Major League Baseball

McCarver says Mets' owners should sell

Published Mar. 30, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

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Longtime MLB on FOX analyst Tim McCarver believes the Wilpon family should sell the financially troubled New York Mets amid a lawsuit from victims of the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme, the New York Post reported Wednesday.

"I personally feel the Wilpons have to sell the ballclub," McCarver said Tuesday during a conference call to promote MLB on FOX's 2011 baseball coverage.

The FOX analyst and former catcher believes the financial and legal woes are too much for the Wilpons, even if they are able to sell a portion of the team, as they are trying to do.

"I don't see how they can escape by selling a minority position, particularly when they don't allow any control. I can't see any other way for them to go but to sell the ballclub."

The Mets are embroiled in a potential $1 billion lawsuit brought by Irving Picard, the trustee for victims of the Madoff fraud. McCarver said he does not envy anyone in the organization that he worked for as a broadcaster from 1983 until he was let go in 1998.

"It's deplorable," McCarver said. "I would not want to be a player on the Mets right now. Not because they are not talented enough, but because of all the questions surrounding the team this year will be about the off-the-field problems. It's very difficult to play under those circumstances."

On top of the Madoff lawsuit, Forbes reported last week that the Mets owe $450 million to creditors and the value of the franchise dropped 13 percent over the past year.

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