Fred Wilpon, Chairman and CEO of the Mets, and Jeff Wilpon, COO of the Mets, fired Manager Jerry Manuel and General Manager and Vice President of Baseball Operations, Omar Minaya, last week during the SNY Press Conference. “We are extremely disappointed in this year’s results and the failures of the past four seasons,” said Chief Operating Officer Jeff Wilpon, the son of owner Fred Wilpon, according to Si.com. “We need to hire a new general manager with a fresh perspective who will transform this club into a winner that we want and our fans deserve.”
Manuel is the seventh manager this season to lose his job. His managerial record was 203-214, after three seasons. The final guaranteed year of Manuel’s contract expired, and the Mets declined to exercise his club option on the deal. The Mets were 79-83 this year, a disappointing 18 games behind Philadelphia in the NL East. Despite having an opening day payroll of $133 million, the Mets had the fifth highest payroll in the majors. They have not been to the playoffs since coming within a game of going to the World Series in 2006.
“Changes like these are never easy, especially when you are dealing with people you like and respect,” Fred Wilpon said on SNY. “You learn every day. These past four seasons have been really painful. The Mets are my family, and I have to [take] full responsibility, and Omar is like a third son to me.”
Still, Minaya was given a three-year contract extension through 2012 as he was with the club for six years, and Manuel was given a multi-year deal. Minaya won’t be staying on in another capacity as of now. “The fact is that it’s not fair to give me another role,” Minaya said before the SNY Press Conference. “I’m going to spend some time with my family and kids. Whoever, the GM is, I would have to make the decision if I want to work with that person. I would like to also thank the Mets fans.”
The Mets needed to make a change because it was absolutely urgent, and it was obvious that it was the right thing to do. “Nobody likes going through this,” said Jeff Wilpon on SNY. “Nobody likes firing people. We failed for the past four seasons and a change needed to be made.”
