There will be only four games left to this lost season after today’s twi-night double header , but Mets fans still have hope – hope to end the season with a .500 or better record. But would that be a good thing ? Just for a moment follow my twisted rational here . Lets say that in the last six games the Mets go 5-1 and end the season at 82-80. Do you think Jeff and Fred Wilpon see this as a vast improvement over last years terrible 70 -92 finish and spare Omar the axe ? Do you think this may just make Jeff Wilpon dig his heels into the ground because his team defied many prognosticators predictions and finished on the north side of .500. Maybe this will give him Don Quixote delusions that the Mets are only a few minor tweaks away from contention. Maybe the team really is under a strict budget and in the case of Omar Minaya it’s cheaper to keep him than to overpay for a new general manager who will have a big challenge before him.
I don’t know why , but as I remarked yesterday I do not think Omar will be fired or reassigned within the organization. I think that he will be given one more chance to try to straighten this mess of a team out because I think Jeff would rather pay him one million dollars not to work for one year than two million for two.
Oh I hope that I am wrong.
” We are experiencing technical difficulties – please standby”…
And with that said…. HERE COMES THE INFAMY !!!!
Happy Birthday wishes go out to the most recent member of ” the one who got away club“, closer Heath Bell . He is 33 (1977) . I think he is the Epic Fail of Omar’s career as Mets general manager.
Sadly on this date in 1975, the “Old Perfessor“, Casey Stengel Casey Stengel was silenced forever.
New York Mets released one time Mets prospect, Jeff McKnight on September 29, 1989.
New York Mets released middle reliever, Mike Draper on September 29, 1993.
Reserve outfielder, Brady Clark was granted free agency on September 29, 2008. He is a member of the Mets ” If you blinked you missed him” club .
Reserve outfielder,Chris Aguila was granted free agency on September 29, 2008 . He too is a member of “if you blinked you missed him” club.
Mo Vaughn will be on hand today to sign copies of his latest DVD – ” Mo Vaughn’s Guide To Competitive Eating !”
And just remember, after tonight’s twi-night doubleheader there will be only four games left in Jerry Manuel’s tenure as mets manager !!
24 comments
metsfan4decades
9/29/2010-8:42am at 8:42 am (UTC -4)
I guess we should know soon enough what the plan is for the FO.
I’m thinking if the Wilpons had any thought to keep all as status quo, wouldn’t they have announced that by now – saying ‘Omar is our guy’, or some such thing?
The fact that no endorsement like that has been heard from them makes me think there are changes coming – or at least they’re trying to make changes. Whether or not they can entice a baseball guru to come to NY and work for them is another story…..
rustyjr
9/29/2010-8:49am at 8:49 am (UTC -4)
I hope you are correct
Ceetar
9/29/2010-9:24am at 9:24 am (UTC -4)
My guess was that Omar can wow them. It’s all about selling the future.
If Omar presents a clear and innovative plan for the future, better than what anybody else suggests, why wouldn’t you keep him?
After all, it’s about what he’s done, it’s about what he can do. You can’t honestly tell me that if they fire Omar, and do nothing else, you’re going to spend more money next year. Nor do I expect people to stay away if the team is doing good even if it’s Omar as the GM.
I agree with many that a fresh look andfresh/outside ideas are important. I believe they’re more important within the clubhouse with a real group of coaches and managers, and maybe even scouting and some other organizational things.
The Wilpons need to consider all options. They need to talk to people. And they need to b e pitched a plan of “This is what’s wrong. This is why it’s wrong. This is what we can do to fix it. Or this. XXX is the makeup of the team I’d like to have in April, and this is what I’d like to consider adding as the season goes on should certain things happen.”
If Omar’s got the best answer, than Omar’s got the best answer. Because ultimately, it’s the answer we care about, not who answered it.
metsfan4decades
9/29/2010-9:41am at 9:41 am (UTC -4)
I believe if Omar stays as GM it has less to do with his ‘plan’ going forward and more to do with not being able to entice anyone better than Omar to come to the Mets as his replacement.
I guess we’ll know soon enough though.
kingman 26
9/29/2010-9:31am at 9:31 am (UTC -4)
LOL! If Omar’s got the best answer, where the hell has it been the last four years?
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rusty, I agree 100%.
While I hope they win every game, I also think Omar is coming back, and ending the season on a streak of wins to get above .500 when it means less than nothing will very possibly simply lessen the urgency to make the changes that this team so sorely needs.
Yeah, let’s count on Beltran so he can be on the DL for 90 days by mid-April.
Ceetar
9/29/2010-9:33am at 9:33 am (UTC -4)
hey Rusty, do you read DaylightAtheism at all?
rustyjr
9/29/2010-9:42am at 9:42 am (UTC -4)
Sed me the link
njstuckintx
9/29/2010-10:19am at 10:19 am (UTC -4)
so, the team he put together sucks it up for the year, yet his team rips off a 5-1 to get back to .500 and that’ll save his job? I’m guessing the hot stove can’t come fast enough, eh?
kingman 26
9/29/2010-11:24am at 11:24 am (UTC -4)
And may it burn Omar and Jerry’s asses as they are chased form the kitchen.
stickguy
9/29/2010-11:11am at 11:11 am (UTC -4)
Well, I think you would have to say he would be getting one more, one more chance (since 2010 was his one more chance!).
