According to various sources (first reported by Matt Pignataro on 7 Train to Shea), the Mets will announce that both manager Jerry Manuel and GM Omar Minaya will be fired on Monday. This in direct opposition to what Fred Wilpon insisted in early August. For those who forgot (or weren’t paying attention), from the NY … Read more
You may have seen that the Chicago White Sox claimed Manny Ramirez on waivers. You may also have noticed that the Dodgers asked for absolutely nothing in return — the ChiSox took on Manny and the remaining $4M of his contract free and clear. I know, I know — it’s all moot now, since the … Read more
According to The New York Times, Francisco Rodriguez has completed his two-day suspension, has agreed to participate in anger management treatment, and will return to the Mets roster today. Per The Times: In fact, the Mets were considering a more severe punishment but settled on two games because the union agreed to the two games … Read more
For several years, many pundits (including myself) have criticized Omar Minaya for his lack of a “Plan B”, or “backup plan”.
It turns out that we simply didn’t understand Minaya’s genius. He never had a “backup plan” because from the beginning he’s been working with a “backward plan”.
Huh?
We have to go back far in time to explain — specifically, to June 12, 2003, when Steve Phillips was fired.
It was on that day that Jeff and Fred Wilpon announced a new direction for the organization.
To quell the legions of fans screaming for a better product on the field, the latest talking point in the media and blogosphere is that the Mets’ problem is not that they don’t spend enough money, but that they don’t spend it wisely.
Hogwash.
While I agree the Mets do not spend their money wisely (*cough* Oliver Perez …. *cough* Luis Castillo), they also do not spend enough — not for a New York City baseball team with a brand-new ballpark and their own TV network.
The Mets’ 2010 Opening Day player payroll was right around $126M, which was about $23M LESS than their 2009 payroll and $12M LESS than that of the Phillies’ 2010 payroll and about $18M less than the Cubs’.
Yeah, yeah, I know — spending doesn’t necessarily equate to winning (just ask Peter Angelos). And yes, there are teams that spend a lot less and do much better. But those facts are convenient excuses, and irrelevant to the argument. Why? Because
According to MetsBlog and other sources, the Mets’ braintrust (and I use that term loosely) is in meetings all day today to discuss the matter of the team’s 2-9 road trip and all-around suckiness. Additionally — and also reported in various places — Omar Minaya refused to provide any assurances that the current manager and … Read more
After going 2-9 on their Left Coast trip, the Mets are sinking fast in the standings. They are now 50-49, which may satisfy Omar Minaya’s goal of “being around .500”. Further, the offense has sputtered and died like a 1974 Ford Pinto, getting shut out an incomprehensible 4 times in 10 days. That would be … Read more
Omar Minaya on Jerry Manuel’s job status: “Jerry Manuel is our manager. Look, any time you’re going to have a couple of losing streaks, those things are going to pop up. But there’s no discussion at all. Jerry Manuel is our manager, will be our manager. I’m very happy with the job that he’s doing.” … Read more
