BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJORS : McIlvaine Back With the Mets

Joe McIlvaine, former general manager of the San Diego Padres, held his first news conference Thursday at Shea Stadium as the new general manager of the New York Mets. It marks McIvaine’s return the the Mets, where he worked from 1980-90 in several capacities, including vice president of both baseball operations and player personnel.

“It’s the ultimate challenge to take a team that is down and to rebuild it,” said McIlvaine, who takes over a team that has the worst record in baseball and is 29 games behind the National League East-leading Philadelphia Phillies.

McIlvaine was forced to resign from the Padres last month when he could no longer operate under the Padre ownership’s philosophy, but he says he believes the same thing won’t happen to him here.

“The big difference here is that what (the owners) talk is about winning,” McIlvaine said. “In San Diego it started out that way, but then it changed.”