New York Mets Omar Minaya Official Statement

Prior to aseries of articles published in the media, our Baseball Operations and HumanResources departments had begun looking into several matters involving Tony.Once those reports became public, we accelerated our investigation. We wantedit to be thorough and complete it as quickly as possible while still being fairto Tony. That process concluded over the weekend. 

Yesterday, Imet with Tony in person to have a frank conversation about what we had learnedfollowing interviews with numerous people. I also wanted for Tony to have theopportunity to give his side of the story. 

After meetingwith Tony, and giving a lot of thought to the facts, I came to a decision onTony’s status which I shared with Ownership last night. My recommendation wasthat we needed to part ways with Tony, as his behavior in his interaction withothers was inconsistent with our organization’s values. Ownership agreed withmy assessment and accepted my recommendation. 

I spoke withTony this morning and informed him of my decision to terminate his employmentwith the Mets. 

Personneldecisions are never easy. And one can’t make them without giving it a lot ofthought. It’s even harder when you know someone as I do Tony. Tony and I goback a long time. He is a dedicated baseball man who loves the game, someone Ilike and respect, and someone who has contributed to the Mets. In the end,however, I just told him I couldn’t leave him in his position after all thathad transpired. 

As GeneralManager of the Mets, I am fully accountable for our Baseball Operationsdepartment — on and off the field — and stand by this decision. 

Thank you foryour ongoing support of the Mets.