Minaya focusing on fantasy team more than Mets

NEW YORK, NY — Whether the New York Mets are willing to admit it or not, Aaron Heilman is unavailable.

That is the report that is circulating through the league as Thursday’s trading deadline approaches. However, it may not be for the reasons one might think.

Instead of the Mets deciding that they are good enough to win it all already, the decision is actually being made based on GM Omar Minaya spending all of his time managing his own fantasy team instead of worrying about New York’s National League franchise.

“I haven’t been able to reach Omar in about two weeks,” said Boston Red Sox GM Theo Epstein. “At first I thought maybe he was on vacation, but then I heard he’s just in a dogfight for second place in his keeper league, and that he doesn’t want to blow it.”

Strangely enough, Minaya confirmed the rumors.

“It’s true,” the gregarious Mets GM admitted to SSNN. “I am very close to finishing in the money in my league, and I really need to focus on it before the trading deadline. Hindsight being 20-20 and all, we probably should have scheduled the trade deadline to be different than the MLB deadline. But, hey – you live and learn, right?”

Minaya estimates that he is sending about 80 emails a day regarding trades in his fantasy league, with about 40 follow-up phone calls. On the other hand, he is averaging about three Mets-related emails and one Mets-related phone call.

“Mostly the Mets stuff is admin stuff – making sure that I am going to get paid, stuff like that. Nothing major,” Minaya said. “But don’t worry, this is a temporary thing. Mets fans can relax – I will be back on the ball on Friday.”

It’s going to be tough for this sport to sweep any nations, but it’s still pretty frickin’ cool!