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An Indirect Rangers-Series Scenario to Ponder

The Yankees are there. The Phillies are there. Not New York’s other team, the other alleged contender in the N.L. East, which was Sports Illustrated’s pre-season pick. And maybe the sorry state of the New York Mets is worth keeping an eye on for Rangers fans.

The Mets this season bypassed the September swoons that ruined their 2007 and 2008 seasons; they fell apart in mid-summer. Their list of wounded is well chronicled, negating the signing of Francisco Rodriguez, and general manager Omar Minaya emerged with the support of owner Fred Wilpon.

But Minaya has had a rough couple of years since he and his multi-cultural team made the cover of SI in 2007. The early ‘08 firing of manager Willie Randolph turned into an awkward, late-night affair on the West Coast. Last season, the Mets fired V.P. Tony Bernazard following an ugly incident in the minor leagues that was first reported by New York Daily News beat writer Adam Rubin. During the news conference to announce Bernazard’s ouster, Minaya said Rubin had lobbied him for a position in player development, which left the impression that Rubin’s report was connected to his desire to join the Mets. (A report from that news conference.) Minaya later apologized to Rubin.

Going into the ‘09 season, Minaya elected to re-sign 28-year-old lefty starter Oliver Perez and apparently pass up 35-year-old righty Derek Lowe. The erratic Perez managed only 14 starts and three wins while Lowe went 15-10 in Atlanta to help the Braves stay in wild-card contention well into September. Pedro Martinez told Fox Sports that Minaya offered him a 2009 contract loaded with incentives. Maybe it was best for the Mets not to re-sign him for what he wanted over a full season, but that won’t matter much when he starts Game 2 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium for the Phillies.

All of this in a season during which the Yankees ended their one-year post-season “slump.” Short of getting swept by the Phillies, their arrow appears to be pointed up for the first time in six years.

It would appear the Mets must at least drastically improve in 2010 for Minaya to remain G.M. And if that doesn’t happen … and if the Rangers play anywhere close to what they did in 2009 … and depending on what happens with the Rangers’ ownership situation, would the Mets look at New Yorker Jon Daniels as a potential replacement for Minaya in 2011?

Could be Daniels has been away from New York long enough that there’s no pull to “go home.” Could be he’s settled here and wants to play out his role with the Rangers as long as he can. But the Mets have resources that the Rangers probably never will have . Conversely, the Mets’ resources can’t match the team up in the Bronx.

You tell me if this scenario makes any sense.