Ex-manager Johnson feels badly for Wilpons
Davey Johnson's only remaining tie to the Mets is as a part of their history, but even as an outside observer it pains him to watch ownership struggle with the franchise's financial future.
"I love the Wilpons; they were good to me,'' the team's only living World Series-winning manager said last night at an event to promote an upcoming MSG documentary on the 1986 Mets. "I feel bad for them.''
Johnson said there were financial skirmishes in his time as manager from 1984-90, but nothing near the magnitude of the numbers being discussed in the aftermath of the Bernard Madoff scandal.
"I didn't think they had those kinds of issues when I was here,'' he said. "I remember us making $16 million in a year, and maybe there was a little squabble between [Nelson] Doubleday and [Fred] Wilpon about whether to pay the debt down or spend the money.
"Now, to see this happen, I just hope it blows away . . . I wouldn't wish this on anybody.''
Johnson, who works in the Nationals organization, said as a former Dodgers manager it troubles him to watch that team's ownership struggle between Frank and Jamie McCourt.
"I'm a baseball guy,'' he said. "I want it to be baseball issues. I don't want it to be about legal issues or divorces. Give me a break. Baseball is tough enough without having these issues with ownership.
"You can't be a solid organization if you have problems at the top.''
Reyes staying focused. Jose Reyes expressed sympathy toward the Mets' ownership but the shortstop said his first priority is to focus on the upcoming season.
"Right now I'm just trying to get focused to get to spring training,'' he said while at the Islanders-Maple Leafs game at the Coliseum Tuesday night. "What we've got to do is play baseball.''
Reyes said he and his teammates need to concentrate on what they can do on the field rather than on distractions.
"I know it's tough on the organization, but for me I just have to play the game on the field,'' Reyes said.
Reyes said he plans to arrive at the Mets' spring training facility in Port St. Lucie, Fla., early next week.