NEW YORK -- A day after hiring a young analytics expert as an assistant general manager under Brodie Van Wagenen, the Mets made a prominent front-office addition of a different stripe on Wednesday. The Mets hired former Royals GM and Red Sox executive Allard Baird to the position of vice president and assistant GM of scouting and player development.
The move gives the Mets three assistant GMs on staff, along with special assistant Omar Minaya. But there remains uncertainty regarding the future of John Ricco, who had been the Mets' sole assistant GM since 2006. Ricco has not publicly discussed his job status, and Mets officials have declined to address it, beyond saying that he remains part of the organization for now.

Regardless, Baird's scouting background makes him more of a direct replacement for J.P. Ricciardi, another special assistant who recently left the Mets to pursue other opportunities. The Royals' GM from 2000-06, Baird, 57, has worked exclusively for the Red Sox since that time, winning three World Series as he advanced from a special assignment scout to Boston's vice president of player personnel and professional scouting. He and Minaya give Van Wagenen, who has never previously worked in a big league front office, a wealth of experience in that area.
The move comes a day after the Mets hired analytics expert Adam Guttridge to an assistant GM position. The team may further beef up its analytics department in the coming weeks, adding diversity of thought to the Mets' growing front office.