PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- As the Mets were busy making one of the more remarkable runs in franchise history last autumn, their architect hid what else was happening in his life. It was just mere days after the Mets clinched the National League East in Cincinnati, general manager Sandy Alderson recently revealed, that doctors diagnosed him with cancer.
The Mets played on, winning their first pennant in a decade and a half while Alderson -- who had personally last reached the game's grandest stage in 1990 with the A's -- traveled alongside in his usual role. It was not until early December that the Mets made his diagnosis public.
"It was a little surreal, having not been to the World Series in 25 years, having never been diagnosed with cancer," Alderson said. "It was a little bit odd. But the great thing about the postseason was it was a distraction at that time. And distractions are always nice."
Alderson has had plenty of them throughout this offseason, calling the frenzy of the Hot Stove season a type of therapy in its own right. In December, Alderson began undergoing chemotherapy, the effects of which he classified as mild.

And so the GM fully intends to remain in his current capacity as his team looks to build upon last season's successes. Alderson arrived in Florida late Tuesday, with plans to travel back and forth to New York for further treatment when needed.
"I feel very well," he said. "I have therapy every couple of weeks and the side effects have not been significant. And I've been working -- really since the Winter Meetings, I've been working pretty much full time, and I probably could have been at the Winter Meetings had I not had some sessions scheduled. So I feel great. I'm ready to go."

If all goes well for the Mets this spring, Alderson should not have much additional work to do. His acquisitions of Yoenis Cespedes, Neil Walker, Asdrubal Cabrera and others have made New York the favorite in the NL East for the first time during his tenure, though Alderson said he could look to trade for additional bullpen depth toward the end of Spring Training.
"I really haven't been this upbeat about a team in a long time, and I think that's exciting," Alderson said. "It's exciting for us, exciting for the players, and I think for the fans as well."