Mets hire Omar Minaya as special assistant to GM

NEW YORK -- Omar Minaya is returning to the New York Mets as a special assistant to Sandy Alderson, who replaced him as general manager after the 2010 season.

Minaya was the Mets' senior assistant GM from September 1997 until February 2002, when he joined the Montreal Expos as Major League Baseball's first Hispanic GM. He returned to the Mets as GM after the 2004 season, helped put together a roster that reached Game 7 of the National League Championship Series in 2006, then was fired after consecutive seasons with losing records.

"In sports, the way it is today, there are right moments and there are not right moments. This is the right moment I felt to come home," Minaya said. "I'm from Queens. I still go to Mama's. I'm still in Corona, Jackson Heights."

Minaya will work alongside assistant general manager John Ricco -- whom he hired for the Mets -- and special assistants J.P. Ricciardi and Terry Collins.

"It's a very versatile role," Minaya said. "What I love to do is scouting and development. I love international. I love the procurement of young players. I love the draft."

Minaya was San Diego's senior vice president of baseball operations from December 2011 until January 2015, and since then has been senior adviser to players' association head Tony Clark.

Now 59, Minaya worked in scouting for Texas from 1985 to 1987.