Omar Minaya is Back

“Omar has a long history with the Mets,” said Alderson in a prepared statement released by the team on Friday morning. “He has served the club well in many different areas. Omar will be a resource on scouting and player development, will consult on player acquisitions, and will serve as a community ambassador. We are very happy to have him back in the organization.”

We’ve named Omar Minaya a Special Assistant to General Manager Sandy Alderson. https://t.co/elSCEQ17Qi

— New York Mets (@Mets) December 22, 2017

Your first thought might be: Why?

First and foremost, Omar is a gifted scout. A good chunk of the Mets 2015 pennant-winning team was drafted and scouted by Minaya and his staff. Sure, Omar had his shortcomings as Mets general manager, many of them in the form of public relations nightmares that always seemed to make a mountain out of a molehill. But Omar went for it. He built a team that, despite its late season failings, was in the postseason mix from 2005-to-2008. He was able to acquire big names via trades, like Carlos Delgado and Paul LoDuca, and convince free agents who didn't necessarily have the Mets high on their list, like Carlos Beltran and Pedro Martinez, to come to Queens.

So when you think about the Mets' current crop of problems, a barren farm system, a diminished scouting presence in some of the emerging Latino markets (such as Cuba), and a collection of high draft picks under the Alderson regime that aren't exactly exploding up the organizational charts, it's a good time to bring in Omar as a fresh set of eyes.

What's more, Minaya is one of the great human beings on this Earth, no less in Major League Baseball. I have very personal reasons for saying that, but I can also tell you that you don't have to look hard around the game to find someone who will echo my sentiments. 

Only one question remains: With Sandy getting just a two-year extension, and Minaya back in the organization, will Omar #haslobby for a second go-round in the big chair? Time will tell...