“Tony Bernazard is very close to Jeff Wilpon, and that, in some ways, can be difficult for the GM, when there’s that sort of relationship between an underling and the GM’s boss… The Mets don’t necessarily believe in the chain of command.  They believe, in one of their core values, in what they call a Collegial Organization.  What that means is: people down the ladder can go to people up on the ladder, and people up on the ladder can go down the ladder to any level and have conversations, share thoughts, ideas… It sounds nice, but it’s not functional.  Because, what ends up happening is, it tears apart the fabric of the organization and its structure…

When I was there, I actually said, ‘This can’t work.’  The people below me need to know that I’m their boss… I was perceived to be a control freak about it.  It’s something I think is a nice concept, but it’s not functional or practical in a real business environment.  And, that’s what ends up happening, there is too much free flowing information and access without the chain of command and it’s not a functional system… Every organization is complicated.  I mean, for the longest time the Yankees had dysfunction with the way they were run… There is no perfect company or organization… Fred Wilpon understands the people and understands the structure and system that’s involved there, but I don’t know how much he is really involved anymore with what’s going.”

…this coming from the man who is notorious for posing for cameras in the clubhouse any chance he could get, all while driving Bobby Valentine crazy with his constant presence… that said, it doesn’t make him wrong, and it doesn’t mean he isn’t qualified to weigh in on Mets management…

To listen to Phillips entire 10 minute interview, click play here:
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In the report, Marchand quotes Valentine as saying:

‘I am working for a team that needs me and wants me as their man.  I love it here, but I am an American and love great challenges.  I was a in a Met uniform in the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, 2000, and would love to be there in the next decade.’

As noted earlier, the New York Post and Newsday have both reported that the Mets have offered Jerry Manuel a two-year contract, ‘’but he has yet to sign it.’

The thing is, according to Marchand, ‘Manuel may want a three-year commitment.’

By the way, to listen live to ESPN 1050, and to check out the Marchand Report, which airs every day at 10:40 am, click here.

To listen live, click here.

In this week’s installment of “The Starting Nine” on ESPN.com, Jerry Crasnick pays tribute to MLB’s top base-stealers and ranks Reyes as numero uno.

Crasnick writes:

“Rickey Henderson, Vince Coleman and Tim Raines were risk takers at heart, and so is Reyes. He feeds off the buzz in the stands and was born to unnerve pitchers and make catchers antsy.”

…jose’s play has been very encouraging lately, especially at the plate…now if only the rest of the lineup can follow…

Olney explains:

“The Mets wound up smoking the Yankees and so the blown call was not pivotal, but so often disputed home run calls can be pivotal. I don’t think instant replay should be used broadly in baseball, but for home runs — why not? Hopefully, the general managers who are reviewing the possibility of instant replay will advise the commissioner to implement replay for 2009, and hopefully the commissioner will act”

…i disagree with olney…if instant replay were to be used in baseball, it should include the close plays on the bases which can determine the outcome of a game just as much as a home run…

…i understand the baseball purist in all of us don’t want to see the game slowed down anymore with instant replay timeouts…but if every tv broadcast can magnify the close plays, why shouldn’t the umpires be afforded the same technology to get the call correct…

…added to by Regis Courtemanche…

…umpires should definitely be able to use instant replay for hard-to-judge home runs, but that’s all…it’s a slippery slope once replay is used for anything more than home runs, i mean, where would it end…just like Carlos Beltran’s home run should not have been revoked on April 2nd, delgado’s never should have been called foul…neither resulted in a loss, but it’s only a matter of time until it does…

ESPN.com ’s PAGE 2 put together a pretty interesting list of tidbits that were happening in 1981, which was the last time Franco was officially out of MLB.

Some of the items listed:

• Reggie Jackson was the highest paid player in baseball in 1981, with a salary of $588,000.

• The average major league salary was approximately $144,000, and the average ticket price was $4.50.

• Atari Baseball for the Atari VCS was the premier baseball video game.

• Metallica and Motley Crue formed.

…not much for me to comment here since I was only 4 in 1981, however the list is pretty fun to read…

…best of luck to father time franco in his retirement…

Wright discussed subjects such as working on being more consistent and making adjustments at the plate, the brewing rivalry with the Phillies and his responsibility as a star baseball player in New York.

…at 25-years-old, it really is amazing to hear the maturity and humility coming out of someone who has the city of New York in the palm of his hand…