And I know I wil be flamed for this, but if they finish 82-80, then they will actually be some “minor tweaks” away from contention.
minor tweaks being some pen arms, 1-2 SP, and maybe a 2B. And yes, in normal off season BB terms, those are minor tweaks (normal moves required).
well, they also need the zombies on the roster (Bletrna, bay and 1/2 Reyes) to rebound and put up at least normal (for them) numbers. And avoid any more season ending injuries to key guys.
quite simple, and they will easily be able to add 10% to the win total, putting them at 90ish.
Now, you can argue it is not likely, which is your perogative. But it is not impossible, as a large number of posters on message boards have said (having already written off 2011 as one of the worst years ever).
Of course, you can
TRS86
9/29/2010-11:20am at 11:20 am (UTC -4)
At the risk of being a blind optimist I agree with your assessment.
kingman 26
9/29/2010-11:27am at 11:27 am (UTC -4)
“Bletrna”??
Your posts are like a fun game of word jumble!
I’ll leave the rest alone.
stickguy
9/29/2010-11:33am at 11:33 am (UTC -4)
send me the money for a new keyboard that doesn’t have a bunch of sticky keys and there will be fewer typos.
And good to know other than that you realize my post is 100% correct and there is nothing you can debate about it.
kingman 26
9/29/2010-11:53am at 11:53 am (UTC -4)
Nah, I don’t want to chase you away.
If you think a number 1 starter, a number 5 starter, 3-4 good bullpen arms, a productive second baseman, and recoveries to form from Reyes, Bay, and Beltran are “minor tweaks” who am I to disagree!
stickguy
9/29/2010-11:59am at 11:59 am (UTC -4)
they just need a couple of solid SPs. not a #1 (and I still hate the stupid 1-5 ranking system being treated as gospel).
they just have to pick a 2B, or get a filler guy. Again, not a big deal. As is a few new BP arms.
In the big scheme of an off season, this is a relatively short To Do list, and just normal (and not particularly difficult) stuff. So yes, minor tweaks.
and having your current players stay off the DL and put up normal numbers has nothing to do with tweaks (by definition, changes to the roster). It is just what every team expects.
TRS86
9/29/2010-12:05pm at 12:05 pm (UTC -4)
It will take some heady moves but I don’t see this list as being that much more than what many teams do every off-season.
Look at the Phillies. Did they basically not do just what he outlined this past off-season?
stickguy
9/29/2010-11:16am at 11:16 am (UTC -4)
Oh, as to Omar. He should be gone. Not just because of the wins, or the dismal roster configuration (and lack of timely/appropriate adjustments) over the last few years.
His job is way more than that. running the organization, and the FO, PR, etc. All stuff that he has seemingly failed at. And all the “circus” stuff that has gone on, that buck has to stop somewhere. And that place is either Jeffy if he is really running the show, or the GM who’s job description says he is. And I doubt Jeffy is firing himself.
Also, the team in the past has seemed to be overly sensitive to media and fan perception. And it shouldn’t be hard to tell that Omar is a target.
TRS86
9/29/2010-11:21am at 11:21 am (UTC -4)
Agreed again.
stickguy
9/29/2010-12:01pm at 12:01 pm (UTC -4)
anyway, starting to see some John Hart buzz now. Anyone have opinions on him? I know he gets credit for building some good teams and grooming a couple of topo young GMs. But does he have any particular baggage?
then again, after Omar, the bar is set kind of low!
if nothing else, he has the resume and standing to browbeat Paris back into his playpen.
GravediggerHebner
9/29/2010-12:50pm at 12:50 pm (UTC -4)
I could see Hart in an advisory/president type of role assisting a GM. He presided over the assembly of the great mid-90′s Indians team but that was a long time ago.
I really don’t like him on MLB Network IMO he’s the one big negative they offer. He’s more of an equivocator than I am perhaps because he’s still employed by the Rangers (through 2014 I believe) and doesn’t want to offend potential trade partners of the Rangers. I suppose that his contract situation makes him unavailable. At least I can hope that is the case.
GravediggerHebner
9/29/2010-12:45pm at 12:45 pm (UTC -4)
Rusty you present a difficult dilemma. If the Mets do finish 82-80 as you suggest wouldn’t that in some way reflect positively on Omar’s amateur selections since guys like Thole, Duda, Gee, Niese, Pelfrey, Davis and Tejada are all contributing to that record?
Maybe, but in my opinion Omar’s entire tenure needs to be considered, not just the last week or month of his 6th season. It doesn’t wash away relying on Oliver Perez and John Maine, or signing Perez to that contract, or all the great scrap heap signings that turned into regrettable re-signings such as Julio Franco, Moises Alou, Fernando Tatis or El Duque.
To me even a finish to this season that can be objectively called “strong” doesn’t make a strong enough case for Omar’s retention.
TRS86
9/29/2010-12:46pm at 12:46 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed. Omar is not all good or bad but he certainly has had his turn.
TRS86
9/29/2010-12:48pm at 12:48 pm (UTC -4)
In other words the Grady Little in Boston syndrome.
TRS86
9/29/2010-1:00pm at 1:00 pm (UTC -4)
Grave, when doing your next manager article did you think about the name Grady Little. The guy has 385 290 .553 record in the bigs along with a 1,054-903 record in the minors. He is 60 years old but in my opinion age is not the issue.
I did notice this on Wiki:
“Little was enormously popular with his players as he enhanced the loose nature of the clubhouse and supported struggling players. His tenure was very successful, the Red Sox winning a combined 188 games in his two seasons and nearly taking the pennant in 2003.”
I have not done enough research to see if this is well known or one man’s opinion.