Minaya thanks Mets owners in 3rd departure from team

NEW YORK (AP) — Leaving the New York Mets for the third time, Omar Minaya thanked the current and former owners and staff.

Minaya was fired Friday along with most of the baseball operations leadership after Steve Cohen completed his $2.4 billion purchase of the team from the Wilpon and Katz families.

Minaya had been a special assistant to the general manager for three seasons, brought back when Sandy Alderson was general manager. Alderson returned Friday as team president and Minaya was fired along with Alderson’s successor as general manager, Brodie Van Wagenen; assistant general managers Allard Baird and Adam Guttridge; and executive director of player development Jared Banner.

“Fred (Wilpon) and I have had a father-son relationship for many years, and I am looking forward for that relationship to continue,” Minaya said Monday. “Steve is a friend, and I know that this has been a lifelong dream of his. I am confident that Steve’s passion, competitiveness, and commitment to excellence will make Mets fans proud.”

“I’ve worked with Sandy and competed against him for many years, and I know that he is going to do all he can to bring this franchise a World Series championship,” Minaya added.

Minaya was a Mets assistant general manager until leaving in 2002 to become GM of the Montreal Expos. He was the Mets’ GM from late 2004 until he was fired in October 2010, then spent three seasons as a senior vice president with San Diego before returning to the Mets.