The New York Mets, in an attempt "to distance themselves from the disappointments of recent seasons," dismissed GM Omar Minaya and manager Jerry Manuel this afternoon, according to a team release. Minaya has two years remaining on his contract, while Manuel had a one-year club option. Here is, in part, how they explained the move:
"We are extremely disappointed in this year's results and the failures of the past four seasons," Jeff Wilpon, the Mets' chief operating officer, said in a statement. "We need to hire a new general manager with a fresh perspective who will transform this club into a winner that we want and our fans deserve."
Minaya told Adam Rubin of ESPN.com the Mets offered Minaya a different front-office position, but he declined it, saying "it's not fair to give me another role." His dismissal ends a disappointing six-year tenure in which he spent lavishly on free agents such as Oliver Perez, Carlos Beltran, and Jason Bay, but did not always get good results on the field. Assistant GM John Ricco will assume interim GM duties.
In his two-plus seasons managing the Mets, Manuel compiled a 204-213 record. He led the Mets to a respectable 55-38 close to the 2008 season after taking over for Willie Randolph, but has finished under .500 in each of the last two years. Thus, the club did not pick up its option on Manuel for this season.