Minaya: Make Jose Reyes top priority
Former Mets general manager Omar Minaya. Credit: Getty Images
Omar Minaya is no longer running the Mets, but if he was, he said his first objective would be to try to hold on to shortstop Jose Reyes.
Reyes, who is having an MVP-caliber season, is due to become a free agent at the end of the season.
"I don't know what's going on, but my guess is [the Mets are] going to do the best they can to keep him," Minaya said Thursday at the announcement of the third class of the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame, which included former Yankees centerfielder Bernie Williams. "That's my guess. I think it's fair to say, I know Jose and I'm pretty sure this is his favorite place."
Minaya served as general manager of the Mets for six seasons until he was fired last October. He will be paid by the Mets through 2012.
Minaya still lives in New Jersey, works as a contributor to MLB.com and MLB Network, and said he pays close attention to the Mets.
"Yeah, I follow the team," Minaya said. "I think unfortunately they've had so many injuries this year . . . If guys weren't hurt, there's no doubt that team was a contending team. I don't think they were playing above their heads. I think they have some talent."
He pointed to the "graduation" of young players such as Dillon Gee, Jonathon Niese and Lucas Duda as evidence of a bright future.
Minaya also said he would like to return to a front-office position soon.
"That's what I love to do," he said. "What that role is going to be, I don't know. But I'm looking forward to getting back mostly in a scouting/developing capacity because that's my background."
Williams, who won four World Series and made five All-Star teams as the centerfielder for the Yankees from 1991-2006, joined Tony Oliva, Tony Peña and Manny Trillo, among others, in the third class of the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame.
"Puerto Rico is where all those dreams started," said Williams, a native of San Juan. "I'm very proud to say that I did it as a Latino baseball player."
