From a major league perspective, not much has changed for the Mets since Sandy Alderson took over as general manager following the 2010 season. The team won between 70 and 80 games in the two seasons prior to Alderson taking over, and it was won between 70 and 80 games in the three seasons since then. It probably will do the same in 2014.

Still, Mets fans who follow the team's minor league system know what an impact Alderson has made on the organization. That's why it's not shocking to hear David Lennon report that the GM is close to signing a deal that will keep him in Queens for the foreseeable future.

But Alderson has a job now, presumably one he enjoys, and the impression here is that it should be only a matter of weeks before some kind of extension is announced. Alderson's original four-year contract expires in October. But he has an option for 2015, and we've always believed the only way he is ever stripped of the GM title is if Alderson chooses to leave Flushing on his own.

Tasked with turning the Mets from a high-payroll laughingstock into a low-payroll contender, Alderson has completely rebuilt the organization's farm system to the point where it's now the norm to hear lavish praise heaped on the Mets' prospects. That hasn't been the case since the early 1990s.

But the difference between now and "Generation K" is that New York's top pitching prospects are actually performing well in the majors. Matt Harvey (no, not drafted by Alderson) electrified Flushing throughout 2013. In his place, Zack Wheeler and Jacob deGrom have shown how deep the Mets' pitching talent runs in 2014.

While the Mets haven't even posted a .500 season yet under Alderson, things are certainly different than they were under the team's former GMs. Instead of dubious contracts handed out to over-the-hill sluggers we get shrewd trades for up-and-coming prospects. Instead of blame games and panic moves we get patience and confidence.

So while fans of the orange and blue will have to be patient for a short while longer, they should be assured that the franchise is finally in good hands again. The Mets are ever so close to becoming a consistent contender that even casual fans can be proud to cheer for.