Oct 02 2008 12:57 PM
| ] General manager Omar Minaya was given a new contract that runs through 2012, a deal that comes four days after the New York Mets were eliminated from postseason contention in the last game of the season. The contract was announced Thursday and contains club options covering 2013 and 2014. Minaya became general manager in 2004 and was signed to a five-year deal. The Mets made it to Game 7 of the NL championship series in 2006. The next two years they missed out on the playoffs on the last day of the regular season. "We failed this year, and we want to get the redemption that we need and move forward," Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon said. "We obviously were not a very good team when Omar came aboard, and he's turned this thing around, and we think he deserves another chance to keep getting us to where we want to be." Minaya understands some fans blame him for the Mets' collapses the past two seasons. "It comes with the territory," he said during a conference call. New York failed to make the playoffs after leading the NL East by seven games with 17 games left in 2007 and by 3 1/2 games with 17 to go this year. Wilpon and Minaya have begun reviewing what went wrong. "What is it that we lack? What is it that we need to get across that finish line?" Minaya said. Wilpon said "there might be some addition by subtraction" on the roster. "We're going to find out why we fell short the last two seasons," he said. "It's up to Omar and his staff to correct that, but we are asking those tough questions." The Mets also are trying to negotiate a new contract for Jerry Manuel, who became interim manager in June when Willie Randolph was fired. "My hope is we're able to get that done," Minaya said. "Right now we're just focusing on Jerry." Minaya said the Mets intend to exercise Carlos Delgado's $12 million option for 2009. After a slow first half, Delgado hit .308 with 27 homers and 80 RBIs in 84 games from June 27 on. Overall, he batted .271 with 38 homers and 115 RBIs. |