New York Metrumpolitans?

The Donald is pitching the embattled Wilpon family on a bailout for their New York Mets, he told the New York Times today. Trump, who has a habit of making public plays to take over struggling New York City institutions (see: Tavern on the Green, Lasker and Wollman rinks), told the paper that he called friend and fellow developer Fred Wilpon a couple of weeks ago to set up a meeting to discuss the possibility of buying the team. Wilpon, who is the team’s principal owner, said last month that he was seeking a buyer for up to a quarter of the club after being sued by the trustee in the Bernard Madoff bankruptcy case for as much as $1 billion. The Wilpon-Trump meeting hasn’t happened yet, but Trump said he won’t settle for anything less than majority ownership. (Forbes valued the Mets at $858 million in 2010). “If you look at Trump’s record, he is only interested in things he can control,” said Trump, speaking in the third person about why he wouldn’t take the 25 percent stake the Wilpons are offering. In other words, Fred Wilpon: the Donald wants you fired. [NYT]