Omar, Jerry out; Ricco interim

There you have it: Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya out of their respective roles.

John Ricco named interim general manager.

Here’s the press release:

FLUSHING, N.Y., October 4, 2010 - The New York Mets today announced that Omar Minaya has been relieved of his duties as Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations & General Manager and they have declined to exercise the club's option on Jerry Manuel's contract as Manager for 2011.

A search is under way for a new General Manager who will run the team's Baseball Operations department. Ownership will lead the process with assistance from Vice President, Assistant General Manager John Ricco who will in the interim direct the department. The new General Manager will work with Ownership to identify and hire a new Manager.

"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.

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

Mets Ownership will meet with the media today at 1:30 p.m. ET in the Press Conference Room at Citi Field to address these changes.

I won the bet

I’ve won.

$10 is heading my way, from my father.

We shook hands back on March 12. Nearly seven months later, his money is as good as mine.

He thought the Mets would finish in last, I was a bit more confident.

He now owes me $10.

Yay.

Early Morning Tweets

This tweet back-and-forth happened around 5:40 a.m.

Mr. Cerrone is ready for stuff to happen now. As are all Mets fans.

But I’d rather play the waiting game with Omar Minaya and wait until the Mets know they have their heir apparent lined up before cutting Minaya loose.

Jerry Manuel should be handed his pink slip in a few hours, though.

Happy trails to you…

Adios, Jerry and Omar. I’m assuming we’ll be seeing some breaking news stories about you tomorrow.

It was quite a year. With some ups and lots of downs. And now, the season has ended. Heading into the year, we were so worried about starting pitching. After it all, we should have been worried more about offense.

Whomever comes in next year has some work to do. It should be a fun offseason.

Today in things we already knew but like to hear again

The Mets will announce shortly after the season that general manager Omar Minaya and manager Jerry Manuel won't be returning in their roles, sources say. The announcements are likely to be made before the playoffs begin Wednesday. The changes will not come as a surprise, as they have been widely assumed for a few weeks now.

-Jon Heyman

So, I’ll see Manuel’s third-to-last game tonight. Yay?

Keith made Page Six

Story here: NY Post

Via Section518

A letter to Jeff Wilpon from Howard Megdal

What appears below is a letter Howard Megdal has sent to Jeff Wilpon. Enjoy.

Jeff Wilpon
New York Mets
Citi Field
Flushing, NY 11368

Dear Mr. Wilpon,

As you may know, I have been running to become the next General Manager of the New York Mets since the spring. I have covered the Mets for most of my adult life, having written on baseball for The New York Times, ESPN, SNY, MLBTradeRumors.com and many other publications.

However, my qualifications for this position, knowledge and energy I would bring to the task, and comprehensive plan for LOGIC, TRANSPARENCY and PASSION date back to my early childhood.

So while many people are calling for drastic and short-sighted changes to your baseball team, or ludicrously blaming you for, let’s face it, spending tons of money and building an incomparable baseball stadium, I have studied the issues at hand for decades, and believe you will embrace my comprehensive solutions. Your fan base already has: in eighteen separate primaries at Mets Web sites around the Internet, I averaged 74 percent in support of my campaign.

In other words, hire me, and it will not only profit the franchise for years to come, it will make you both heroes in the eyes of the fans and my colleagues in the press.

With the opportunity to serve as your General Manager, I will bring about long-term prosperity in your team’s on-field major league success, make the farm system into a breeding ground for both talent and low-cost major league solutions, and most importantly, make Citi Field a place that regularly sells out while turning your casual fans into regular customers.

I have been a fan since the age of six, a season ticket holder since moving to the area in 2006, and will root for the New York Mets long after my tenure as General Manager ends. I am actively raising my five-month-old daughter as a Mets fan of similar intensity—so rest assured, the plan I wish to put into place has nothing to do with my short-term job security as GM, and everything to do with making your primary investment the success you both deserve.

Moreover, I want to watch October baseball with my father, who raised me on Brooklyn Dodgers stories, my wife, who is as dedicated to your franchise as I am by virtue of having to live with me, and my daughter, who should get the chance to regularly experience the joy I felt in 1986, and that my father felt in 1969, and 1955.

I ask that, before you make any decisions about who your next General Manager will be, that you take some time and meet with me. I will happily come to the place of your choosing at your convenience. I am certain that, once I detail for you exactly how to turn the New York Mets into the consistent winner you both deserve and have sought during your tenure in ownership, we will find it mutually beneficial to work together.

Thank you for taking the time to hear me out. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Howard Megdal

Think he gets a response?

Omar has until the end of the season

General manager Omar Minaya is going to be fired or moved into another job as soon as the season concludes, sources say. One source described Wilpon as in the “fact-gathering” stage in finding a new GM.

-Joel Sherman

In unsurprising news of the day.

NYT: Criminals wear Yankees gear

A curious phenomenon has emerged at the intersection of fashion, sports and crime: dozens of men and women who have robbed, beaten, stabbed and shot at their fellow New Yorkers have done so while wearing Yankees caps or clothing.

-New York Times

No comment.

This is spectacular [Video]

This was hilarious.

Via The 7 Line