If you’re looking for reasons why the Wilpons would want to sell a majority share of the Mets to hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen, look no further than the relationships he has within the Mets organization that go beyond his current 8% stake in the team.
Omar Minaya, a top assistant to Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen, has remained close to Cohen and his wife, Alexanda, well before he bought a stake in Mets ownership, according to a person close to the family. Alexandra Cohen is from Washington Heights and her father was a huge Mets fan.
Bobby Valentine, who managed the Mets from 1996-2002 and led them to a World Series berth in 2000 — is and was close to Cohen and Alexandra, according to the source.
The Mets announced on Wednesday that Sterling Partners — managed by owners Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz — is in talks with Cohen to increase his investment in the team. The Wilpons will remain in control of the Mets for the next five years, and Cohen is expected to become the majority owner from that point on.
Cohen bought his stake of the Mets ownership in 2012. Fred and Jeff Wilpon, the Mets current CEO and COO, respectively, first turned to Cohen when they began seeking cash from minority investors after losing money in Bernie Madoff’s infamous Ponzi scheme.
In case it wasn’t already clear, Cohen was described by the person in the know as a “mover and a shaker.” He has a lot of influence and is expected to shake up the Mets’ current financial structure.
