Time For Omar To Take Control

With an incomprehensible number of injuries to key players, poor fundamental play, a complete lack of HR power, and more recently, the alleged reports of the most inappropriate behavior from their VP of Player Development - it is now time for Omar Minaya to step up and take control of HIS TEAM.

Listening to talk radio (ad nauseum) I've heard everything from Omar has done an outstanding, terrible, and average job as Mets GM. Omar has done some good things: Pedro Martinez, Carlos Beltran, Endy Chavez, John Maine, Johan Santana, and I believe JJ Putz will be a good acquisition.

He has also had some questionable moves also: trading Matt Lindstrom , Heath Bell , the Luis Castillo contract, etc.

Let's look at it this way: has Omar made this club better and more respectable? I have to give him an emphatic YES. That of course is not the case for this year with all the turmoil surrounding the Mets. When Omar took over, the Mets had Art Howe employed as manager of this team, the minor league system was worse than it is now, and the Mets had traded much heralded Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano (although metsfan73 has always felt that was a Jeff Wilpon, Al Leiter, Tom Glavine, and John Franco trade than a Jim Duquette trade).

Back to the present: The Mets have been an absolute embarrassment this year, and the alleged antics of "Mr. B" is icing on the cake. The cherry on top is that it has been four days since the reports of Bernazard's challenging the Binghamton Mets to a fight and the verbal confrontation with Francisco Rodriguez on a team bus - with no clear cut decision forthcoming on the matter.

It is time Omar. You claimed you took this job at the end of the 2004 season because you were granted complete autonomy. Exert that autonomy Omar. Have a press conference and simply state that Tony Bernazard is a friend whom you care for, but his behavior has been both unprofessional and disrespectful, and no matter how he (Omar) feels personally, it is in the best interest of the Mets that Bernazard is removed from his position and as an employee of the Mets. Going forward, any other findings of any Mets employee acting in any manner that is detrimental to the Mets and Sterling Enterprises will be dealt with expeditiously and harshly.

That simple statement would show the fans and the press that as long as you are GM of the Mets, you are the one in charge. The Mets have already started to repeat that ugly and embarrassing era of the early to mid 1990's and the 2003/2004 seasons where not only their play, but the direction they were going in was humiliating.

It's time Omar! Put your foot down! This season is over, but you can start building for the future NOW. Show MLB, the Mets and their fans that you are in charge, and that you take this very seriously, and you are in the process of bringing the Mets back to respectability. You don't have to make a blockbuster trade. Maybe three or four small ones. There are so many holes to fill, it will be impossible to do it in one trade.

Fire "Mr. B". It has been widely reported that he has been vying for your job. Show that you will have none of this division on your watch. The time is now Omar. STEP UP AND TAKE YOUR TEAM BACK!