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Yesterday the Mets held a press conference to say that GM Omar Minaya would be investigating allegations that VP of Player Development Tony Bernazard had ripped his shirt off and challenged minor leaguers to a fight. But much like the period of speculation leading up to Willie Randolph's firing last year, the situation has quickly snowballed, calling into question the way in which the entire organization is run.
Reports have come pouring in that Bernazard's extreme behavior was not an isolated incident. The team has confirmed that last week on a team bus in Atlanta, Bernazard got into a shouting match with All-Star closer Francisco Rodriguez. Rodriguez acknowledged the spat but didn't want to talk about it. Another "veteran Met starter" however anonymously told the Post, "That guy is crazy. No one like[s] him."
On top of that, the News has another story about Bernazard going on a profane tirade in public when a scout for Arizona was sitting in his seat recently at Citi Field. Newsday quotes a baseball exec who calls him "a loose cannon" and even Mike Francesa said on his show that when Bernazard "blows up everyone is there to see it." Bernazard is also seen as the man who played the biggest part in getting Randolph fired last year by way of his influence with the Wilpons. One reporter even speculated that Randolph could be the one who initially leaked info about Bernazard's blowup to the News.
Early reports suggest that Bernazard's close ties with Jeff Wilpon will keep his job safe. Former Mets GM and current ESPN commentator Steve Phillips says that the problems with Bernazard go deeper than just one loose cannon. He said that the Wilpons "don't believe in a chain of command. It sounds nice but it's not functional. It tears at the fiber of an organization....It's a dysfunctional system."
The Daily News is leaving no room for doubt over how they feel on the matter. Baseball writer Bill Madden's headline says the only thing "Mets GM Omar Minaya should investigate [is] how fast he can fire Tony Bernazard." The paper even sent their backpage comic in for an edit last night: WCBS 880 caught that the earlier City Final had "Bernazard wearing a muscle t-type sleeveless undershirt over a sizably pot belly" only to be replaced by the Racing Final seen here where, much like the incident in question, Bernazard is ready for some shirts-off time. Minaya did not say when he expects to wrap up his investigation, but the News points out that he did make its existence clear. During the press conference, the GM used the word investigate 13 times in just over six minutes.
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The player development guy threatened to beat up minor league ballplayers? Are we now hearing that the Met's farm system is failing as well.
Bring back Willie!
The Met's farm system is failing? It is a laughingstock. Binghamton (AA) and Buffalo(AAA) are both mired in last place. Look at the roster of this "major league" team. It is pathetic. With a payroll of $140 million this is the best they can do? Minaya is completely inept-lavishing huge contracts on aging and or mediocre players. He traded away decent pitchers for next to nothing. The Mets are an embarrassment.
If you combine the records of the Mets and their minor league affiliates down to A division, they are collectively 37 games under .500, and 47 1/2 games out of first place.
They blew it all on high-end has-beens and let other clubs get the pick of the litter. Nelson Doubleday was the last link to reality the Mets Organization had.