Tagged: omar

Mets release Oliver Perez

The Mets released Oliver Perez today, eating the remaining $12 million dollars that he was owed this year, his last year of the contract he signed in 2009.  This release comes just days after the Mets decided to release Luis Castillo and his $6 million dollars he was owed for the remainder of the year.

Thank God.  I haven’t been this happy with the Mets in a while now.  There was no doubt he had to go.  He wasn’t producing and he would have taken away a roster spot from a deserving candidate who actually can pitch.  Perez signed a $36 million dollar deal before the 2009 season.  It appeared as though Omar Minaya panicked when he gave Ollie the money.  The Mets failed to land Derek Lowe and he worried there would be no pitchers left.  Why? Why didn’t we let him go to the Yankees? 

It’s over now, and the Mets have to move on.  This is what the Mets fans wanted and expected from Sandy Alderson and Terry Collins.  To make important decisions for their baseball team on the field, not the money in the bank.  Who knows, maybe the Mets will draw more people at Citi Field now that they have made the changes.

Also, the Phillies signed Luis Castillo today to a minor league deal and he is expected to fill in for Chase Utley while he is injured. 

Jason Isringhausen is having his elbow examined as he has some discomfort.  He says he does not believe it is a serious matter.  Also, check out on ESPN New York to read a story about how drug testing ended up saving a Mets minor league players life. 

Pink Slips

The Mets decided to pull the plug on Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel yesterday, ending Omar’s six year run at the helm of the Mets.  Minaya, who only made the playoffs once in his Mets tenure, had consistently one of the highest payrolls in the game. 

 

On the field, Jerry Manuel will not be brought back to manage the team for the 2011 season after failing to make the playoffs and finishing under .500 in his two full seasons as Mets manager.  Jerry took over the team in 2008 after then manager Willie Randolph was fired midway through the year.

 

Personally, I like Manuel although he may not have been the best manager.  I think that the players’ poor play lands on the shoulders of the manager.  The Mets have also got to fix the coaching staff and the players that play the game.  I don’t think Howard Johnson should be back and I don’t care much for Dan Warthen, although the pitching staff was better than expected.  I think Johnson has had too many chances.  It has to fall on his shoulders too.

 

I’m not too familiar with the general manager candidates but I hope when one is hired that Fred and Jeff Wilpon stay out the player selection.

 

I believe Omar had a love affair with latin players and had way to many goofs while picking players. 

Adam Rubin: ¡Adios Omar!

NEW YORK — General manager Omar Minaya’s and manager Jerry Manuel’s tenures with the New York Mets in their current positions likely will be over after this weekend, sources told ESPNNewYork.com.

Multiple team officials said no announcement is planned until after the regular season’s completion Sunday.

While probing of interest from potential front-office candidates has taken place, a Mets official said no permission has been requested to officially speak with successors and no replacement will be immediately installed.

Sources say Joe Garagiola Jr. and Sandy Alderson are among the people being considered for the revamped front office.

Manuel said he has not been informed of any decision regarding his job status.

“I have not discussed anything,” Manuel said. “Nothing has been told to me. Just like every year, you discuss it at the end of the year. I haven’t been told anything.”

Minaya was hired during the final week of the 2004 season, and energized the fan base with the signings of Pedro Martinez and Carlos Beltran. However, the Mets have qualified for the postseason in only one of his six full seasons on the job despite annually having one of the highest payrolls in the National League.

The Mets ensured their second straight losing season with Thursday’s loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

“This is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately town, and lately it hasn’t been good,” David Wright said Friday night before the start of a season-ending series against Washington. “I think everybody that signed up for this, everybody that’s in the organization knows that in New York, you’re expected to win, and that when you don’t get it done, there’s going to be fingers pointed, and obviously, that’s where we’re at now.”

Minaya is signed for two more seasons at roughly $1.1 million annually. A source familiar with his contract confirmed language prohibits Minaya from being reassigned from that role, which is why it’s unclear whether he will ultimately remain with the organization in another capacity.

The Mets will not owe Manuel any money. The guaranteed portion of his contract expires at season’s end. While team officials have been complimentary of Manuel’s performance, he is getting caught up in the shakeup above him.

A former American League manager of the year with the Chicago White Sox, Manuel said he hoped he would hear a decision on his fate before it is made public.

“That would be the honest thing or the integri-ous thing to do. No question,” Manuel said. “It sounds like everybody got me written off, but nobody’s told me off right now. Kick me to curb — I haven’t even seen the curb.”

Still, he knows there’s a chance change will occur.

“Going in, you know when you come to New York, bottom line is you have to win,” he said. “So that tells you some things right there. But you, obviously, would like for the people just to let you know before it comes across the screen.”

After coming within a win of reaching the World Series in 2006, the Mets have slopped through four sorry seasons.

Adam Rubin covers the Mets for ESPNNewYork.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 

Mets Update

Reporters today asked a lot of questions when it came to the job status of Jerry Manuel as the teams manager.  Both Jerry and Omar Minaya answered questions on the topic.  The Mets have been struggling over their last seven games, not scoring more than four runs in any of those games.  The Mets have come out of the break flat, especially the offense.  The Mets are currently six and a half games back of the Atlanta Braves.

Omar Minaya during his time with the media backed up his manager, saying:

“Jerry Manuel is our manager. Look, any time you’re going to have a couple of losing streaks, those things are going to pop up. But there’s no discussion at all. Jerry Manuel is our manager, will be our manager. I’m very happy with the job that he’s doing.”

Personally, I really don’t think its Jerry’s falt that the team can’t hit.  And, I wonts. be pissed if Jerry gets fired, just as long as Omar goes with him.  Omar doesn’t deserve to be able to fire two managers and nothing happens.

The Mets are also reported to be shopping Jeff Francoeur and that he is unhappy about his playing time.  Truly, he cannot at all complain.  He hasn’t hit at all.  He has hit under .150 in July.  He deserves to ride the pine.  If he is going to end up calling a big fuss, than he needs to go.  We cant have him taking down the clubhouse.

Mets Unlikely to Acquire an Arm

According to MLB Trade Rumors, the Mets are not likley to acquire an arm at the trade deadline.  The Mets and Omar Minaya are reported to be satisfied with the pithing of R.A. Dickey and Jon Niese.  Also, the Mets are less likely to get bullpen help.

Well, maybe Omar wants to get fired at the end of the season.  Who knows?

Although, the Mets have been reported to have been in contacts to acquire Brett Myers.  The Mets also are attracted to Ted Lilly, though the Mets have concerns about his drop in velocity.

Omar Is Next

Now, Omar Miaya is the only man left to blame.  Willie Randolph, Rick Peterson, and Tony Bernazard have all been fired.  Omar is the only one left from the two collapses and the terrible year this year.  I give Omar credit, he did make some big move and got some big players like Pedro, Beltran, Santana, and K-Rod.  But, he also has made some terrible moves like Perez, Castillo and others.  So, now only Omar is left and can get the blame.