I wanted for you to hear directly
from me today regarding an update on the investigation of Tony Bernazard, our
Vice President of Player Development.
Prior to a
series of articles published in the media, our Baseball Operations and Human
Resources departments had begun looking into several matters involving Tony.
Once those reports became public, we accelerated our investigation. We wanted
it to be thorough and complete it as quickly as possible while still being fair
to Tony. That process concluded over the weekend.
Yesterday, I
met with Tony in person to have a frank conversation about what we had learned
following interviews with numerous people. I also wanted for Tony to have the
opportunity to give his side of the story.
After meeting
with Tony, and giving a lot of thought to the facts, I came to a decision on
Tony's status which I shared with Ownership last night. My recommendation was
that we needed to part ways with Tony, as his behavior in his interaction with
others was inconsistent with our organization's values. Ownership agreed with
my assessment and accepted my recommendation.
I spoke with
Tony this morning and informed him of my decision to terminate his employment
with the Mets.
Personnel
decisions are never easy. And one can't make them without giving it a lot of
thought. It's even harder when you know someone as I do Tony. Tony and I go
back a long time. He is a dedicated baseball man who loves the game, someone I
like and respect, and someone who has contributed to the Mets. In the end,
however, I just told him I couldn't leave him in his position after all that
had transpired.
As General
Manager of the Mets, I am fully accountable for our Baseball Operations
department -- on and off the field -- and stand by this decision.
Thank you for
your ongoing support of the Mets.
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