Balta1701 Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Bizarre In a surreal turn to a fast-sinking season, the New York Daily News, citing multiple sources, reported Wednesday that Tony Bernazard, the team's vice president for player development, challenged players from one of the club's minor league teams to a fight. According to the report, Bernazard pulled off his shirt and challenged some members of the Double-A Binghamton Mets during a postgame tirade. Bernazard's actions came about 10 days before the All-Star break, according to the report, and that he particularly targeted second baseman Jose Coronado. A source told the News that Bernazard directed a slang term associated with a woman's anatomy at Coronado, who is hitting .250 in 58 games for Binghamton. The Double-A Mets are 37-58 following Tuesday night's 6-5 win over Connecticut. Mets general manager Omar Minaya acknowledged that Bernazard spoke to the minor leaguers in a "stern voice," according to the report, but did not have a sense of the tenor and content of the speech. "I know he did have a team meeting with them," Minaya told the Daily News. "It was not a 'you-guys-have-been-great meeting.' I know he spoke to them in a stern voice. But as far as what he was wearing, what kind of shoes he was wearing, I don't know anything about that." On Wednesday afternoon the Mets released a statement on the report: "We take these reports seriously and are investigating the matter." An organization source told the News that allegations of underage drinking on the team was a factor in Bernazard's tirade. The News reported earlier that Bernazard had recently ripped into the organization's manager of baseball operations during a game against Arizona at Citi Field. The paper said Bernazard was upset that a Diamondbacks scout was in a seat behind home plate usually assigned to Mets personnel. One of Bernazard's staffers suggested to Bernazard that he wait until the half-inning ended, which, according to reports, prompted a profanity-laced tirade from Bernazard. The 52-year-old Bernazard has been portrayed by various news media reports as someone who undercut former Mets manager Willie Randolph prior to his firing last June. That firing was announced in an e-mail at 12:14 a.m. PT, after Randolph had traveled to the West Coast with the team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThunderBolt Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 (edited) They've been talking about this on New York radio all day. The general rumor that's been tossed around is that Tony is a bit of a power-hungry backstabber. The Mets front office doesn't work in a traditional sense, the ownership had a lot of say, and Bernazard has often gone over the GM's head over personnel decisions. He famously touted hiring Acta over Randolph, and after he didn't get his way, would effectively tell Randolph this to his face every time the Nats came to down. Tony is also believed to be the man behind the firings of both Randolph and Rick Peterson. He's very abrasive, and has kind of leveraged his position to speak directly into the owner’s ear. This just came out today, but it's believed that Tony also traded for Emil Brown behind Minaya's back, because the day of the transaction Omar was on The Michael Kay show and was asked about his motivation behind the trade. Minaya was absolutely blindsided by this. It's unlikely; however that Bernazard will be fired. He had too much power within the organization. Edited July 22, 2009 by Thunderbolt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 (edited) A source told the News that Bernazard directed a slang term associated with a woman's anatomy at Coronado, who is hitting .250 in 58 games for Binghamton. What could he possibly be saying? I don't get it. Edited July 22, 2009 by lostfan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThunderBolt Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 QUOTE (lostfan @ Jul 22, 2009 -> 06:50 PM) What could he possibly be saying? I don't get it. I imagine it rhymes with…. Punt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfan Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Jul 22, 2009 -> 06:51 PM) I imagine it rhymes with…. Punt? He said he was gonna get the posse after Coronado. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThunderBolt Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 WASHINGTON -- It turns out that ripping his shirt off and challenging minor-league players to fight him isn't even Tony Bernazard's most recent incident of outrageous, hot-headed conduct. MetsNew York Mets All-Star closer Frankie Rodriguez confirmed this afternoon that he exchanged words on the team bus last week in Atlanta with Bernazard, the club's embattled vice president of player development. "Yeah [it happened], but I'm not going to talk about that," Rodriguez told The Post before tonight's game here with the Nationals. "Not going to get into it." Another player, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Post today: "That guy [bernazard] is crazy. No one like him." A team source also confirmed the incident with K-Rod, which came to light hours after a published report said Bernazard cursed at the Double-A Binghamton Mets and challenged them to a fight in a wild postgame scene in the clubhouse two weeks ago. Mets GM Omar Minaya spoke to reporters here today but essentially said nothing other than to confirm the club takes the reports of Bernazard's bad behavior seriously and is investigating them. Early indications from several team sources are that Bernazard, who is tight with Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon, will not be fired. However, Minaya confirmed that Bernazard is now at home in New Jersey, and the indication is that Bernazard will not be traveling with the parent club or visiting its affiliates anytime soon. Assistant GM John Ricco, not Bernazard, will be traveling with the Mets in Houston this weekend while Minaya scouts the Mets' system. Buzz up!Posted by Bart Hubbuch on July 22, 2009 5:22 PM http://blogs.nypost.com/sports/mets/archiv...ngton_--_i.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Hurtin Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 QUOTE (lostfan @ Jul 22, 2009 -> 06:50 PM) What could he possibly be saying? I don't get it. Mulva? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightni Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Ex-Sox player. Nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pants Rowland Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 QUOTE (knightni @ Jul 22, 2009 -> 07:10 PM) Ex-Sox player. Nice. I am so glad we traded him for Julio Cruz when his value was up. Imagine what we would get for him now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Reportedly either was or is going to be fired today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThunderBolt Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Yep, fired. Not before Omar Minaya threw Adam Rubin (Daily News reporter) under the bus though. God, that organization is screwed up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.