NEW YORK, Oct 2, 2008 (AFP) - The New York Mets signed general manager Omar Minaya to a three-year contract extension on Thursday, despite a September collapse that saw the team miss the playoffs for the second straight season.

The three-year contract extension runs through 2012 and includes club options for 2013 and 2014.

After squandering a seven-game lead in the National League East with 17 games to play in 2007, the Mets saw a 3 1/2-game lead in the division with 17 games left evaporate this season.

'While we've made some progress, we still have a lot of work to do,' Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon said. 'Coming up a game short the last two seasons is incredibly frustrating and disappointing. The entire baseball operations staff is evaluating our shortcomings from top to bottom to see what we're missing so that we can get into the postseason in 2009.

'The contract extension reinforces our confidence in Omar's leadership in the short and longer term.'

The bullpen assembled by Minaya endured 30 blown saves, a major reason the Mets finished one game behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the wild card race and three games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the East.