Okay, it's been some time since a.) I've written anything about former Mets' GM Omar Minaya, and b.) since he's been employed by the team. With some time and distance, I wanted to comment on something a friend of mine said to me last week. I'll let his name remain confidential, but here's his comment:
"With so much talent seeming to pop up almost overnight in the Mets minor league system all of a sudden, don't you think you and most Mets fans are being way too hard on your former GM, Omar Minaya? Isn't it possible he would've rebuilt the team just as Alderson is doing now and would have once again have been in all of your good graces?"
First of all, my friend is a Yankee fan, so I told him to go investigate Brian Cashman's "secret life" - okay, just kidding, and I shouldn't go there (cough:: Steve Phillips: cough).
My actual response? I said I'd have to think about this for a bit, and get back to him. Well, I'll send him a link to this post, but here's what I'd say to him and anyone else sharing similar opinions:
"Yes, it's true that Omar drafted the majority of both the players at the major league and minor league levels alike. It's also true that last year's team, made up mostly of Omar's acquisitions, won a mere 77 games, and there were few "break-out" performances at both the major and minor league levels. That being said, it's also true that the majority of the excitement Mets fans can feel at this juncture focuses solely on the backs of the young talent in the organization, again something that Omar can take about 90% of the credit for. The flip side to this argument is that water eventually finds its level, and the combination of Omar's inability to long-range plan (whether his fault or that of the Wilpons' is immaterial at this point) combined with his propensity to award large contracts that weren't necessarily commensurate with said players' ability to perform got the team into this mess in the first place. Omar will (deservedly) get the credit for the Ike Davis/Jon Niese/Lucas Duda/Ruben Tejeda/Matt Harvey/Captain Kirk core of the future, but he must also garner the blame for a.) drafting too many of the same type of players who play the same position (middle infield, outfield) while leaving gaping holes at pitcher and catcher, and b.) Wasting money and draft picks on the signings of free agents who, for the most part, never panned out as planned and, in fact, drove the team further from the top rather than closer."
So, to answer the question, "no, I don't think Omar ever would've had the success that Sandy and company will, because of everything I've just written, plus a.) Omar often trusted the wrong people when the "right" people were under his nose, and b.) he is not the administrator/planner that Sandy is, a critical tool-set necessary for success in the ultra-competitive role that General Managers find themselves in, in today's version of baseball. Omar could have thrived under Sandy as a player development expert; as a GM, simply over-matched, sad to say. I personally love Omar, he was gracious and warm and truly loved the Mets and the game of baseball. As a GM, again, simply over-matched, especially with the albatross of Jeff Wilpon hanging over his shoulder."
Friday, March 9, 2012
Not Here to Praise Nor Bury Omar...
By David Rubin
Okay, it's been some time since a.) I've written anything about former Mets' GM Omar Minaya, and b.) since he's been employed by the team. With some time and distance, I wanted to comment on something a friend of mine said to me last week. I'll let his name remain confidential, but here's his comment:
"With so much talent seeming to pop up almost overnight in the Mets minor league system all of a sudden, don't you think you and most Mets fans are being way too hard on your former GM, Omar Minaya? Isn't it possible he would've rebuilt the team just as Alderson is doing now and would have once again have been in all of your good graces?"
First of all, my friend is a Yankee fan, so I told him to go investigate Brian Cashman's "secret life" - okay, just kidding, and I shouldn't go there (cough:: Steve Phillips: cough).
