Those dysfunctional Mets
Omar's organization is futile (Image via Wikipedia)
The Mets are bad. Really bad. Part of the reason they’re so bad is that their disabled list is longer than War and Remembrance.
But injuries cannot be the only reason the Mets find themselves ten games behind first place and five games below five hundred, right? Most good teams suffer through injuries and slumps, and in general the fallen are replaced with prospects, or perhaps players who have been acquired in exchange for prospects.
Heck, just today, the slumping Red Sox used their farm to acquire first basemen Adam LaRoche from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
But the financially well-endowed Mets cannot seem to stay afloat. Why? Because they are an organization in complete shambles, that’s why.
It seems like just the other day (it was) that Mets GM Omar Minaya was saying that he and manager Jerry Manuel had been assured of their respective job security by ownership. Now Minaya could not be in hotter water.
Having already traded away much of the Mets talent-in-waiting during the last couple of seasons, Minaya is unable to turn to his farm system for help, because it looks like this….
From the NY Daily News:
The Binghamton Mets clubhouse nearly turned into a scene out of WWE Raw recently, when VP for player development Tony Bernazard removed his shirt and challenged the Double-A players to a fight during a postgame tirade, multiples sources told the Daily News.
Bernazard particularly went after middle infield prospect Jose Coronado, using a slang term associated with a woman’s anatomy, a source indicated. The confrontation happened about 10days before the All-Star break, according to insiders.
via Sources: Omar Minaya’s job as Mets GM not safe despite contract
Bernazard is one of Minaya’s right-hand men and top advisors. His actions, therefore, reflect directly upon Minaya. Good thing this kind of outburst from Bernazard is not typical…oh wait, there’s also this Bernazard-classic from right in the Citi stands:
The News reported Tuesday that Bernazard, one of GM Omar Minaya’s top lieutenants, recently erupted at the organization’s manager of baseball operations. During a game at Citi Field, scouts took their customary seats in a row behind home plate. Bernazard showed up during play and wanted a seat occupied by a D-Backs scout. Bernazard’s deputy, already seated in the row, suggested to the Mets VP that he wait until the half-inning ended, to minimize the disruption. Bernazard ripped into his deputy with a profanity-laced tirade as scouts and patrons watched in disbelief.
via Sources: Omar Minaya’s job as Mets GM not safe despite contract
The lack of bench-depth in Queens is helping Manuel in keeping his job secure, but it also might be nailing down Minaya’s coffin. Omar has managed to bring in a host of big-name signings since joining the Mets, including Pedro Martinez, Johan Santana, Francisco Rodriguez and J.J. Putz, but he’s also spent the last four years ignoring and whittling away his minor league system. Now, the Mets are in a corner and their only hope is an Amazin’ late summer comeback. If that doesn’t happen, it’s hard to imagine their front office returning next year unchanged.
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I’m a Met defender (rapidly becoming a Met apologist) but man, they needed to fire Minaya like yesterday. Literally -
Because if that was the real deal yesterday, and they passed up on Halladay with THAT deal on the table – it’s no one but Minaya and his increasingly apparent ‘partial’ tendencies to blame.
I don’t know if that Blue Jays-Mets Halladay trade rumor was actually legit. Considering the level of talent that other teams are willing to give to Toronto for 1 1/2 seasons of Halladay, it seems unlikely that the Blue Jays would seriously ask for JUST Fernando Martinez, Jon Niese, Bobby Parnell and Wilson Tejada.
My impression is that there were informal talks, and that those are just names that the Jays brought up.
I think, as penalty, Bernazard should have to pitch out of the Mets pen. See if he’s so feisty after seeing a few errors behind him and Feliciano brought on to try to get him out of a jam…
Bernazard actually played second for a bunch of Major League (and one Japanese) teams. They might consider him as a replacement for Luis “I Don’t Help Anyone Score, Ever” Castillo.
In response to another comment. See in context »Incorrect. Luis Castillo helps the opponents score all time. Especially when they hit pop ups.
In response to another comment. See in context »Just a regular “call out” is not good enough for that comment, Brian. It deserves its own response comment as tribute.
The tribute:
It was 7 in the morn, and nary a sound could be gleaned from between the walls of my home. When suddenly, the merry sounds of “Har har har” and accompanying smirk presented themselves to the dark corridors.
Brian Donovan had made me laugh heartily, merely by referencing this year’s preeminent sports blooper.
There I was, having not even sipped coffee, and yet my spirits soared as I recalled the moment when ball hit glove, ball hit ground, faces beneath orange and blue contorted, and Tex crossed home.
Thank you, sir.
In response to another comment. See in context »As an aside – I recall hearing somewhere that Bobby V is coming back into town next year after his final Japanese season.
Show some love Wilpons.
Bobby V might be coming back. It appears that Chiba Lotte is uninterested in granting him a new contract.
Right now he’s the speculative favorite for the Washington job, actually.
In response to another comment. See in context »