Omar Minaya will be open for business this winter.
After watching his team choke its way out of the playoffs on the last day two years running, the Mets’ red-faced GM vowed yesterday that no stone – or potential missing piece – will be left unturned.
“We have to be open to everything because the bottom line is, we’re not playing this week,” Minaya said yesterday as the Mets finished clearing out of Shea Stadium. “We owe it to the fans to really review everything, review why we just can’t get over that barrier.”Minaya, who sources say is getting a four-year contract extension in the next few weeks, has numerous areas to address after the Mets finished 89-73 and a game out of the NL wild card.
First off is the status of interim manager Jerry Manuel, who sources say is going to be retained. Minaya said ownership would announce a decision on Manuel by the end of the week.
“I hope he comes back, because Jerry’s great and everybody likes him,” pitcher John Maine said yesterday.
The overriding concern, though, is the sad state of the bullpen after the Mets blew a franchise-record 30 save opportunities while losing closer Billy Wagner for good in August to Tommy John surgery.
The Angels’ Frankie Rodriguez, who set the major-league record with 62 saves this season, and Brian Fuentes of the Rockies head the list of closers expected to be available in free agency.
Minaya wouldn’t specifically say the Mets will pursue a closer this winter, but he made it clear the club plans to attack its problem areas.
“When you have one of those pieces that you need, grab it, because you don’t know if the other pieces are going to be there later on,” Minaya said.
Minaya insisted money wouldn’t be an object, which makes sense with the Mets set to boost their revenues significantly with the move to new Citi Field next season.
The Mets’ $140 million payroll this season was the largest in team history, but more than $30 million will be coming off this winter with the expiring contracts of Pedro Martinez, Oliver Perez, Moises Alou and Orlando Hernandez.
Minaya said the Mets would consider re-signing Martinez to a short-term deal, even though the three-time Cy Young winner turns 37 next month and battled minor injuries while compiling a 5-6 mark this season in just 20 starts this season.
Perez, who pitched well on short rest in Sunday’s finale, also is wanted back because the only starters under the Mets’ contractual control are Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey and John Maine.
Perez is represented by hardball agent Scott Boras, though, and is likely to command a contract worth $50 million or more from a pitching-poor team. That might be too rich for the Mets’ blood for a pitcher as unreliable as Perez.
The Mets also want to pick up more right-handed bats this offseason after getting dominated by left-handed pitching down the stretch.
Could one of those right-handed bats be free agent Manny Ramirez? Don’t be surprised, considering Minaya has long coveted the Bronx native and tried to trade for Ramirez at this year’s non-waiver deadline.
If one or more of those bats or pitching arms belongs to a player in his 30s, Minaya doesn’t consider that a problem. He was criticized for having one of the oldest rosters in baseball this year, but defended that approach yesterday.
“Older players are going to get hurt, but you just can’t go with younger players,” Minaya said. “Most teams that win tend to have a blend.”
bhubbuch@nypost.com