Mets Add Minaya to the Front Office

The New York Mets are revamping their front office for the second consecutive off-season, hiring Omar Minaya from the Montreal Expos to become the head of baseball operations.

Minaya, the Expo general manager for the last three seasons, was contacted this week and told the Mets on Tuesday that he would leave the Expos to return to New York, a baseball official said on the condition he not be identified.

Met owner Fred Wilpon declined to comment when reached at his home.

Minaya had spoken with the Mets last off-season and was offered a job but declined it when he was not offered full decision-making power.

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A judge delayed until Friday a hearing on who the rightful owner of Barry Bonds’ 700th home run ball is, giving lawyers time to make their cases.

Steve Williams, the Giant fan who ended up with the prized ball during a melee in the bleachers at SBC Park on Sept. 17, promised San Francisco County Superior Court Judge Ronald Quidachay that he would not sell the ball before Quidachay rules on whether it belongs to Williams or Timothy Murphy, the man who sued Williams.

A third man, Alex Patino, emerged Wednesday saying that he was the rightful owner and also planned to sue Williams.