Mets bringing back Omar Minaya feels like a circus waiting to happen
More than any other team in baseball, the New York Mets sure seem to love testing the patience of their fans. And yes, that even includes the Miami Marlins. That was the case again on Friday when the Mets announced their bringing back Omar Minaya in a new role.
Minaya, 59, served as New York’s general manager from 2005 until 2010, a time period when the Mets were spending a lot of money but only made one postseason appearance. Given those results, and the mess Minaya left behind, he didn’t leave on the best terms with Mets fans. Many of those fans were undoubtedly cringing when the news of Minaya’s return broke on Friday. Many others are now bracing for the circus that seems inevitable with his return.
According to the Mets press release, Minaya will serve as a special assistant to current general manager Sandy Alderson. That means he’ll have a big role in the team’s scouting and player development, which are areas he’s had success in before. He’ll also assist in personnel decisions, though it’s indicated Alderson will maintain final say in everything.
We’ve named Omar Minaya a Special Assistant to General Manager Sandy Alderson. https://t.co/elSCEQ17Qi
— New York Mets (@Mets) December 22, 2017
Of course there’s already speculation from the New York Post that Minaya’s hiring is a sign that owner Fred Wilpon isn’t thrilled with Alderson. If that’s Wilpon’s message, the timing is definitely strange considering Alderson just received an extension this week. Then again, strange decisions are par for the course for the Mets under Wilpon.
Beyond that, it appears the decision isn’t being received all that well within the Mets organization.
Words I’ve heard from Mets people today regarding Fred Wilpon’s decision to bring back Omar Minaya despite reservations within the current front office:
“embarrassing”
“stupid”
“undermining”
“insulting"
— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) December 22, 2017
One thing we do know is that putting the pieces of the puzzle together is not Minaya’s strong suit. Two of his highest profile signings as GM — Jason Bay and Luis Castillo — proved to be monumental blunders that set the franchise back for years.
On the other hand, while Minaya’s use of the team’s resources left a lot to be desired, he has shown a good eye for younger talent. His Mets tenure included drafting Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom. He’s also responsible for signing Jose Reyes to the Mets and both Sammy Sosa and Juan Gonzalez to the Rangers during his past scouting days. Those signings show he can at least find the right pieces.
On the surface, Friday’s announcement has an “only the Mets” type feel to it. To be honest, a lot of teams probably wouldn’t go out of their way to rehire someone with Minaya’s history, so that feeling is justified. Giving it a deeper look though, the possibility at least exists that Minaya can help in a supporting role. But are those potential contributions worth opening the door for another potential circus surrounding the Mets? Apparently Fred Wilpon thinks it is.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Yahoo Sports Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
