After the Mets agonized for weeks about whether to retain their manager and general manager, word leaked Friday that Jerry Manuel would not be asked back as manager and that Omar Minaya would lose his role as the top baseball decision-maker, as has been expected.

The Mets have finally made their decision, but their have not told the principals or the public, leaving themselves open to criticism by Manuel for remaining silent while he and Minaya heard of their impending dismissals through news media reports. And so for the third consecutive time, a Mets managerial change will be accompanied by turbulence and criticism.