Sirius/XM Mad Dog Radio host Steve Phillips talks to The Post’s Justin Terranova about the likelihood of Carlos Beltran being traded, the Wilpons financial mess, and his own recovery from sexual addiction.
Q: What did you think of Sandy Alderson’s first offseason with the Mets?
A: Quite honestly, I don’t think the Mets can have a better guy than they do right now with Sandy. He’s come from that mentality, so he’s exactly the right kind of guy for the Mets. In Chris Capuano and Chris Young, you have two guys that have had success in the past and it’s a matter of hoping they stay healthy and they start out strong so you can maximize the return.
Q: Do you expect Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes to be Mets at the end of the season?
A: Everything is going to depend on whether they are in it at the trade deadline or not. If not, I expect Beltran to be traded. Reyes is not as easy to call because there’s a chance he will be re-signed, but I don’t think Beltran will be.
Q: Do you expect a bounce back year for Jason Bay?
A: Yes, if the Mets can hit around him. He isn’t the center piece of a lineup; he’s a blender in a deep lineup. Bay is a tryer and when things don’t go well he tries harder. He got caught up in that a little bit and Citi Field impacted him like it did with David Wright. And without Beltran there, a lot got put on Bay’s shoulders. It’s going to be important for Bay to have Wright, Beltran and Ike Davis productive and swinging the bat well. I can’t remember the last time a big-time free agent hitter signed with the Mets and had a big first year.
Q: What’s been your reaction watching the Wilpons, Bernie Madoff story unfold?
A: I feel awful for the Wilpons. I know Fred and Jeff and I don’t believe for one second that they knew or should have know what was going on. I was there for 13 years in the front office and obviously I heard Bernie Madoff’s name more than a couple of times. Never did anything enter my mind that something wasn’t right. I know how they do business and that’s not the way they do it.
Q: Where you are at with your life right now after the events of the past 12-18 months?
A: At this point, I am very grateful just for companies like Sirius to stand by me and say this is a guy worth working with. I am just going through recovery and I just know that everything for me has to be one day at a time.