There are a number of indications the Mets General Manager search is a complete and utter farce.  The fact the team knew of this opening in June and has just now even contemplated conducting a search was a big indicator.  However, there are even bigger signs beyond that, and they are just now coming to the surface.Perhaps the biggest indication come from Jon Heyman, who recently reported for Fancred:

There’s a split on Mickey Callaway within the Mets’ front office, so expect him to have a short leash in 2019. The Mets have consistently said Callaway will return to manage next year even before hiring a GM. However, some within the Mets’ hierarchy see it as a work in progress that may not work out.

Think about it for a second.  The Mets have no hired a new GM to replace Sandy Alderson.  Presumably, when you hire that GM, you are going to permit him to actually build a front office.  Maybe that includes John Ricco and Omar Minaya, who Jeff Wilpon reportedly wants to keep, and maybe it doesn’t.  The point is the people who are there now should be there on an interim basis until such time as the new GM constructs his new front office.

And yet, reports are there’s a split on the manager in the front office, which is s clear indication the new GM will be brought in to execute a plan instead of creating one of his or her own.  Other news reports bear this out.

Mike Chernoff, who has the opportunity to return home and get somewhat of a soft hand from the press with his dad being station director at WFAN, has declined the Mets job.  Others who have declined include Twins GM Thad Levine, Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Josh Byrnes, and Blue Jays Vice President of Baseball Operations Ben Cherington.  There are likley more names which have not been reported.

As Mike Puma of the New York Post reports, there “is the perception that team COO Jeff Wilpon will run the baseball operations department, with the new hire as the real No. 2 in the organization.”

There are other reports Jeff Wilpon blatantly lied about how the team operates according to the recommendations of the General Manager.  In fact, Tim Healey of Newsday reported not just how this is untrue, but also how it has led to the organization bleeding talented people.  As Healey reports, “Multiple sources disputed Wilpon’s statement, saying ownership denied repeated requests in recent years from Alderson’s baseball operations department to add to the analytics staff.”

What is downright absurd about Healey’s report is Omar Minaya “badly wanted” to keep now Brewers GM David Stearns once his internship ended.  The Wilpons did not approve the extra headcount, and Stearns, someone who grew up a Mets fans, went to Milwaukee.  Now, Stearns has built the Brewers into a World Series contender while the Wilpons are interested in the man he replaced.

This whole search is a joke, and in the end, it’s not going to be about who can do the best job, but who can carry out Jeff Wilpon’s plans.  That’s not a search for a GM.  It’s a search for a figurehead.  This is a farce.

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.