Joel Sherman-Minaya out at year end

[ashie62]

Let the games begin

http://mlb-facts-and-rumors.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22297882/24673189

[Guest Edgy DC]

You know, Billy Beane coming back to the Mets as GM would make a nice end to his movie.

[Vic Sage]

oh, man, i just got a stiffie.

[metirish]

I've been known to wear flip-flops around NYC.....surely that won't be a deal breaker Joel. I'd like the guy from Detroit to be a candidate.

[Fman99]

I'm hoping for my favorite candidate, you know him as "not-Omar."

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

"Reassigned" within the organization to... scouting chief? Some sort of talent-evaluation-shebang, no?

[Although it would be kind of fun-- if really sadistic-- to have him do a different job every week or two, and turn it into either an SNY reality show or a fan contest ("Spot Omar, win a free ticket upgrade or medium soda!").]

[Centerfield]

More from Joel: Everyone hates Jeff Wilpon

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/but_will_baseball_brightest_7PwTaYoBp7ZLhGuwZ4YKbP/0

[Benjamin Grimm]

...and special assistant Wayne Krivsky, the former Reds GM who deserves a good bit of credit for Cincinnati's run to the NL Central crown. Although, it seems unlikely Wilpon would go with anyone so closely associated with the Minaya regime.

That seems rather unfair, unless there was a particularly bone-headed move of Omar's that Krivsky was known to have pushed for.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Centerfield wrote: More from Joel: Everyone hates Jeff Wilpon http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/but_will_baseball_brightest_7PwTaYoBp7ZLhGuwZ4YKbP/0

Oh, bull.

OE: More importantly, though, the ever-silent Mets haven't come out and denied that Minaya's fate is already sealed, which is sad.

[Guest Number 6]

Edgy DC wrote: Oh, bull.

Why? While I'm not taking the 10 executives Sherman interviewed or his conclusions from their statements as gospel, what do you find unbelievable about Jeff Wilpon having an exceptionally poor reputation around the game?

[Guest Edgy DC]

How often have you seen somebody snub a team because the president's reputation? How many management people have snubbed the Mets so far?

[Guest Number 6]

Yeah, like the article states, there are only 30 jobs and someone is eventually liable to bite the bullet. But it may take more to get a top-tier GM with experience because the perception is that the work environment is substandard, and may not provide a GM with full autonomy. Since you'll be luring top candidates away either from a current position or from other offers, that can factor in if you want a Billy Beane or even Josh Daniels. Personally, before I accept a job I definitely consider who my boss will be, especially if I have the opportunity to be choosy.

His title as president doesn't matter, only his influence does. Do you disagree that Jeff could wield an amount of influence that's out of proportion to his skill as a business manager and baseball man? Doesn't seem unbelievable to me.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Of course he could. But that's not what I'm calling bull on. I'm seriously questioning the notion that his hands-on inexpertise (and that's hardly unheard of in this game) is actively driving talent away from the organization. A guy with a stable job like Beane could afford to snub the Mets, but for each such fellow, dozens of talented guys wouldn't dream of it.

It's simply a buyer's market. I mean, in what other industry does a guy wielding the title of "general manager" have a salary that's dwarfed many times over by that of the talent he recruits?

[ashie62]

Sometimes perception becomes reality.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Seems to me that if you are going to damage a person's reputation, you need to cite your sources, which sports columnists never do. It's easy to attack someone when you know that you'll never be held accountable for it.

And, are you telling me that there aren't a bunch of guys who wouldn't kill for a chance to be general manager of a team in the biggest market and a payroll of about $130 million? It's not always going to be clogged by the the Castillos and Perezes.

Even if Jeff is the world's biggest pain in the butt, being the Mets GM seems to be one of the marquee jobs in sports. (Source: me!)

[Guest Number 6]

Of course he could. But that's not what I'm calling bull on. I'm seriously questioning the notion that his hands-on inexpertise (and that's hardly unheard of in this game) is actively driving talent away from the organization. A guy with a stable job like Beane could afford to snub the Mets, but for each such fellow, dozens of talented guys wouldn't dream of it. It's simply a buyer's market. I mean, in what other industry does a guy wielding the title of "general manager" have a salary that's dwarfed many times over by that of the talent he recruits?

I think the article is saying that his hands-on inexpertise combined with the disproportionate amount of power he wields relative to his talent could affect the hiring process. That is, if we're talking about hiring a top-tier candidate who will have a stable job or other offers elsewhere:

But when you call around the sport asking about the job, you get some version of this: The best people might not be interested because they do not want to work for Wilpon. �Jeff is a challenge, but most people [looking for a GM job] do not have the luxury of writing off the job because Jeff is there. There are only 30 of these jobs and they all come with warts.�

I didn't take away from the article that it actively is driving those people away, but it's not unbelievable that it could (a potential that you also acknowledge). And it certainly wouldn't keep the organization away from hiring talented but less proven talent, should we go that route, if for no other reason than job scarcity.

[Guest Number 6]

Avi

[Chad ochoseis]

Well, Howard Megdal certainly wouldn't complain if Jeff offered him the job.

I don't know if I see the point of firing Omar this year, unless it's to show the world that the Mets are cleaning house, kicking ass, and taking names.

