After a weekend in which the Mets conspired to throw a lifeline to the NL East contending Braves, the New York Post’s Joel Sherman is quite willing to admit that COO Jeff Wilpon (above) didn’t participate in the My Lai massacre, had nothing to do with the recording of ‘St. Anger’ and is utterly blameless for the state of Queens’ public schools. However, argues Sherman, the negative perceptions surrounding Fred’s kin are so universal, finding willing, let alone suitable replacements for Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel will be impossible.

Want a sampling? A baseball executive in regular contact with the Mets: œJeff is the problem with the organization, and he is never going to realize that. He cannot help himself. He has to be involved. He will never hire anyone who will not let him have major input. He will not hire anyone who does not run every personnel decision through him.

An NL personnel man: œThey have a problem they don™t understand: This is not a desirable location. New York is desirable, but this is the wrong borough. I don™t think it has sunk in with Jeff yet that he is running a team that the best people might not want to work for.

An AL executive: œThis is not an attractive job unless you want the money. The only person with a worse reputation then Jeff Wilpon in the game is [Marlins president] David Samson.
I guess the McCourts [Dodgers owners] also are in that conversation. Jeff™s reputation is not good in the industry. The perception is that behind the scenes he will throw people under the bus rather than take responsibility.