DerangedHermit 0 Report post Posted September 30, 2004 NEW YORK -- Looking to bring a sense of stability to the organization's hierarchy, Mets principal owner Fred Wilpon on Thursday introduced Omar Minaya as the club's executive vice president of baseball operations and general manager, moving GM Jim Duquette to senior vice president of baseball operations. "I'm extraordinarily happy about this," Wilpon said. "Omar brings so much evaluation skills that Jim and our baseball department felt that we needed. He's an evaluation person whose judgment we trust, and he will enhance our baseball department with the professionalism and passion that he brings." Minaya, a former assistant general manager with New York who spent the last three seasons as the general manager of the Expos, will take over in his new post effective at the end of the regular season. "I'm here to continue the plan that I believe is in place," Minaya said. "That is pitching, defense and athleticism, all things that I believe in. My dream as a New York kid is to win the World Series with the Mets and have that parade down Broadway." Duquette will answer directly to Minaya, with whom he once was an assistant under former general manager Steve Phillips. While Duquette will have his role changed under the new administrative setup, he has no immediate plans to leave the organization. "One of the things that I wanted to be assured of is that I can continue to work with Jim Duquette as my right-hand man," Minaya said. Further changes are expected in the team's Major League and amateur scouting departments as well, and the search for a manager to replace Art Howe will now go through Minaya. Wilpon and Duquette had targeted a specific type of manager they wanted to bring in after it was announced that Howe was relieved of his duties earlier this month. With Minaya now in the picture, a new set of criteria may exist. "He has authority and autonomy to make final decisions in the baseball department," Wilpon said of Minaya. Kevin Czerwinski is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. Minaya new GM Meh....another GM who will rape the farm clean...well, Minaya probably wouldn't have done that Kazmir deal Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest GreatOne Report post Posted October 1, 2004 Well if it's any consolation, there was a considerable 'WTF' when the M's passed on him and hired Bavasi. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrRant 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2004 I'm not sure if that worked out in our favor... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the max 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2004 Didn't Minaya make some good deals for the Expos considering that he was hampered by their budget consisting solely of Monopoly money and scratch-off tickets? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrRant 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2004 Not to mention they were non-winning scratch tickets. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2004 I think Minaya did an above-average job. He made some trades that hurt the franchise (Grady Sizemore), but he got Livan Hernandez for Jim Brower, which was an absolute steal for the franchise. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pappajacks 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2004 Didn't Minaya make some good deals for the Expos considering that he was hampered by their budget consisting solely of Monopoly money and scratch-off tickets? No. The only good deal Minaya made was acquiring Livan for Jim Brower. He traded grade A prospects Grady Sizemore, Brandon Philips and Cliff Lee for 3 months of Bartolo Colon. He then traded Colon in the off season for Rocky Biddle, El Duque (who never pitched an inning in an expos uniform) and Jeff Liefer (who was released 2 months after the trade). Also, he traded in 2002 Jason Bay (who is favorite to win rookie of the year this year) for Lou Collier (who was released a few weeks after being acquired). He traded Guillermo Mota for Matt Herges. He traded prospect Chris Young to the Rangers for catcher Einar Diaz, a career .250 hitter that makes 2.5 million. Not to mention that Minaya signed Carl Everett this winter as a free agent at 8 million for 2 years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2004 Carl Everett looked like a good investment at the time, and Minaya dumped him on the White Sox anyway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dogbert 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2004 Ever notice that the Expos have looked a lot better without Everett than they did when he was on the team? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
starvenger 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2004 Didn't Minaya make some good deals for the Expos considering that he was hampered by their budget consisting solely of Monopoly money and scratch-off tickets? I don't think that he did the best job with trades, but as a a GM of a lame duck franchise with more limitations than a presidential debate, he did allright... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2004 Ever notice that the Expos have looked a lot better without Everett than they did when he was on the team? They did, but it's coincidence. The entire offense was absolutely abysmal to start the season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pappajacks 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2004 Ever notice that the Expos have looked a lot better without Everett than they did when he was on the team? That's because Sledge and Rivera were in the lineup everyday after Everett's departure. Sledge-Wilkerson-Rivera, solid outfield going into 2005. Too bad it wont be in Montreal. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest GreatOne Report post Posted October 1, 2004 I knew Terrmel had it in him to become decent one day............ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anglesault Report post Posted October 1, 2004 NEW YORK -- Looking to bring a sense of stability to the organization's hierarchy, Mets principal owner Fred Wilpon on Thursday introduced Omar Minaya as the club's executive vice president of baseball operations and general manager, moving GM Jim Duquette to senior vice president of baseball operations. In order to bring a sense of stability, he's causing a shake up? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LooseCannon25 0 Report post Posted October 2, 2004 Minaya is a good pickup for the Mets. His options were not many for the pathetically low budgeted Expos and he made some good deals. Bartolo Colon was a good pickup for a team in a playoff race. Everett seemed like a good deal at the time. He's good at judging talent. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
strummer 0 Report post Posted October 2, 2004 Mets are looking at Carlos Tosca for manager. Other candidates are Jim Fregosi and Frank Robinson. Mets to talk to Tosca Former Blue Jays manager Carlos Tosca will be the first candidate to interview for the Mets soon-to-be-vacant managerial position, the Daily News has learned. Tosca, originally scheduled to meet Mets brass this week, will interview with new GM Omar Minaya and other front-office officials next week. Tosca was under consideration by the Mets before the hiring of Minaya yesterday. The Blue Jays fired Tosca, 51, on Aug. 8 at Yankee Stadium after their fifth straight loss, which dropped Toronto to 47-64. He took over in June 2002 and managed the club to a 189-191 record. "We have six or seven weeks left in the season and the team showed signs of not playing hard," Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi said when he replaced Tosca with former Met John Gibbons. Said Tosca at the time: "I anticipated that if a change was going to be made, it would have been at the All-Star break." He previously served as third base coach for the Blue Jays. Tosca was the fifth product of Cuba to manage in the big leagues and the sixth without playing experience. Other potential managerial candidates include Jim Fregosi and Frank Robinson. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
