Dear Mets Fans:
Thank you for your support during another extremely disappointing season. Like you, all of us at the Mets had high expectations for 2010 and we did not come close to meeting them. Since reaching the National League Championship Series in 2006, we have underperformed. The failure is unacceptable and we share your anguish.
As Ownership, we are ultimately responsible and have determined that changes are necessary to produce a winning team for the long term.
Earlier this morning, we relieved Omar Minaya of his duties as Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations & General Manager, and advised Jerry Manuel that we are declining to exercise the club’s option on his contract as Manager for 2011. We appreciate all that Omar and Jerry have done for the Organization and thank them for their time and effort. Changes like these are never easy, especially when dealing with people you like and respect.
We feel a fresh perspective in the leadership of our baseball department will elevate the performance of our club. That person will work with Ownership to hire a new Manager and will be responsible for creating a winning culture.
We have a lot of work to do to regain your confidence and support. Thank you for the opportunity to do so.
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 |
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| Fred Wilpon Chairman & CEO |
Saul Katz President |
Jeff Wilpon COO |
Thank the lord!!!
Omar and jerry gone. Giants defense terrorizes Cutler and Bears. Yanks limp into playoffs against the twinkies that I picked to win it all.
I’mmmmm BAAAAAAAAAAaCK!!!
Your silence has been deafening, and numbing.
can someone give me a BBT september cheatsheet…Ive been totaly out of it.
ive been watchingthe games though (not the mets)
im ready fro some october baseball as the football season is in motion.
hope all is well fellas.
GO TWINS!!! ( pulling for the Giants out west in NL)
Your silence has been both deafening and numbing.
what up LB? Hope the lady and Jr. are doing well.
ive been working like an animal during the day and as you know, free time a bit dicey at the homefront.
d’oh^^^Haven’t missed much. Jrz is POW/MIA, Lev got a job, and Mets has been crime-fightin’. Supe is busy working. Been Sal, 1Yank, and Canada holding the fort.
Yes I do know. Bottle washing is a blast. You get through constipation yet? It’s a scream.
so if i read between the lines, Ive been missed??
before yanks/twinkies start, any thoughts on who should be my GM and mangaer?
i’d like bobby v back but its not happening. gimme a young GM that can speak.
Not that I wouldn’t have it any other way, of course.
I love the Wilpon’s use of dramatic language, “extremely disappointing”, “anguish”, “ultimately responsible”…is that all necessary? Just fire the bums.
The Orioles avoided 100 losses.
Welcome back, Piper!!!
Bill Madden said it best, the cycle of losing will only stop when Jeffy changes his management style and give a competent GM the leeway to win. You can put anyone in there, good or bad, but if Jeffy micro-manages it’s all for nothing.
My guy is standing at 7 months. Got his first shiner lastweek after a face to a plastic paino incident. I thought the black eye looked pretty sweet but Mrs. 86 did not.
I havent watched the Mets since early August. Couple innings here and there and some bus reading about it.
However, it was nauseating for me top be sitting in the stands of Oriole Park yesterday when it was announced that THE RAVENS had defeated THE STEELERS, and the entire stadium went berserk. Fuckers.
And of course, Shoeless Joe was all over the threads.
JRZ in the tank? Hope not.
Alive? Hope so.
Is he reading the funny papers yet? Just kidding, nice to hear all is functioning well. Blumper’s cranium hasn’t figured out it’s dimensions and girth yet, either. He hit the wood floor once…once.
Omar Minaya said he has decided against remaining with the New York Mets after he was relieved as general manager on Monday, at the same time field manager Jerry Manuel was fired.
The Mets planned a news conference for 1:30 p.m. ET at Citi Field, a day after the team completed the 2010 season with a 79-83 record, despite a payroll of $136 million.
Minaya, who is under contract through 2012 and is owed roughly $2.2 million, said he was offered another front-office position, but declined, wishing to leave a clear path for the new GM to make decisions. He did not rule out a return to the Mets in the future.
“The fact is that it’s not fair to give me another role. If you’re going to bring in a GM, first of all, the GM should want to have me on board. And, vice versa,” Minaya said. “We came to a mutual agreement that at some point in time we may discuss that, but I think that’s the best way to go.”
My guys hair is coming in pretty red. Looks like he fell off a boat from Dublin. Love it.
I think Jrz is alive, last I heard he was migrating north and a meet-up was planned but never materialized. If he was dead then I’m sure lil’ Jrz would have put aside her grief at least long enough to let the BBT know.
Babe Ruth has been around as well, I should say.
Blumper def has his mother’s colors but he also has his father’s muscular physique.
Darby O’86, hah? Lil’ Tater.
if a single dad cant get laid, he has himself to blame. thats all ill say after a day at the mall yesterday with jr.
