Such is not the case with Mets GM Omar Minaya.
With the Mets destined to suffer their fourth straight year without a playoff berth and second consecutive losing season, SI's John Heyman reported Friday that neither Minaya nor Manager Jerry Manuel will retain their roles in 2011.
Infamous for his splashy free agent acquisitions and front office feuds, Minaya has long drawn the ire of an exasperated Mets fan base, and many were undoubtedly happy to learn of his fate.
Despite perennially having one of the largest payrolls in baseball, the Mets have made the playoffs just once during Minaya's reign, and have seen their farm system produce few, if any, star-caliber players.
Below is a list of the reasons Minaya failed as the Mets GM, and why they are receiving relatively little bang for their buck.
Poor Free Agent Signings
More so than any other aspect of his tenure as Mets' GM, Minaya is perhaps most famous for his big name free agent acquisitions. Some, such as the deals for Billy Wagner, Carlos Delgado, or Carlos Beltran’s seven-year, $119 million mega-deal, have been worth it.
Unfortunately for the Mets, most have not.
Minaya paid 40-year-old outfielder Moises Alou $16 million for 377 at-bats between the 2007 and 2008 seasons. Alou tore his hamstring in July of 2008, ending his career.
Luis Castillo inked a four-year, $25 million contract for the 2008-11 seasons, and has performed poorly from the start. Castillo has hit just .268 with four home runs, 85 RBIs, and 45 steals during his time with the Mets, and has played in over 90 games just once.
Perhaps Minaya's most infamous free-agent signing was the deal given to Oliver Perez in the 2008 off-season. One of the Mets' better starters from 2007-2008, Perez signed a three-year, $36 million contract before the 2009 season. He's since responded by going 3-8 with a 6.75 ERA, and spent some of 2010 all the way down in Single-A.
And finally, undaunted by past failures, Minaya splurged on closer Francisco Rodriguez before the 2009 season, signing him to a three-year, $39 million contract with a $17.5 million option for 2012. Rodriguez's ERA has been nearly an entire run higher with the Mets than it was with the Angels, and he's also had his share of off-field troubles, such as his run-in with his girlfriend’s father earlier this season.
Short-Sighted Trades
Minaya's best move as general manager came in 2007, when he traded outfielder Carlos Gomez and three pitching prospects to the Twins for ace left-hander Johan Santana. Santana signed a six-year, $137.5 million extension with the Mets, and has continued to be one of the best pitchers in baseball. Gomez has become a fourth outfielder, while none of the pitchers the Mets gave away has done much of anything at the major league level.
But most of Minaya's deals didn't pan out.
Before the 2007 season, Minaya dealt starter Brian Bannister to the Royals for reliever Ambiorix Burgos. Burgos had an electric fastball but no control, and was out of baseball by 2008. Bannister is hardly a Cy Young candidate, but has started 108 games for the Royals since the trade.
That same off-season, Minaya sent relievers Heath Bell and Royce Ring to the Padres for Jon Adkins and Ben Johnson. Neither Adkins nor Johnson ever made an impact with the Mets. Bell has gone on to post a 2.52 ERA in 289 games since, and is now one of the better — and cheaper — closers in baseball.
Finally, before the 2010 season, Minaya dealt reliever Brian Stokes to the Angels for outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. Matthews Jr. was renowned for having one of the worst contracts in baseball, and promptly hit .190 in 58 at-bats before being released on June 15.
Mishandling of Prospects
In addition to poor major league roster decisions, Minaya has struggled to run the Mets' minor league system as well.
Top outfield prospect Lastings Milledge was unceremoniously dealt to the Nationals for Ryan Church and Brian Schneider in after the 2008 season. Milledge has yet to become a star, but is still only 25 and has a 20 home run-20 stolen base potential.
Another young outfielder, Fernando Martinez, has been badly mishandled by the Minaya regime as well. First, the Mets rushed Martinez to the majors at the age of 20 in 2009, and he predictably struggled. Then, rather than allow Martinez the chance to play everyday, the Mets traded for strikeout machine Jeff Francoeur, further hindering Martinez's development.
And last but not least, the Mets spent 2010 abusing their top pitching prospect, Jennry Mejia. The Mets converted Mejia from a starter in Double-A to a major league reliever, and forced him to appear in 33 games. Unsurprisingly, Mejia suffered a shoulder injury and has been out for most of the season.
The good news for Mets fans is that their team still has plenty of talent. David Wright is one of baseball's best overall players, Jose Reyes is electric when healthy, and Mike Pelfery is developing into a solid mid-rotation starter. Youngsters Ike Davis, Jon Niese, and Josh Thole look like they can be long-term fixes at their respective positions, and veterans Beltran and Jason Bay can have productive 2011 campaigns if healthy.
But whoever replaces Minaya is going to have his work cut out for him. The NL East is one of the most competitive divisions in baseball, and Mets have plenty of holes to fill on their roster. They need to rebuild their farm system, and need younger, more athletic players up the middle of the diamond.
It's going to be a while before the Mets are a powerhouse franchise again, but with Minaya and Manuel gone, they’re headed in the right direction.
