Tag Archives: Omar Minaya
Jerry Manuel talked with WFAN today at 5 pm, for his weekly interview with Mike Francesa.
To listen to the entire interview, click here.
During the discussion, Manuel said the team essentially sat in disbelief when Fernando Nieve went down with a torn quad muscle, suggesting a feeling of ‘what next?’
Manuel agreed with Francesa that Angel Pagan is a great outfielder to have on the team, because he is so versatile in strong on both offense and defense.
Manuel said he likes what he’s seen so far from Jeff Francoeur, noting he is very positive, team-oriented, and loves to work ask questions.
Manuel said, he told David Wright, “If you can live through these times, and you begin to see things change, and get right, you have now the right to step up and say, ‘I’ve been through it.’”
Daniel Murphy has found a home at first base, Manuel acknowledged, saying he believes Murphy can be strong enough on offense at first base once other hitters return from the disabled list.
In the end, Manuel says the current, topical issues involving management and team doctors have had zero impact on the team.
The biggest issue, by far, he said, is the unknown status of players like Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, John Maine and Jose Reyes.
Again, to listen to the entire interview, click here.
Tagged Omar Minaya, WFAN |In a must-read report for the Daily News, Adam 
Rubin says Mets VP Tony Bernazard removed his shirt and challenged the Double-A players to a fight during a recent ‘postgame tirade.’
According to Rubin, “alleged underage drinking on the team apparently was one motivation for the eruption,” all of which he confirmed through ‘multiples sources,’ and ‘insiders.’
Earlier this week, also in the Daily News, Rubin said Bernazard was recently seen in the stands going into a profanity-laced tirade directed at the team’s manager of baseball operations, “which left witnesses in the section behind home plate aghast.”
Meanwhile, also in the Daily News, columnist John Harper joins in, pointing out that Bernazard is notorious for his alleged influence in the firing of Willie Randolph and Rick Peterson, adding, “Scouts and executives from other organizations have whispered in recent years about Bernazard’s bullying style of leadership.”
…frankly, if i had a dime for every person who has told me the Mets currently have Three GMs, i could retire… i have heard from agents and other baseball people around the league that, basically, at this point, Jeff Wilpon and Bernazard have a closer relationship than Bernazard and minaya or minaya and wilpon… yet, minaya is supposed to be in charge of all baseball operations… so much for full autonomy, i guess… how did the Mets get to this point again… i mean, it seems like we keep having this same conversation every five to 10 years…
This morning on WFAN, morning host Craig Carton has been calling for Bernazard to be fired, repeatedly calling him a ‘tool,’ and a ‘clown.’
In a poll from Rubin’s report, 71 percent of voters said Bernazard should be fired for his antics in Binghamton.
That said, yesterday, on WFAN, Jon Heyman was asked about recent reports of Bernazard’s behavior, to which he said:
“Well, you know what, it seems to be all in one newspaper, though… You know, there are a lot of personalities that go around, the papers like one guy who’s helping them, they don’t like another guy for whatever reason… I mean, sides are taken and people are made to look bad.”
…basically, and i don’t mean to put words in his mouth, but, what i’m hearing 
in this statement from heyman is: the Daily News has an axe to grind with Bernazard, for whatever reason, and are using the power of the press to tarnish him and force him out… by the way, Bernazard oversees the Mets farm system, and the Daily News does an amazing and honest job of covering the farm system… and, from what i can tell, the Mets take public perception of their farm system very seriously…
For what it’s worth, the Mets Double-A and Triple-A teams are a combined 71-116, while the team’s farm system was ranked middle-of-the-pack in all of baseball heading in to this season.
…here’s the thing, though, in the middle of a baseball season, when the focus should be on field, why are we even discussing the team’s VP, a guy who is supposed to work below the GM…
…actually, how many fans even know who their team’s Assistant GM or VP is… yet, you and i do… why… i have written Bernazard in six posts this season… for pete’s sake, i have a whole category on this blog dedicated to him… why…
Last week, on Baseball Digest Live, Mark Healy spent an entire 90 minute radio show focused on Bernazard’s role on the Mets, during which much of what the Daily News is reporting had been discussed.
The Daily News headline was a scroll in Time’s 
Square for everyone to see, according to this photo from Robert K.
…all of this makes me very uncomfortable and concerned about the direction of this organization… i realize, now, in the wake of so many injuries, losing was likely, regardless of GMs, power-struggles and front-office chaos… one may have nothing to do with the other… then again, it might… in either case, be it fact or fiction, here we are again, five years later having the same conversation we had five years before that, talking about undermining authority, leadership, split autonomy, weak farm systems, and a general sense of disarray, all while the team across town is marching towards yet another post-season appearance…
…man, October 2006 seems like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it…
Tagged Omar Minaya, Tony Bernazard |In case you missed it, last night, Jon Heyman of SI.com said Mets GM Omar Minaya rejected a deal from Blue Jays GM JP 
Riccardi for RHP Roy Halladay, in return for OF Fernando Martinez, Bobby Parnell, Jon Niese and 17–year-old SS Ruben Tejada.
