Opinion: Minaya, from Howe to Here
Whether for or against Willie Randolph, the fact of the matter is that his players are not performing well. They’re not doing ‘the little things,’ as he likes to say.
They are lacking swagger, confidence and they’re not playing smart, aggressive baseball. And so, speaking as a fan, regardless of wins and losses, they’re just not very fun to watch.
To me, this has everything to do with the make-up, health and talent level of the people stepping on to the field – and 
neither Randolph nor any other manager is going to change that.
And so, while people want to get on Randolph’s case, and understandably so, Omar Minaya should also be held accountable for the way this roster was put together and his potential lack of foresight regarding issues with age, attitude and energy.
Minaya has done a great job of getting this team from the Art Howe-era to a time when .500 is described as, ‘unacceptable.”
That said, I believe the Mets require more of a change on the roster than they do in the manager’s office.
Minaya’s style has been effective. Sure, he let go of Brian Bannister, Jeff Keppinger, Mike Jacobs and Heath Bell, but he also acquired Oliver Perez, John Maine, Johan Santana, Duaner Sanchez and Ryan Church, among others.
The thing is, and what worries me, is that the old market – in which Minaya worked so well – is now changing, and being run by a younger, different-thinking generation.
Smaller-market teams are now locking up their best young talent, meaning these players are less likely to hit the open market. There is more parity in baseball, and so teams are less likely to make trades. Lastly, players are breaking down and performing worse in their late 30s, probably due to the league’s new performance-enhancing drug policy, and so relying on older talent may not be as effective as it was just a few years ago.
I hope Minaya is able to adapt. I am willing to bet he can, and I’m eager to see him in action – sooner than later, by the way.
As I said a few weeks ago, I sense that the Mets are at a crossroads. Minaya did outstanding work, and did what was necessary to get from Howe to here. However, I have a feeling that more work will need to be done to get from here to a World Series ring – let alone remain over .500.
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