New Guy´s » Two plays after Graham Gano

His voice quavering at an unexpected news conference http://www.jacksonvillejaguarsteamonline.com/gardner-minshew-ii-jersey , Sandy Alderson revealed what he had just told his team moments before.

His cancer has returned, he’s taking a leave of absence – and his up-and-down tenure as New York Mets general manager is essentially over.

With the team in a massive tailspin, chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon and the 70-year-old Alderson made the announcement before Tuesday night’s game against Pittsburgh.

”With respect to the future, I would say two things: One is, notwithstanding the good prognosis, my health is an uncertainty going forward,” said Alderson, who agreed to a contract extension in December. ”And secondly, if I were to look at it on the merits, I’m not sure coming back is warranted.”

Asked whether he would like Alderson to resume his GM duties if his health eventually allowed that, Wilpon answered the same way twice: ”I think his health and his family are first and foremost.”

Assistant general manager John Ricco and special assistants J.P. Ricciardi and Omar Minaya will run the club’s baseball operations in Alderson’s absence. Minaya preceded Alderson as Mets general manager, and Ricciardi was GM of the Toronto Blue Jays from 2001-09.

Alderson was hired by the Mets after the 2010 season. He was diagnosed with cancer at the end of the 2015 season and had surgery, but stayed on the job. He reduced his work schedule at times but remained in a full-time role while undergoing chemotherapy treatments.

”One difference between then and now is that that took place in the offseason,” Alderson said. ”I had a surgery in the offseason, I had some chemo in the offseason. Much easier to manage that with offseason activity. I had the decision-making authority basically at that time. I will not have the decision-making authority going forward. If people want to call me http://www.losangelesramsteamonline.com/darrell-henderson-jersey , they’re welcome to do so. But at the same time, I don’t expect to be involved in day-to-day activity.”

Ricciardi, Minaya and first-year manager Mickey Callaway were all in the interview room at Citi Field when Alderson and Wilpon made the announcement.

Wilpon said Alderson informed him of his decision Sunday.

”It is paramount to all of us that care greatly for Sandy that he makes this a priority for him and his family,” Wilpon said, later adding: ”The wear and tear on Sandy, I’ve seen up close and personal. I talked to him a couple times about maybe taking a leave, maybe stepping away a little bit, and I had sort of forgotten about it because so much has been going on.”

According to players, Alderson broke down a bit as he spoke to his teary-eyed team in the clubhouse before addressing the media.

”It definitely puts life in perspective,” said outfielder Brandon Nimmo, who was Alderson’s first amateur draft pick in 2011. ”Just very somber news that we received. Our heart’s broken for him. He’s been through this battle before. He knows what’s in store.”

Mets captain David Wright, sidelined by injuries for more than two years, said players stood and gave Alderson a round of applause.

”I think there was a lot of jaws hitting the floor,” Wright recalled. ”I think we had a bit of an emotional talk. It wasn’t long, but at the end we certainly wanted to pay him respect.”

Alderson said a recurrence of his cancer was detected around late April or early May and he’s been receiving treatment since.

”I expect that the treatment will continue http://www.minnesotavikingsteamonline.com/irv-smith-jr.-jersey , expect to have surgery later this summer. My prognosis is actually good. But in the meantime, the chemotherapy, the surgery, all take their toll,” Alderson said.

He said the treatment affects his energy level and leads to other side effects, explaining why he hasn’t been traveling on road trips lately.

”Which makes it difficult to stay up with sort of the pace, the tempo of the every day,” Alderson said. ”Operations continue, the game continues, we have a season to play. So I think in the best interests of the Mets and for my health, this is the right result.

”I feel badly that we’ve had the season that we have had to date. I feel personally responsible for the results that we’ve had,” he added. ”At the same time, I have confidence in our manager, our coaching staff, our players http://www.newyorkgiantsteamonline.com/dexter-lawrence-jersey , that this will change. John, Omar, J.P., I’m sure will take a hard look at where we are, maybe take a fresh look at where we are and I have every confidence that they will serve the franchise well over the next few months through the end of the season.”

Alderson’s departure comes at a pivotal time for the Mets ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. Needing an infusion of young talent, they will likely look to sell off pending free agents such as closer Jeurys Familia, second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera and outfielder Jose Bautista. But ace pitchers Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard could command a huge return, and the front office must decide whether to embark on such a significant overhaul.

New York reached the 2015 World Series after rebuilding under Alderson and made it back to the playoffs the following year, but injuries and underperformance have decimated the team since.

After going 70-92 last year, the Mets replaced manager Terry Collins with Callaway and spent nearly $90 million to fill holes in free agency. They jumped out to an 11-1 start this season, but a 6-24 slide left them 31-45 with the fewest wins in the National League going into Tuesday night’s game.

”It’s been incredibly difficult,” Alderson said. ”And I’m reall

The Latest on the NFL playoffs on wild-card weekend (all times EST):

7:10 p.m.

