Well, there's two different stories going on at the same time, and the overlap is his resignation.
Manipulating the IL is nothing. Everyone does it. Google "AJ Pierzynski Anal Fissure" for more info. His team had him fake an injury, and he insisted on listing THAT as the fake injury.
IL manipulation is not a "resign worthy" offense. No one has been penalized for it in 65 years, and no one has been penalized for it in the regular season ever.
However, the Mets hired a new president of baseball operations -- a position they've never had before -- and that guy (from the Brewers, David Stearns), gets to decide how the organizational chart of power and responsibility works. He was given full control. Eppler wasn't dismissed, but the power dynamic changed. Eppler essentially WAS the top guy in the organization for baseball operations before, and now he's not.
Contractually, Stearns was under contract with the Brewers through Sunday (Oct 1) and couldn't talk to Mets baseball operations people (manager, GM) until Monday, Oct 2.
So the company line is that Eppler resigned to give Stearns a clean slate and not inherit a GM under investigation; but since everyone does it and no one has been punished for it since 1973, it's EXTRAORDINARILY LIKELY that Eppler's resignation was about the power dynamic.
sports.yahoo.com
