Omar Minaya Returns To The Mets

By Rich Mancuso/Sports Editor

Welcome home Omar Minaya! This is the Christmas gift New York Mets fans got even though roster moves are what they really want. Friday morning, the Mets announced that Minaya was returning to the organization as a special assistant to General Manager Sandy Alderson.

The lone complaint was that first time Minaya was in control. On the morning of June 17, 2008, 3:11 AM, in Anaheim after a Mets win over the Angels and Willie Randolph was fired as the manager. It was the dirty work that Minaya had to do and the decision of this Mets ownership that hardly seems to get many things right.

Now all of that is in the past. Bygones are bygones with Omar Minaya in his new role. He should be welcomed back to Citi Field with no complaints. This past week Randolph was in the Bronx and said there is still bitterness as to how the Mets handled his last game as their manager. He reiterated that Omar Minaya was not the reason for an embarrassing and untimely firing in the morning.

But that again is in the past. Omar Minaya is a welcomed addition back at Citi Field and will sit by the side of his GM who received a contract extension this week. Better, yet, there were no particular details as to how many years Alderson was granted and that does open the door for Omar Minaya to once again sit in his old chair as the GM.

So why has Omar Minaya returned to his old stomping grounds? And why after that turmoil of his first stint with the Mets, that was always questioned about doing favors and bringing older and veteran players to New York, is he back home?

Very simple to realize that Omar Minaya understands talent and the Mets need to reevaluate their needs when it comes to drafting and signing players. More so from that all important Latin perspective that was successful with the Mets when Minaya was as an assistant to the GM responsible for overseeing their international scouting department.  

Though another knock against him that first time as GM, in that span of 2004-2010, was that tendency to stack the Mets roster with Latin players.

“It was clear to me from the day he arrived that there were members of the media that made sure the term “Los Mets” became a negative description of how he built the team,” says colleague and author Rich Coutinho in his book “Press Box Revolution.”

Coutinho, a Mets beat reporter during that time with ESPN New York was one of the few who came to understand the concept of “Los Mets” and Omar Minaya.

“Many of them,” he said about the Media and Minaya, “would mimic his Spanish accent and some radio hosts would edit his interviews to poke fun as the way he spoke. It was a disgusting display of childish behavior from people who obviously did not understand that marketing Hispanic players was a smart business move.”

Minaya understood the Latino culture and hiring Randolph paved the way to a championship team that resulted in a loss to the Cardinals in the 2006 NLCS. Carlos Beltran became the prized free agent acquisition along with Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez, and credit goes to Omar Minaya for convincing ownership that’s what the Mets needed in order to bring championship baseball back to Flushing Queens.

It worked and now Omar Minaya, a forefront of the Mets recent success is back and a very good welcome of a homecoming this is.

Alderson said Friday, “He has served the club well in many different areas. Omar will be a resource on scouting and player development, will consult on player acquisitions and will serve as a community ambassador. We are very happy to have him back in the organization.”

And back to a team that with his knowledge delivered Jeurys Familia, Wilmer Flores

So there should be no complains because the Mets minor league system needs to restructure. Though Sandy Alderson was brought in to do that, Omar Minaya has always seemed to work miracles with talent and those in baseball said last week at the winter meetings that the Mets have to start again at analyzing talent and that starts at the top.

That starts at the top with proper scouts and evaluating the draft which has become a vital part of Major League Baseball.  Omar Minaya has that success and Sandy Alderson can answer to ownership and see his possible successor put the pieces together.

The Mets are far from contending in 2017, unless of course that young and promising pitching rotation stays healthy and comes back to form. And of course Michael Conforto needs to return and be a catalyst in a lineup that also needs a healthy and productive Yoenis Cespedes.

For now, Omar Minaya will once again get acclimated to the surroundings he is familiar with. Matt Harvey, Juan Lagares, Jacob deGrom, Jeurys Familia are just a few of the noted Mets that were drafted or signed when Minaya was in control and have graduated under Alderson. Perhaps not an impact hitter on the list but they were key components to a Mets World Series appearance two years ago.

Omar Minaya watched that series from the comfort of his home. And now he is home again with another role and of course a take to assist Sandy Alderson in getting this ship back to order.

“I’m excited to return to an organization that I love,” Minaya said in a statement. “I’m thrilled I can return to scouting and developing young talent. I look forward to working for Sandy and his staff.”

And for Mets fans they should be thrilled an for the future, It may not be the impact player or two but the Wilpon ownership did the right thing because sitting in a seat they have their next GM when Sandy Alderson says he has had enough.

Comment Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com  Twitter@Ring786  Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email