Mets, J.P. Ricciardi mutually part ways after eight years together

J.P. Ricciardi has joined the San Francisco Giants organization. (Keith Srakocic/AP)

NEW YORK — J.P. Ricciardi is leaving the New York Mets after eight seasons.

The Mets announced his decision Friday, a day after the end of the annual general managers’ meetings and 11 days after hiring Brodie Van Wagenen to succeed Sandy Alderson as general manager.

Ricciardi was hired as a special assistant to Alderson in November 2010 and had been part of the trio running the team’s baseball operations after Alderson took a leave in July following a recurrence of cancer. Assistant general manager John Ricco and special assistant Omar Minaya remain with the team, at least for now.

All three attended this week’s GM meetings along with Van Wagenen, who had been a player agent before joining the Mets.

The 59-year-old Ricciardi worked for the Oakland Athletics from 1986-2001, including 12 years when Alderson was the club’s general manager, and was general manager of the Toronto Blue Jays from 2001-09. He spent 2010 as a baseball analyst with ESPN.

New York said he is free to take a job with other teams.

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