However, today, in a post to Twitter, ESPN’s Keith Law says the trade rumor is ‘bogus,’ having been ‘shot down by multiple sources.’
Similarly, I talked with a baseball person in Philadelphia, an agent, and two people connected to the Mets, and all four believe Minaya would have accepted such a deal had it been actually presented to him, i.e., maybe the Jays and Mets talked, but no hard offer was made.
I mean, I know I would have done it; and, according to a recent poll, 75 percent of people who read MetsBlog.com would have done the deal as well.
What’s more, in the Daily News, Adam Rubin writes, “Ricciardi ought to be fired on the spot for proposing it. And Minaya ought to be fired for rejecting it.”
Yet, the report is out there…
The thing is, I believe Heyman is great at what he does, he’s not senationalistic, and he’s trusted and respected all across the sport.
So, I’m left confused, wondering what this all means…
I wonder if Riccardi leaked this to spook the Phillies, who some baseball insiders feel are the only legitimate suitor for Halladay?
I mean, how better to milk the Phillies for top prospects than for Riccardi to make it seem like the Mets could get Halladay at any moment?
On the other hand, if Halladay-to-Philadelphia is inevitable, how better for Minaya and Riccardi to get the Phillies to overpay then to make it seem like the Mets could easily be involved?
Or, maybe the Mets are trying to raise the value of their own prospects by suggesting Niese, Parnell and Martinez are worth more than Halladay?
Or, perhaps Minaya did reject it, just like Heyman said, and, instead, is still working with Riccardi on something more expansive, which could be why he would not confirm or deny the report when asked about it yesterday?
Who knows? The point is, nothing is ever as simple as it seems…
In any case, we’ll find out at some point in the next 10 days, at which point it will be a lot more easier to judge this.
Tagged Omar Minaya, Roy Halladay |
Original Post, 8:35 pm:
According to Jon Heyman, of SI.com, Jeff Wilpon has told Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel they will not be fired as a result of this season.
…by the way, there are 71 games left…
…this is not to say the Mets will turn it around or that either omar or jerry should or shouldn’t be fired… i’m just saying, there’s a lot of baseball left, and i’m not sure why any one is making declarative statements right now… why do this… why not let it be, and let it play out a bit…
Update, 7:05 am:
However, Adam Rubin of the Daily News believes Wilpon’s view of Minaya may have shifted.
According to Rubin, Minaya’s three-year contract extension, which starts next season, “would not be an impediment to jettisoning the GM after the season.”
…the most interesting part of rubin’s report actually is a story about how Tony Bernazard ‘went ballistic in a rant against his Ivy League-educated deputy.’…
Update, 6:20 am:
Prior to yesterday’s game, Minaya told reporters:
“Look, nobody wants to be five games below .500, but, for us, this is new ground, because we’ve never been five games below .500… The coaches continue to work hard and the players are trying their best. The reality is, I’ve been in baseball a long time, and you do the best you can with the talent that you have… There’s a lot of baseball to be played, and the guys are doing the best that they can… Let’s keep playing, let’s hope to get a couple of wins, and, like anything, momentum and confidence are important.”
Manuel initially told reporters he had not talked to Wilpon.
However, Minaya later said Manuel was confused, thinking reporters were asking if Wilpon talked to Manuel yesterday, which he did not; instead, Minaya explained, Wilpon talked to Manuel a few weeks ago, prior to playing the Yankees.
…so, with roughly half the season yet to be played, ownership told omar and jerry to ignore talk of them being fired, that they’re safe, and then they were swept by the Yankees… perfect…
…again, i’m not saying anyone should be fired… i just don’t understand why such statements are made so early in what is on target to be such a disappointing season… and why is this leaked to the media… i get speaking with minaya and manuel, because maybe jeff wants to keep things calm, considering how nuts it got last season… but, why is this known… also, why isn’t omar sitting down with jerry… why is jeff wilpon… isn’t that omar’s job…
Tagged Omar Minaya |Mets GM Omar Minaya talked with reporters before yesterday’s game, and discussed his effort to improve the roster through trade.
Minaya, when asked if there is a deal available that could make a significant impact, said:
“That deal is not there right now… I think there are 22, 24 teams that are within playoff striking distance. So, there’s not a lot of guys… The pool is not that big.”
Minaya did acknowledge that his priority is to acquire offense.
In case you missed it, the other day I wrote:
…from what i can gather, because of the current economic conditions in this country, there is a record-level premium in the market place on true prospects… i’m not talking about mid-level minor leaguers, or teenage talent… i’m talking about upper-echelon players, guys who are close to contributing… this is why, i bet we see more deals like the Oliver Perez and Robert Hernandez for Xavier Nady type deal from 2006, or the Jae Seo and Tim Hamulack for Duaner Sanchez and Steve Schmoll type move… old-school baseball trades, involving zero-to-three guys and players who fit needs… in other words, put on your thinking cap when drawing up mock trades…
This past week, the Mets were linked in rumor to Rockies OF Ryan Spilborghs and 1B-3B Garrett Atkins, which you can read here.
