Mets Extend Minaya's Contract

New York may be going through its first October without baseball since 1994, but that isn’t stopping the local teams from handing out deals to their GM’s. Yesterday, the Yankees brought back Brian Cashman. Today, the Mets announced that they have extended Omar Minaya’s deal for three years through 2012. Minaya, who was signed through 2009 already, could be with the club though 2014 if two club options are picked up.

It’s an odd move by the Mets when you consider how the season ended and the fact that they didn’t have to extend him at all. Those facts didn’t seem to concern Jeff Wilpon who declared today, “Omar is our guy. We believe he has a plan to take us forward to where we need to be.” Wilpon did promise to make changes to get the team back into the playoffs adding, “There might be some addition by subtraction.”

The Mets are still talking with Jerry Manuel about making him manager on a permanent basis with Minaya telling the press, “Right now we’re focusing on hopefully getting Jerry on board.” However, there are reports that negotiations between the Mets and Manuel are not going smoothly. Minaya also told the press that he had notified Carlos Delgado’s agent that the Mets plan to exercise their option on him for 2009.

The Mets also confirmed reports that Johan Santana pitched through a torn meniscus in his left knee for the final month of the season. Santana underwent surgery yesterday and is expected to make a full recovery before spring training. The news makes Santana’s efforts over the last few weeks even more impressive. Can we start calling his last start the “wounded knee game?”

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Peter Trinkle in News on October 2, 2008 3:00 PM

Comments [rss]

bornbrednewyorker

Absurd signing. Only the Mets would reward a gm that brought us two chokes in a row. The team has a bad balance, players with no heart, a manager who thinks he's a "gangster". This team will never win. Reyes is a spoiled brat who needs to go, talent or not he's a cancer to this team with his pouting to managers and his showing up other teams. It's easy to say the bullpen stinks but let's face it not many teams have a great bullpen. The Mets have no leaders, no heart and no proven winners. I am a Mets fan but I'm disgusted with this management team.

NannyState

Minaya's living the American Dream: failing upward.

EricGewiz

I agree...and Bradford was one of my favorite relievers on that team, b/c he was reliable, but took more money elsewhere (Baltimore, in fact). As for Schoenweis, I groaned when the signed him, and have never been satisfied with his performance as a Met. The Mets were strong when they had Franco, and Benitez, since they always had a second guy. They should have been prepping someone behind Wagner all this time to be prepared for their future one day without Wagner.

Kevin Walsh

In 2006, the Mets had Oliver and Bradford in the bullpen -- both very reliable -- and let them go. Heilman and Sanchez were effective and filled the 8th inning role. Sanchez lost his fastball after his accident on his late-nite food run; who knows what happened with Heilman. Schoenweiss was well-regarded before coming to NY.

You never know what will happen with middle-inning relief; that's what makes it so maddening.

www.forgotten-ny.com

Kevin Walsh

Nothing succeeds like failure.

www.forgotten-ny.com

Mr Mel

They need pitchers that can get 3 outs in an inning. They use 6,7 & 8 in a game. There's got to be a better way. That they couldn't make the post season 2 years in a row is as much Minaya's fault as Willie's.

EricGewiz

What I mean was....they didn't really need Carlos Gomez since Reyes was a leadoff hitter (getting better, at least). Every team needs speed, but they still were able to keep Pelfrey, who was always a better talent that Humber, and will be.

Not every team had enough to offer Minnesota, and they were able to still F-Martinez and Pelfrey.

jaycjay

Though, getting Santana, I thought, was genius!

Yeah, what other GM would have thought to do that? Clearly Minaya has a rare gift for spotting unrecognized talent!!1!

ma bell

i don't think minaya will be alive in 20014...just a hunch. that's an awful lot of option years

EricGewiz

He's led a lot of great talent here, but also made some questionable decisions. the bullpen they had in 2006 was strong and healthy, and they haven't had another bullpen crew like it since. I'm not sure if his work has merited a long extension, but he hasn't proven anything in regards to putting together a winning team. At this point, it seems like a ways away.

Though, getting Santana, I thought, was genius!