I love the playground.
nice!
Welcome back Kev, Hope life is threating you well?
Nothing like summer lactation. N O T H I N G.
Ok..been doing some research for GMs….what do you think???
Dipoto has an ebullient personality and endless energy, and many wonder if he ever sleeps.
“I’m a baseball historian,” Dipoto said. “I’m a buff. I’m 42 years old and I can’t remember a time where I didn’t wake up in the morning and that’s the first thing I thought of.
“If I remember moments in time in my childhood, it was always around a baseball card I was collecting, a game I was watching on TV or the time my dad took me to the park – or, for that matter, when I was performing in Little League.”
A New Jersey native, Dipoto played at Virginia Commonwealth before embarking on a 12-year professional career that included stints with the Indians, Mets and Rockies, his success due as much to pitching acumen as pure ability.
His career ended prematurely due to neck and spinal problems. After retiring, he joined the Rockies front office before following Byrnes to Boston, where he became a scout. After another short stint in Colorado, he then went with Byrnes to Arizona, where he headed the club’s pro scouting department since 2005.
People person
Dipoto’s personality would seem to be a better match with Hall. Dipoto is a natural people person, someone who is “a little on the glib side,” to use his own words, and who tends to speak in anecdotes.
As for his ability to communicate compared with Byrnes, Dipoto said, “If we were at level six before, we just went to level 10, because that’s my nature.”
Another reason he could stick: Dipoto is highly regarded in the baseball industry. He was a finalist for GM vacancies in Seattle and Washington, and “Baseball America” ranked him No. 2 on its list of Top GM Prospects in March
Now we’re judging “can’t miss prospects” for front office positions? I’d like to take a look at his VORGM.
BTW, Yanks made it pretty damn far with a suck AJ and a hurt Pettitte.
With a name like Monte Freire, he had it coming:
http://www.necn.com/10/03/10/Red-Sox-Yankees-argument-leads-to-stabbi/landing_newengland.html?blockID=323777&feedID=4206&utm_source=bleacherreport.com
I think you could be on the money with this Dipoto chap, Kev. Looks like he’s still in a holding pattern with the Diamondbacks. Tell you what, if I showed some sack on an interim level and didn’t get compensated for it with the helm, I’d be pissed too:
http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/09/25/kevin-towers-wants-jerry-dipoto-to-stay-in-arizona-he-likely-wi/
…Dipoto may be why Omar is saying he’ll walk away, I guess he meant from his contract…? Too much pride to work for another scout?
After further review, I think Rick Hahn should be strongly considered for the Met GM job.
Ive done some homework and he is on my short list of potential GM’s I’d approve of.
Then they should hire the guy the Angels GM just canned to direct scouting. Forgot his name.\
Hahn wouldl need a good head of scouting.
Sorry for all the mets stuff but playoffs dont start until tomorrow. Thsi is a good read if anyone is interested in the Amazins;
Jeff Wilpon was in studio for more than hour this morning with WFAN’s Boomer & Carton. To listen to the entire interview, keep checking here.
In regards to the future of the team:
Jeff Wilpon: We have to change the culture and change the direction now of the entire organization, from top to bottom.
In regards to the next manager:
Boomer Esiason: Any truth to the rumor that you guys had dinner with Bobby Valentine in Stamford the other night?
Jeff Wilpon: No, sir.
Boomer Esiason: Is there any issue with Bobby Valentine, in your mind, that would keep him from coming back to be manager of the Mets?
Jeff Wilpon: No. Bobby and I have a good relationship. But, let’s get the GM in here first. Then, depending on the direction he wants to take the team… He’s got to figure out the best manager in his plan to run that team.
Craig Carton: Do you guys, you, your dad, Dave Howard, do you have a shortlist of people you’d like to see.
Jeff Wilpon: We do. Of course, just as Wally Backman is on our radar screen because we know him in New York, a new GM could come in and have a guy like a Wally Backman who he likes…
Craig Carton: Is Bobby Valentine on your shortlist?
Jeff Wilpon: Yes, he is.
In regards to cutting Oliver Perez:
Jeff Wilpon: To any one who thinks I’m the GM, do you think I really would go out and sign Oliver Perez? Or, do you think I went along with what my GM suggested? We tried to get the best contract we could, but obviously it hasn’t worked so far. So, hopefully a new GM coming in will not have the baggage of Oliver Perez being under his watch… Let’s get the new GM in place and maybe he can work some magic.
Craig Carton: So, if the new GM says, ‘Listen, Jeff, I can’t get anything for him,’ and this guy can’t pitch, we can’t have him here, you guys would walk away from the money owed to him and cut bait.
Jeff Wilpon: Absolutely.
In regards to what to do with Jose Reyes:
Jeff Wilpon: Yes, I think we’d like to keep Jose Reyes, yes, and David Wright.
