Omar Minaya leaves Padres to take job with MLBPA

Longtime MLB front-office executive Omar Minaya is making a move to the MLB Players Association.

Best known for being the general manager of the New York Mets from 2005 to 2010, Minaya had spent the last three seasons with the Padres serving as their senior vice president. His official position with the MLBPA is as a special adviser to union head Tony Clark.

Minaya had been linked with a job in the Yankees' front office but ultimately decided to try something new.

"I have long considered myself a players’ administrator with a complete belief that the players are not only the face of the game, but they provide the sport with its heart and soul," Minaya said in a statement released by the union.

The first Hispanic GM in the big leagues when he was hired by the Expos in 2002, he'll be looked upon to work with the player's association on international affairs, as well as domestic game development.

With talk of an international draft potentially coming in 2017, Minaya could play a big part in helping integrate players from the Dominican Republic and Cuba into the process. Currently MLB's amateur draft only includes players residing in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Given his experience in basebal operations and extensive background working with Latin American players, it sounds like a role Minaya is eminently qualified to fill and it appears he's in it for the long haul.

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Israel Fehr is a writer for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him at israelfehr@yahoo.ca or follow him on Twitter. Follow @israelfehr