NY Mets relieve General Manager Omar Minaya after disappointing season

[News_Editor]

NY Mets relieve General Manager Omar Minaya after disappointing season

2010-10-05 04:09:19 GMT+7 (ICT)

NEW YORK (BNO NEWS) – The New York Mets on Monday announced that the team relieved Oscar Minaya of his duties as Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager after a disappointing season.

The NY Mets also announced that they will not exercise the club's option for 2011 on the contract of manager Jerry Manuel. The Mets were expected to contend for a spot for the National League playoffs but won only 79, twelve games behind the leader Philadelphia Phillies.

"We are extremely disappointed in this year's results and the failures of the past four seasons," said Jeff Wilpon, Mets Chief Operating Officer. "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."

The Mets are now looking for a new General Manager to run the team's Baseball Operations department. In the meantime, Assistant General Manager John Ricco will temporarily run the department. The search process will be led by the ownership.

"We appreciate all that Omar and Jerry have done for the Organization and thank them for their time and effort. Changes like these are never easy, especially when you are dealing with people you like and respect," Wilpon said.

Minaya returned to work for the NY Mets after the 2004 season. He signed big-name free agents like pitcher Pedro Martinez and outfielder Carlos Beltran. In 2006, the Mets won 97 games and the National League East division.

However, the team has been underachieving since despite acquiring high-caliber players. In the last three off seasons, Minaya signed ace pitcher Johan Santana, closer Francisco Rodriguez and outfielder Jason Bay to multi-year contracts but the Mets failed to reach playoffs in each of the past three seasons.

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