All year long we’ve been told that the Mets are financially in good health. It’s been the mantra ever since the name Bernard Madoff made headline news with his Ponzi scheme and swept the Wilpon family and Sterling Enterprises on board his swarmy carpet ride; not to mention all the livelihoods he destroyed along the way. The man surely has a place in hell perfectly decorated waiting for his arrival one day.

Needless to say – the Mets have propagated their own scheme against its fans this year and it’s pretty safe to say we’ve all had our fill and want some form of retribution. The retribution we seek comes in the form of accountability from the top on down.

Are we to continue believing that the Mets are financially fit as a fiddle when you take into account that they’ve allowed Oliver Perez to stay on the roster all season, forcing the team to play a man short, just so they aren’t forced to eat the remainder of his 36 million dollar contract?

Are we to believe that Alex Cora – who’s credentials as a great clubhouse leader, and who’s batting average hardly ever seemed to hover above .200 – suddenly out of nowhere earned his release? Of course it wasn’t the fact that he was 18 games shy of automatically vesting his $2 million 2011 option? Was it?

Or Rod Barajas, who we were told was the glue to the pitching staff that couldn’t be replaced, but was literally given to the Dodgers who will be paying the rest of his $500,000 salary?

Still don’t think something smells rotten in Queens – and I don’t mean the subway? Take the Frankie Rodriguez fiasco. He beats on his father in law, in the clubhouse in front of players and their children. He’s arrested and suspended by the team for 2 days. A few days later the Mets filed a claim to convert Frankie knuckles – hat tip to Ed Leyro – contract to a non-guaranteed deal, allowing the Mets the ability to release him early next spring, and saving perhaps the remainder of his contract. Add the $3 plus million they’ve saved by placing him on the disqualified list already.

Before you think I’m going to defend his thuggish behavior, let me explain. Fred Wilpon I have a feeling is a fair man, a man who is willing to give others a second chance. He did just that when he brought Wally Backman back into the Met fold and signed him as the manager of the Brooklyn Cyclones.

Backman’s past includes a DUI and domestic violence, yet the same team willing to give Backman a managerial job – is quick to pull the trigger on releasing one of the premier closers in the game.

Don’t get me wrong if it’s based on principle then say it and stand by it, and for God’s sake be consistent. This nonsense that the Wilpons are aghast over Frankie’s behavior, but apparently a-ok with Wally Backman’s is the same snake oil that Bernard Madoff was selling.

The reason Backman is around and probably WILL be next year’s manager is because he makes probably a 20th of what K-Rod does. Sometimes I feel like a jilted lover with the Wilpons. I’d be happier if they just stuck their hands in my wallet and took what they want. I won’t even ask for a kiss when you leave Fred.