NEW YORK -- Josh Byrnes, one of two finalists for the New York Mets' general manager position, completed his second-round interview Monday. The other finalist, Sandy Alderson, is scheduled for a comparable session Tuesday.
The Mets could announce a hire to succeed Omar Minaya as general manager as soon as Friday, on an off-day between Games 2 and 3 of the World Series, although there is no indication a press conference is planned for that day.
Byrnes, 40, met with principal owner Fred Wilpon, team president Saul Katz and chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon at Citi Field.
"As scheduled, Fred, Saul and I, met with Josh Byrnes today," Jeff Wilpon said in a statement. "Out of respect for the candidates and the ongoing process, we will have no further comment on the meeting."
The opening-round interviews had been conducted by Jeff Wilpon and acting GM John Ricco. That whittled the field to Byrnes and Alderson from a group that also included Boston Red Sox assistant GM Allard Baird, Toronto Blue Jays special assistant Dana Brown, Chicago White Sox assistant GM Rick Hahn and Los Angeles Dodgers assistant GM Logan White.
Alderson, 62, has been considered the favorite to land the position since the outset. Currently a consultant working for Major League Baseball on Latin American operations, Alderson has the support of commissioner Bud Selig, who has a strong relationship with Fred Wilpon.
Alderson led the Oakland Athletics to three straight World Series appearances, including the 1989 championship, as general manager. After a stint with Major League Baseball concentrating on umpiring and building the game internationally, he served as chief executive officer of the San Diego Padres until resigning in March 2009 when that ballclub was purchased by a group headed by Jeff Moorad.
Byrnes, who was fired by the Arizona Diamondbacks as general manager on July 1, still has five years remaining on that contract. One benefit in his candidacy is that he likely would be a more cost-effective hire than Alderson. That is the case because the Mets would only be obligated to pay Byrnes a "reasonable" amount, since any money paid by the club would be deducted from the amount already owed by the Diamondbacks.
Adam Rubin covers the Mets for ESPNNewYork.com.