Former SNY Analyst Bobby Ojeda Tweaks Mets' Front Office
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Bobby Ojeda, who pitched for the 1986 World Series champion Mets and was most recently a studio analyst for SNY, is known for being outspoken, critical and brutally honest.
Ojeda is no longer with the network -- don't even get Jerry Seinfeld started on that one -- and he spoke about the state of the Mets with the New York Daily News on Tuesday.
As is his custom, he didn't hold back.
The 57-year-old defended ownership and took a shot at the front office.
"The Wilpons and Mr. Saul Katz — the people who say they don't care about the team are sorely misguided," Ojeda told the newspaper. "These are the biggest Mets fans you will meet. Last I checked, Fred is not the general manager. Last I checked, Jeff is not the general manager. Last I checked, Saul is not the general manager.
"So the people they've put in those positions are ones who have failed, and what have they done? They have tried to make changes, bring in the right people."
Last season, general manager Sandy Alderson challenged his team to win 90 games. It won 79. And the GM told the MLB Network this week that he believes his team has the potential to win 10 more games in 2015.
The Mets have spoken very confidently this offseason about returning to the postseason for the first time since 2006. Manager Terry Collins, starting pitchers Jacob deGrom and Matt Harvey, and third baseman David Wright have come out and stated that the Amazin's expect to be in the playoffs.
Ojeda doesn't love all the talking.
"They're not going to be liked by writing checks with their mouths that their wins and losses have yet to catch up to," he told the New York Daily News. "So they need to calm down with the contender, postseason — 'we've got eight guys that are going to win 20 games' — and blah blah blah. We've got to calm down now.
"Just let the optimism build in the Mets fans, and don't overextend your reach at this point. Just play the games and see what happens. They are dealing with one intelligent, cagey cat, and that is the Mets fan. You are not going to blow smoke. So I think they need to concentrate on just playing the game."