In his most recent report for SI.com, Jon Heyman said the Mets and Phillies among 10 teams that can add payroll in a mid-season acquisition.
Tagged Omar Minaya |Update, 5:03 pm:
Mets GM Omar Minaya talked earlier today to WFAN’s Mike Francesa.
To listen to the entire interview, go to WFAN.com.
…the way i hear it, from what he said in this interview, minaya is not interested in trading a ton of young talent for a rent-a-player… also, the big bat fans keep hoping for is just not available on the trade market… instead, 
though he’s always looking to improve the ballclub, the reality is, he and his staff will need to be creative in any deal they make, and they’re most interested in acquiring a player who can be part of the team’s future…
Minaya did mention Brad Holt, Jenry Mejia and Ike Davis when he was asked if he holds young players, who do not get a lot of publicity, that other teams have interest in.
By the way, Minaya said Davis has been promoted to Double-A.
In the end, Minaya said he is not interested in only trading for a player who will be here for ‘a month, or a few months,’ while adding, ‘To make a trade, just to play catch up, that, to me, is dangerous.’
…in other words, if the Mets make a trade, it’s more likely going to be for a player who can play first and outfield, and he’ll be young enough and under contract through at least next season to warrant parting with young prospects…
Original Post, 12:53 pm:
Tagged Omar Minaya |Prior to tonight’s game, Omar Minaya told reporters that he believes Fernando Martinez’s time with the Mets was positive.
Minaya said Nick Evans will give Jerry Manuel a right-handed bat to use from the bench, as opposed to the left-handed hitting Martinez, who should be getting regular playing time in Triple-A.
…the sense i get, from listening to minaya, is that evans will be with the team for a week or so, at which point he could go down in place of Angel Pagan, who is getting closer to coming back…
Manuel later said Evans will split time with Daniel Murphy at first base, noting it will be a bit of a juggling act considering Fernando Tatis.
Manuel may also look to use Evans in the outfield, as well, though, he said, most every one’s playing time revolves around Gary Sheffield.
…the way i hear this, murphy is the first baseman, sheff is the left fielder, and jerry will rotate evans and tatis in and out of each position as guys need rest while certain match-ups favor certain hitters…
…in other words, Ryan Church is the right fielder…
Tagged Omar Minaya |
The New York Post reads S.O.S. Amazin’s need Omar to ‘Save Our Season.’
In the story, Kevin Kernan speaks with Omar Minaya, who has the flu, and writes, “Minaya said he is not going to give away the future to make a deal.”
Kernan demands that Minaya make a deal, explaining why he should ‘pick up’ Aubrey Huff or Luke Scott, while also ‘thinking big’ about acquiring Carlos Lee from the Astros, Adrian Gonzalez from the Padres, White Sox OF Jermaine Dye and Nationals 1B Nick Johnson.
…i love how he uses the term ‘pick up,’ as if huff and scott and just sitting on the curb, bag in hand, waiting for a ride to a better team…
Tagged Omar Minaya |Omar Minaya talked with WFAN this morning, and said he hopes to see Carlos Beltran back in the lineup either tonight or this weekend.
To listen to the full interview, go to WFAN.com.
Minaya also said Jose Reyes will remain with the team this weekend, he will then go to Florida to play in a few minor-league rehab games.
Late next week, Minaya hopes to get Reyes and Alex Cora back, ‘which will help stabilize things a bit.’
The team will continue to be ‘conservative with Reyes, Minaya explained, because the team will need him if it plans to win a Championship.
According to Minaya, he and Jerry Manuel like Ryan Church very much, but Manuel’s way of motivating him, and pushing him, may be perceived by fans and media as harsh.
Lastly, he said, ‘Billy Wagner is coming along good,’ and Minaya believes there is a good chance Wagner pitches for the Mets in September, meaning the team could have Wagner, J.J. Putz, Bobby Parnell and Francisco Rodriguez in the bullpen during the stretch run.
To listen to the full 25–minute interview, during which Minaya also talks about how he acquired Gary Sheffield, Oliver Perez’s rehab, and the development and hustle of Fernando Martinez, go to WFAN.com.
Tagged Omar Minaya |Omar Minaya is scheduled to speak with reporters sooner than later, after which Jerry Manuel will take over.
Hopefully, Minaya will relay news of Carlos Beltran‘s MRI, the state of Jose Reyes, Alex Cora and Ryan Church, and whether there will be any roster moves on the horizon.
By the way, there is still no lineup posted, except for Livan Hernandez who is the only player listed.
Luis Castillo walked by and said, “So, only Livan is playing today,” which got a laugh from reporters standing outside the clubhouse.
Update, 4:22 pm:
I will do my best to blog what is said by Minaya and Manuel, within my Twitter feed, which you can follow in the previous post.
Tagged Omar Minaya |MetsBlog Fan Confidence Rating