A 14-yard touchdown pass from Carolina quarterback Cam Newton to tight end Greg Olsen has cut the Saints’ lead to 24-19 early in the fourth quarter.

It was the first Panthers TD of the game on their fifth trip inside the Saints 22-yard line.

The other four drives deep into Saints territory ended with field-goal attempts, one of which missed.

The Saints led 21-6 in the final minute of the first half, but the Panthers have since rallied to pull within less than a touchdown with more than 12 minutes to go.

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6:45 p.m.

Wil Lutz’s 57-yard field goal has given New Orleans a 24-12 lead in its NFC wild-card game against Carolina.

The Saints were threatening for more when the Panthers’ pass rush forced Saints quarterback Drew Brees to throw the ball away on third-and-5 from the Carolina 22.

Brees was called for intentional grounding, resulting in a 17-yard loss to the Carolina 39.

But Saints coach Sean Payton made the aggressive decision to try the field goal when a miss would have given the Panthers the ball near midfield with 6:05 to go in the third quarter.

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6:35 p.m.

Graham Gano’s 29-yard field goal has trimmed New Orleans’ lead over the Panthers to 21-12 early in the third quarter.

However http://www.oaklandraidersteamonline.com/josh-jacobs-jersey , the possession also marked the fourth time in the game Carolina drove as far as the Saints 21-yard line, only to settle for a field goal attempt.

The Panthers do not have a touchdown in the game, despite gaining 254 yards.

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6:20 p.m.

The New Orleans Saints’ ability to convert in the red zone has given them a 21-9 halftime lead over the Carolina Panthers in their NFC wild-card matchup.

But the Panthers, who’ll receive the kickoff to open the second half, took some momentum into the locker room after Graham Gano narrowly made a 58-yard field-goal attempt as time expired in the second quarter.

Brees went 13 of 18 for 230 yards and two touchdowns in the half, including an 80-yard pass to Ted Ginn for the first points of the game late in the first quarter.

Brees’ other scoring pass went to tight end Josh Hill from 9 yards.

Fullback Zach Line scored on a 1-yard run in the final minute of the half, but Carolina QB Cam Newton was able to drive the Panthers to the New Orleans 40 in about 40 seconds, setting up Gano’s long field goal, which grazed the left upright.

Newton drove the Panthers inside the Saints 25 three times, but Gano pushed his first attempt wide from only 25 yards. It was an unusual miss for Gano, who went 29 of 30 during the regular season with his only miss from beyond 50 yards.

He made his next three attempts, including from 27 and 39 yards.

The Saints were unable to convert both of their third downs in the half, but had first down gains on eight straight second down plays, including four times from 10 yards.

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5:55 p.m.

Graham Gano’s 39-yard field goal has cut the Saints’ lead over the Panthers to 14-6 late in the second quarter of their NFC wild-card game.

Gano’s kick capped a 12-play 54-yard drive that included quarterback Cam Newton’s fourth-and-1 conversion on a keeper near midfield. The Panthers also converted on third-and-8 with a pass over the middle to Brenton Bersin before the drive stalled on the New Orleans 21-yard line.

The Panthers have been moving the ball, but struggling in the red zone Ben Banogu Jersey , settling three times for Gano field goal attempts, the first of which sailed wide.

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5:45 p.m.

Drew Brees’ 9-yard pass to wide open tight end Josh Hill has given the New Orleans Saints a 14-3 lead in the second quarter of their NFC wild-card game against the Carolina Panthers.

Brees completed all seven of his passes on the 75-yard drive, highlighted by a 19-yard completion to Michael Thomas, who also made a sudden move after a catch along the left sideline for a 13-yard gain to set up the score.

Brees is 9 of 12 for 163 yards and two touchdowns, nearly half of that coming on an 80-yard scoring pass to Ted Ginn on the previous drive.

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5:35 p.m.

The Saints appear to have lost starting left guard Andrus Peat to a lower left leg injury.

Peat went down while blocking on a short run by Alvin Kamara with 12:38 left in the second quarter.

Saints medical staff brought out a cart to take Peat off of the field as teammates gathered around him to show their support.

The 6-foot-7, 316-pound Peat was the Saints’ first-round draft pick in 2015 out of Stanford, where he played left tackle. He has played both at guard and tackle as needed during his three-year NFL career.

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5:30 p.m.

Graham Gano’s 27-yard field goal has given the Carolina Panthers their first points of their NFC wild-card game in New Orleans.

The kick, which trimmed the Saints’ lead to 7-3 early in the second quarter, came after Carolina quarterback Cam Newton overthrew Greg Olsen near the right sideline on third down.

The Panthers got within striking distance thanks to Ken Crawley’s 39-yard pass interference penalty on Kaelin Clay, giving Carolina a first down on the Saints 13-yard line.

New Orleans’ defense held from there, however.

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5:15 p.m.

Two plays after Graham Gano surprisingly missed a 25-yard field-goal attempt for only his second miss this season, the Saints used a big play to take a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter of New Orleans’ playoff matchup with Carolina.