Without thinking too much about it, my sense is that Omar has demonstrated that he has the "small-market" type skills that made him well-respected in Montreal. Last year, the conventional wisdom was that the Mets' farm system was shot to hell. The shot to hell farm system gave us Niese, Thole, and Davis this year, with prospects still in the pipeline. He's made plenty of obscure low cost pickups (Pagan, Dickey, both Takahashis, Figueroa, Barajas, Blanco, etc., etc.) that have turned into stars, semi-stars, or useful role-players at the very least.

What he hasn't done is spend money wisely. But the Mets won't be spending money in the off-season this year - there isn't the payroll capacity or the player availability. So unless the thought is to get a GM working this year so that he can get comfy and then make moves for the 2012 season, I'm fine with leaving Omar in for 2011.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I think the article is saying that his hands-on inexpertise combined with the disproportionate amount of power he wields relative to his talent could affect the hiring process. That is, if we're talking about hiring a top-tier candidate who will have a stable job or other offers elsewhere:

It seems to me he's amplified that "could" to a "has," an "is," and a "willl." It's a question of perspective. Is personality an issue? Sure, but how big, really, in such a context?

I'm certain there are many many capable people out there, and the Mets' perceptiveness to hire a good one is of far greater concern to me than their president's appeal factor. If the scenario unfolds where they can find a smart guy, but he's turned off by Jeff Wilpon, they can probably find another smart guy.

And if a smart guy really throws a job back in the Mets' face, I'd question whether he was as smart as all that. It's an extremely rare and attractive job. Adam Rubin allegedly wanted to work on the Mets management team and he, more than any of us, knows exactly how big a pack of assholes they are or aren't.

I mean, I missed the part of that Jerry Reuss interview where the uniform meeting made him up and quit.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Any luv for Jon Daniels? He's a Met Luvvin Big Shot, Queens native, and GM of your AL West Chapions to Be, Texas Rangers. Read where he has a contract "out" as a result of the Rangers sale. If he's a true NYer he probably can't wait to get out of Dallas.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Any luv for Jon Daniels? He's a Met Luvvin Big Shot, Queens native, and GM of your AL West Chapions to Be, Texas Rangers. Read where he has a contract "out" as a result of the Rangers sale. If he's a true NYer he probably can't wait to get out of Dallas.

In a heartbeat.

I just don't see him finally getting the team to the playoffs, then leaving before his guys reach their peak ripeness.

[metirish]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Any luv for Jon Daniels? He's a Met Luvvin Big Shot, Queens native, and GM of your AL West Chapions to Be, Texas Rangers. Read where he has a contract "out" as a result of the Rangers sale. If he's a true NYer he probably can't wait to get out of Dallas. In a heartbeat. I just don't see him finally getting the team to the playoffs, then leaving before his guys reach their peak ripeness.

I saw him mentioned in an article this weekend....maybe Heyman...from Bayside......article says the Rangers want to reup with him....

[Guest Edgy DC]

Let's give Nolan Ryan Jim Fregosi in exchange.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

He'll use the Mets as leverage to boost up his contract, like all the free agents do.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Or he'll use other teams to boost his leverage with the Mets like other free agents do. It's all good.

[ashie62]

I can't see Texas letting this guy get away.

[Guest Edgy DC]

You can't see it? Really?

It may happen or it may not, but it's the sort of thing that occurs every day.

[ashie62]

I guess if Fred can outspend Nolan....

[Benjamin Grimm]

From today's Daily News:

It is a bit premature to handicap potential hires, because the Mets remain in a research and discussion phase. They expect to proceed deliberately once the season is over, because this is a pivotal time for the team. The Mets will enter a new era and enjoy financial flexibility in a year, when the contracts of Carlos Beltran, Luis Castillo, Oliver Perez and Francisco Rodriguez all expire. The Mets are looking for someone they feel will lead them into that era, and who will help select the next manager (Manuel's successor will not be chosen until the GM situation is resolved.) Though they are fighting a perception that ownership is overly meddlesome in baseball operations, team brass would be far less inclined to intervene if it felt the organization were running smoothly. According to people who have been briefed on the Mets' internal discussions, the team has prioritized the following qualities in a potential hire: Toughness: The Mets are looking for an executive who will stand up to players, and shrug off criticism from the New York media. There is a perception among some major league executives that in recent years Mets players have become accustomed to getting their way too often. Balance between traditional scouting and newer statistical analysis: The Mets will never hire a GM who professes blind faith to sabermetrics - the club has long admired Terry Ryan's work with Minnesota, a more traditional team - but are looking for some openness to that perspective. Experience versus youth will not be a determining factor, but the Mets are not interested in grooming a promising executive; they want to empower someone ready to run a troubled team in a major market. It will be essential for any candidate to articulate a plan to address the club's needs immediately. If a young candidate can do that, he or she will be considered.

[MFS62]

From today's Daily News: If a young candidate can do that, he or she will be considered.

I wonder if the "she" is just being politically correct or if a woman would be considered.
If so, I'd like to add Kim Ng to our list if she hasn't already been mentioned.
http://www.nowpublic.com/sports/dodgers-exec-kim-ng-could-become-baseballs-first-female-gm
She has been in a large market, on a team that has not only found and promoted good young players, but has been active in the free agent market as well.

Later