the core always arises at this time of year, and Wright can't help but acknowledge the possibility.

"I want to be here," he said. "I've made that well known. But ultimately that's out of my hands. I guess the ultimate goal would be to be here through the good, through the bad, and be part of the reason that we kind of turn things around. But there are some business sides of this, too, that are out of my control."

Perhaps at greater risk is Jose Reyes, who had his $11-million option for 2011 picked up earlier this month. Neither side is likely to talk extension before the end of next season, which means this could be the final year in Flushing for the three-time All-Star.

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Wright, for one, believes that the Mets need Reyes, at least for the coming season. "I think Jose makes me a better player," he said. "I think that Jose puts our team at a different level."

Wright also had sympathy for Justin Morneau, who was among the Twins players who complained this past week about the spacious dimensions of Target Field. The team announced it was spending up to $6 million in improvements after the inaugural season, but making the ballpark more hitter-friendly will not be one of them.

For Wright, it's a familiar refrain. He hit only 10 home runs, five at home, during the first season at Citi Field, which has fences that balloon outward at his power points. Wright rebounded this year with 29 homers, including 12 at Citi, but it's obvious that he'd like to see some tailoring of the outfield dimensions. The Mets have not shown a willingness to do so.

"I don't think there's any question it affects your thought process and your swing," Wright said. "You can't help but try to alter things to try to fit the park you're playing in. I've kind of learned firsthand that you're just not going to hit very many opposite-field home runs at Citi.

"You just have to deal with it and move on. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't wish that because I think one of my strengths is going the other way, and going the other way with power. I do think that playing in bigger ballparks can be beneficial to the kind of team that we have right now. But at the same time, it's frustrating."

While Wright talked at length about just about every subject before teaching a baseball clinic for elementary school kids at Chelsea Piers, he was tight-lipped about the firing of clubhouse manager Charlie Samuels, who is under investigation for alleged ties to illegal gambling.

"Unfortunately, that's his personal matter, and I prefer to stay out of it and not comment on it," said Wright, who was close with Samuels. "It's obviously sad and I wish him the very best."