The New York Mets and Omar Minaya have had, what may be best summed up as, an on and off relationship over the years. It appears the relationship is back on now as the Mets have announced Minaya will be Special Assistant to General Manager Sandy Alderson.
We’ve named Omar Minaya a Special Assistant to General Manager Sandy Alderson. https://t.co/elSCEQ17Qi
— New York Mets (@Mets) December 22, 2017
“I’m excited to return to an organization that I love,” said Minaya in the release from the Mets. “I’m thrilled I can return to scouting and developing young talent. I look forward to working for Sandy and his staff.”
Minaya played a key role in the front office of the Mets in the 1990s to help shape a roster that would be competitive in the National League for a good run after the turn of the century. After leaving for a brief stint with the Montreal Expos, Minaya returned to the Mets after the 2004 season and once again helped build a team worthy of World Series hype out of the National League. Minaya’s role was even the cover story for an issue of Sports Illustrated in 2007, when the Mets looked primed for a World Series run. They, of course, blew the NL East in dizzying fashion as the Philadelphia Phillies captured the division and then the World Series the following season.
After a few more seasons of disappointing results despite a high payroll, the Mets cut ties with Minaya at the end of the 2010 season after the Mets continued to be heading in the wrong direction on the field. The Phillies were at the end of their run at the time and the Washington Nationals were about to take over the NL East. The window of opportunity for the Mets had closed and that left Minaya out in the cold. Minaya did land on his feet with a role in the San Diego Padres front office before the 2012 season and has spent the past three seasons as a Senior Advisor to the Executive Director for the MLB Players Association.
So why bring Minaya back into the Mets family? As the team announced, Minaya’s role will be focused on scouting and player development as well as some consulting on moves made by the team when asked. It’s an interesting stance for the Mets, who once fired Minaya for his role as a general manager. Maybe time has healed those wounds, and once you are a part of a family, you will always be a part of that family?
The reaction from Mets fans has gone over just about as you would suspect it might…
— Zac Wassink (@ZacWassink) December 22, 2017
— Scott Wurtzel (@ScottWurtzel) December 22, 2017
https://twitter.com/nhumphreys3/status/944221405591298051
“Assistant to the General Manger” pic.twitter.com/c5i38Mga99
— Marty Wyatt (@MartyDWyatt) December 22, 2017
https://twitter.com/henny_kravitzz/status/944223262141239298
— Nick DiCinti (@NickDiCinti) December 22, 2017
Well, this seems to be going well for the Mets.
[Photo: New York Daily News]
