For years, we have heard rumors about how much Jeff Wilpon interferes with baseball operations.  The famous quote along these lines came from Peter Gammons who once said of the Mets hierarchy, “Ask the general manager, Jeff Wilpon.” Judging from the rumors we have heard over the years, things have not changed much, if at all, from the days Omar Minaya was the Mets General Manager.

Of course, Jeff Wilpon says otherwise.  In fact, on the topic of the Mets spending the past few seasons, Jeff Wilpon had the audacity to pin the blame on Sandy Alderson saying the team not signing top free agents was based on Alderson’s recommendations.  Notably, Jeff would not answer questions about the team’s willingness to spend this offseason.

While he would not address the budget, Jeff would certainly address personnel decisions.  While Jeff gave some lip service to the notion he would give the new General Manager final say on everything, he also offered he wants to see the triumvirate of General Managers (Omar Minaya, J.P. Riccardi, John Ricco) as well as Mickey Callaway and the entire coaching staff return.

Given what we’ve seen the past few years, we should expect Jeff to get his way.

Considering Jeff wants to be the guy, much like he was at the trade deadline when he made himself the team’s General Manager, Jeff should just make himself the guy.  Drop all the pretext.  If Jeff thinks he’s smart enough to run an entire organization, he should go out and do it.

Stop hiring shields and figureheads.  Stop sending out General Managers and managers to deliver confused and clearly false messages to the media.  Instead, be the guy.  Get in front of a microphone and tell everyone why you made this trade or signed this guy instead of that guy.

If Jeff is being honest, that’s what he wants.  He wants all the credit.  He wants us all to believe he is the smartest guy in the room. For that to happen, he’s going to have to pull back the curtain and make himself accountable.

The hope for Mets fans is if Jeff does actually make himself the General Manager, the person with whom praise or blame befalls, if he is the guy who has to answer to all the organization does, the team will open the pocketbooks.  He will be motivated to sign Manny Machado because he wants to look like the genius.  Mostly, he is not going to want to fail.

So go ahead, Jeff.  Do it.  Drop the charade and finally make yourself the General Manager.  Show us all you really do know more than everyone and that you are up for the job.  In the end, if you do it, and the Mets are successful, we will all love you for it.  Seriously.

But, if you’re not going to do it, knock it off.  Stop interfering and sabotaging the front office and manager.  Give them a budget, and give them the freedom to do their jobs.  Let them build the Mets next World Series winner.

There’s no other course.  Either do the job or let someone else do it.  The nonsense has to stop, and it has to stop now.