There's a thing about the Mets: unless they're riding a winning streak of five games or more, someone, somewhere, is talking about firing manager Jerry Manuel or general manager Omar Minaya. Though Manuel has been in place for two and a half seasons and Minaya for six, their jobs have at no point ever felt particularly secure, and by the looks of things, this offseason they'll both finally be replaced. There've been whispers about Manuel for a while, and now Joel Sherman is all but guaranteeing that Minaya will be replaced as well:
Report: Mets To Replace Omar Minaya As GM After Season
General manager Omar Minaya is going to be fired or moved into another job as soon as the season concludes, sources say. One source described Wilpon as in the “fact-gathering” stage in finding a new GM.
Sherman cites CEO Jeff Wilpon as a potential obstacle to luring solid GM candidates, as Wilpon isn’t exactly known for granting his team’s executives much in the way of autonomy. However, with so few positions available at any point, prospective GMs can’t really be picky, and so Wilpon may not be as much of a hindrance as he’s made out to be.
Among the potential candidates Sherman notes are former Padres GM Kevin Towers, former Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes, and Marlins assistant GM Dan Jennings. Sherman then focuses on four of his preferred names: Terry Ryan, Pat Gillick, Sandy Alderson, and Gerry Hunsicker. This is not an official list of interviewees, but that eventual list should draw from these names, and others.
During Minaya’s term, the Mets have gone 501-459, advancing to the NLCS in 2006. More recently, they’ve become known for internal drama and underachieving despite large payrolls, lessening the shock surrounding Minaya’s imminent dismissal.
Read more on this, and all things Mets, at Amazin’ Avenue.
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