My actual response? I said I'd have to think about this for a bit, and get back to him. Well, I'll send him a link to this post, but here's what I'd say to him and anyone else sharing similar opinions:
"Yes, it's true that Omar drafted the majority of both the players at the major league and minor league levels alike. It's also true that last year's team, made up mostly of Omar's acquisitions, won a mere 77 games, and there were few "break-out" performances at both the major and minor league levels. That being said, it's also true that the majority of the excitement Mets fans can feel at this juncture focuses solely on the backs of the young talent in the organization, again something that Omar can take about 90% of the credit for. The flip side to this argument is that water eventually finds its level, and the combination of Omar's inability to long-range plan (whether his fault or that of the Wilpons' is immaterial at this point) combined with his propensity to award large contracts that weren't necessarily commensurate with said players' ability to perform got the team into this mess in the first place. Omar will (deservedly) get the credit for the Ike Davis/Jon Niese/Lucas Duda/Ruben Tejeda/Matt Harvey/Captain Kirk core of the future, but he must also garner the blame for a.) drafting too many of the same type of players who play the same position (middle infield, outfield) while leaving gaping holes at pitcher and catcher, and b.) Wasting money and draft picks on the signings of free agents who, for the most part, never panned out as planned and, in fact, drove the team further from the top rather than closer."
So, to answer the question, "no, I don't think Omar ever would've had the success that Sandy and company will, because of everything I've just written, plus a.) Omar often trusted the wrong people when the "right" people were under his nose, and b.) he is not the administrator/planner that Sandy is, a critical tool-set necessary for success in the ultra-competitive role that General Managers find themselves in, in today's version of baseball. Omar could have thrived under Sandy as a player development expert; as a GM, simply over-matched, sad to say. I personally love Omar, he was gracious and warm and truly loved the Mets and the game of baseball. As a GM, again, simply over-matched, especially with the albatross of Jeff Wilpon hanging over his shoulder."
Okay, it's been some time since a.) I've written anything about former Mets' GM Omar Minaya, and b.) since he's been employed by the team. With some time and distance, I wanted to comment on something a friend of mine said to me last week. I'll let his name remain confidential, but here's his comment:
"With so much talent seeming to pop up almost overnight in the Mets minor league system all of a sudden, don't you think you and most Mets fans are being way too hard on your former GM, Omar Minaya? Isn't it possible he would've rebuilt the team just as Alderson is doing now and would have once again have been in all of your good graces?"
First of all, my friend is a Yankee fan, so I told him to go investigate Brian Cashman's "secret life" - okay, just kidding, and I shouldn't go there (cough:: Steve Phillips: cough).
My actual response? I said I'd have to think about this for a bit, and get back to him. Well, I'll send him a link to this post, but here's what I'd say to him and anyone else sharing similar opinions:
"Yes, it's true that Omar drafted the majority of both the players at the major league and minor league levels alike. It's also true that last year's team, made up mostly of Omar's acquisitions, won a mere 77 games, and there were few "break-out" performances at both the major and minor league levels. That being said, it's also true that the majority of the excitement Mets fans can feel at this juncture focuses solely on the backs of the young talent in the organization, again something that Omar can take about 90% of the credit for. The flip side to this argument is that water eventually finds its level, and the combination of Omar's inability to long-range plan (whether his fault or that of the Wilpons' is immaterial at this point) combined with his propensity to award large contracts that weren't necessarily commensurate with said players' ability to perform got the team into this mess in the first place. Omar will (deservedly) get the credit for the Ike Davis/Jon Niese/Lucas Duda/Ruben Tejeda/Matt Harvey/Captain Kirk core of the future, but he must also garner the blame for a.) drafting too many of the same type of players who play the same position (middle infield, outfield) while leaving gaping holes at pitcher and catcher, and b.) Wasting money and draft picks on the signings of free agents who, for the most part, never panned out as planned and, in fact, drove the team further from the top rather than closer."
So, to answer the question, "no, I don't think Omar ever would've had the success that Sandy and company will, because of everything I've just written, plus a.) Omar often trusted the wrong people when the "right" people were under his nose, and b.) he is not the administrator/planner that Sandy is, a critical tool-set necessary for success in the ultra-competitive role that General Managers find themselves in, in today's version of baseball. Omar could have thrived under Sandy as a player development expert; as a GM, simply over-matched, sad to say. I personally love Omar, he was gracious and warm and truly loved the Mets and the game of baseball. As a GM, again, simply over-matched, especially with the albatross of Jeff Wilpon hanging over his shoulder."
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