Alderson and Preller taking different approaches to building their teams

Bob Nightengale wrote a piece for USA Today comparing the two different team building approaches of the Mets and the Padres.  Former Padres President and current GM Sandy Alderson comes across as the wise sage who can't understand what the rambunctious young A.J. Preller is doing by bringing on payroll and dealing prospects.

This is the first quote I've seen from Preller in quite some time.  I'd have liked to hear more of his reaction to the Padres recent struggles, but we don't get it here.

Mets, Padres take unique paths to building a contender

"For us, we decided to build with some of the pitching we had in place,'' Preller said. "If we didn't have the pitching we had, maybe it would have been easier to go the long vision route. But we thought if we could keeping our pitching, improve the club, and be competitive, that was the route we wanted to go.''

In Sandy Alderson's 4 years with the Padres he tried to build a pipeline of young talent to continually feed the major league team.  He failed in that effort but it wasn't for a lack of trying.  He seems to believe he's primed to pump the last few years and the Mets are now ready to compete year in and year out.

"What we're trying to do is create something that's sustainable over time,'' Alderson said. "It's taken us a while to get where we are.

"But where are we? We're five games over .500, so it's not like were dominating. But I think we're at a point where we can be in a sustainable position.''

The idea of a team like Sandy's Mets seems enviable but when a team like the Padres has been faced with constant turnover in the front office, changes in strategy, absent owners and years of poor results it just doesn't seem feasible.  I don't mind the Padres taking a shot and really going for it this season even if they've been disappointing thus far.