The New York Mets, who have had a frustrating, injury-plagued season, made a front office move by firing the team's vice-president of player development Tony Bernazard for some combative behaviour. The National League team's general manager, Omar Minaya, dismissed Bernazard, telling reporters that "his behaviour in his interaction with others was inconsistent with our organisation's values."
Bernazard had the spotlight on him after the tabloid Daily News reported he had ripped off his shirt and challenged members of the Mets' struggling Double-A Binghamton farm team to a fight during a post-game tirade this month. Other incidents were also reported, including a profanity-laced complaint about another team's scout sitting in a seat he wanted at New York's Citi Field, and an altercation on the team bus with the Mets' closer, Francisco Rodriguez.
Bernazard, who played for 10 years in the majors as a infielder for Montreal, the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland, Oakland and Detroit, joined the Mets' front office in 2004. "He is a dedicated baseball man who loves the game, someone I like and respect, and someone who has contributed to the Mets," Minaya told a news conference on Monday. "In the end, however, I just told him I couldn't leave him in his position after all that had transpired."
The Mets, who had been expected to contend for the NL East title, entered Monday's games with a 46-51 record, 10.5 games behind Philadelphia Phillies, the World Series champions * Reuters
