The Wilpons are ultimately responsible for everything that happens in the Mets' organization. Firing Randolph, Peterson & Nieto, to the naive, may have looked like an attempt to solve the Mets' problems. Especially if you believed the drivel, that Omar Minaya attempted to sell to the masses, at the Jerry Manuel introductory press conference.
Serious problems remain. Omar Minaya & Jerry Manuel are in a no-win situation. The Wilpons significantly raised ticket prices, as well as other related costs (parking, concessions, souvenirs), for anyone who attends games in person. With Citi Field opening in time for the 2009 season, everyone expects costs related to next season's games, to increase.
For that reason, many within the media have speculated that the Mets will defy logic, and not be sellers from now through the trading deadline, even though this team desperately needs to get younger, more athletic, and less injury-prone, with the energy that youth provides.
Minaya & Manuel are under pressure to win this season, in the hopes that it will lead to increased revenue when Citi Field opens. If they do not win, they are probably not Mets' employees in 2009. This mind set is at the detriment of the Mets' organization in the long haul. If they retain older, brittle, unreliable players, this season, whose best days are behind them, and refuse to build the farm system, trading some of these players for prospects, the struggles from June 1, 2007 through now will continue.
The Wilpons are also allowing Tony Bernazard to remain an employee of their organization, which will bring further public relations embarrassment, and an environment in which no manager can succeed. Adam Schein & Chris Carlin, of SNY's Loud Mouths, called for Bernazard's firing, on yesterday's show, and I agree. His blatant acts of sabotage cannot be tolerated. See today's New York Newsday column, by Ken Davidoff, "Perception on Mets' Bernazard: He's a bad, bad guy," for more about Bernazard.
Fire Bernazard, and tell Omar to call other general managers, and say that the Mets will listen to offers for any player on the team, so they do not tip their hand as to whom they would prefer to trade. Omar's "full autonomy" should be taken away. All trades should be cleared with the Wilpons before they're official. Omar should be told to create a younger, more athletic, and less injury-prone team. There are many players on the Mets who are past their prime, and in decline. Attempts should be made to trade declining players, and malcontents, for youth that can build the AA, AAA, and major league rosters.
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