WFAN Caller: If the new GM comes to you and says, ‘Your players, you think their A+, but because of their propensity to get injured, like Reyes, or strike out a lot, like Wright, are really be viewed by myself and people you would trade with as B+ players, and therefore we should take less than what you expect to get for those guys and so that’s what I want to do,’ would you do that?
Jeff Wilpon: That’s a very good question. I think that’s what we’re looking for, is for this outside influence to come in and look at what we are and who we are and give this that kind of input. That’s what’s needed to this point. So, we hold up the mirror look in to it and don’t get scared.
In regards to Carlos Beltran:
Jeff Wilpon: Beltran’s health is going to be fine. It was a little strain to his knee. It’s nothing structural. He said he felt fine and if we were in a pennant race he’d be playing. The great thing about Carlos, and where he really changed for me, when we were in Philadelphia, and the slide with Ruben Tejada, the next day he spoke about it, but not did he do something about it but he did something about it and showed some leadership. That changed my view a little bit of Carlos Beltran, by him doing that… Beltran has a bigger spot on this team than either Oliver Perez or Luis Castillo.
Craig Carton: Last winter, 1-10, how mad were you when you got the call, ‘Oh yeah, he’s being operated on now,’ 1-10, how made were you at that time.
Jeff Wilpon: I can’t do that.
Craig Carton: Is it higher than 10?
Jeff Wilpon: Yes. Let’s leave that… I don’t want to go there, Craig.
Craig Carton: Did you clear the air with him?
Jeff Wilpon: Yes, in Spring Training.
Craig Carton: Did he aplogize?
Jeff Wilpon: Yes, we worked it all out in Spring Training?
In regards to Johan Santana:
Jeff Wilpon: Doctors say he will be throwing by Spring Training and then it just depends how long it takes for him to build up his arm strength.
In regards to Francisco Rodriguez:
Jeff Wilpon: I really can’t talk about it because it has to play out of the legal sense.
Craig Carton: Does the collective bargaining agreement allow you, if he’s found guilty and goes to jail, different allowances than if he doesn’t?
Jeff Wilpon: Correct.
Craig Carton: So, if he’s found guilt of a felony you guys have different rights than if he’s not?
Jeff Wilpon: Very much so, yes.
In regards to the team’s finances:
Criag Carton: Can you explain to Mets fans the deal with Madoff and did it have a direct impact with how you run the Mets?
Jeff Wilpon: It has never effected the day-to-day operation of the Mets nor will it.
Craig Carton: So, this off season, if there was a player the new GM coveted, I don’t know, say Cliff Lee and he wanted $20 million a year, the finances will not scare you away so long as it’s what’s best for the franchise?
Jeff Wilpon: Correct.
In regards to ticket prices next season:
Jeff Wilpon: We’re discussing [lowering ticket prices next season], we’re discussing some discounts for our season-ticket and plan holders. You know, the core fans, who are going to be there supporting us in good times and bad, we want to make it easier.
In regards to changing the dimensions of Citi Field:
Jeff Wilpon: We will talk about it with the new GM. We tailored it to what the old GM and what the baseball department wanted. There are some things we can do… We are able to take one or two of the pads down and move the wall down [not in].
Morning fellas, exciting times for the Mets they get a chance to hire the right people to take them in the right direction, good luck Metsies
I’m starting to think Burnett should be in the rotation. Ring stinks so the 2nd lefty I was pining for is in Toronto. Downs was too much dough/chips so i can understand not going there, but Cashman waiting on Marte was short sighted, thankfully Logan did a decent job, but the scary part about that, he was a throw in so no feather in Cashman’s cap for that move.
Who do we trust as the 10th pitcher, Meat, Go-Dan, Moseley, Vazquez, Nova, none of them. The Nova kid can’t pitch with runners on base, plus he’s just not ready, the other guys are useless unless it’s mop up duty. Might as well go with Sabathia, Pettitte, Burnett, in the ALDS, keep the bomb shelter stocked with Robertson, Logan, Chamberlain, Hughes, Woody and Mo, pick your poison for the one mop. Who matches up well against the Twins? we’ll have to go to the binder to find out I don’t know.
If Burnett doesn’t start he’s a useless piece of baggage unless you think he can be professional enough to come out of the pen and give you a shut down inning or two. At least we know Hughes can work that job description, plus Hughes gets bombed at YS as a starter, yeah he won 11 games but his ERA is much higher at YS then on the road, plus he gave up 20 of his 25 HR’s in the Bronx. Go with the 09 formula for the ALDS is my take and hope Burnett can deliver. Plan B is to start Hughes in game two in that canyon. I am on a strong cough medicine as we speak so I’m not sure I’m thinking clearly, but then again I’m not sure it’s the meds
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