I really don’t want to get into a whole mob mentality with our beloved team but Willie Randolph is really pushing me to that point. I understand it’s just the second week of the season but if the Mets were dropping games to say the Brewers and Cardinals instead of the Braves and Phillies I might take a different view of things but losing to the Braves and Phillies and losing the home opener in a season when the organization is closing out one era and crossing into another is totally unacceptable. And how does our fearless manger respond when asked about this? He says he’s “not concerned” Not concerned? If Willie is not concerned then maybe he needs to be removed from office.
I hate writing that I really do but Willie Randolph is turning into Art Howe. When Randolph was first hired I wasn’t a fan of his but his first year he showed me he would run a pretty tight ship. But since his first year he seems overwhelmed by the job. We all want to put last year behind us but when the team still shows the losers tendencies that it did last year well it’s hard to sit back and say everything will be all right.
Randolph did that last September when this team crashed and burned and after the season Omar and the Mets took a little time to decide if Randolph was worthy of another year as manager. I don’t know if Omar wanted to can him or not but things are not lovey dovey between the manager and GM and really they don’t have to be as long as the team is winning but after listening to the rumblings that there is a riff between the two and then reading the Klappers column today where he points out that there is a disconnect between Randolph and his players especially the Latin’s we could be looking at a dead manager walking.
For a team that has championship aspirations they make more and more mistakes. Yesterday it was Delgado throwing into the runner, but we have also seen Jose Reyes steal third with two outs. Carlos Beltran hitting in the coveted three hole bunt. Outfielders not hit cut offs and players out of position. And with exception of Jose Reyes not hustling no one is ever taken to task. Carlos Delgado for as good a player and guy that he is has some dog in him but he is never treated like Reyes was. Is that what led to Reyes collapse last year? Then we have Lastings Milledge. I bring up Lasto because he is now featured on commercials on MASN for the Nationals. Along with Austin Kearns, Milledge jokes about the new ball park and asks Kearns if his appearance is good because he knows there will be big crowds coming out to Nationals Park. Kearns gives him this deadpan look like “are you serious”? Then Lastings just chuckles. During spring training Milledge was popping off about how he felt the Mets gave up on him and how he felt kind of disrespected about the trade and on and on. Manny Acta let him vent for the day then he took him to side and told him to shut the fuck up. And Lastings did. So Manny Acta gets through to Milledge but Willie couldn’t. Another strike against Randolph.
If Willie wants to get this team back to where the rest of the division fears them and right now the Phillies and Braves laugh at them he needs to find some motivational talent that is either hidden or lacking or he will be the former manager of the Mets by Memorial Day.
Don’t think Omar doesn’t have Gary Carter’ number on speed dial.
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This post was written by kranepool on April 9, 2008
Amen, brother!
Steve,
I like Willie, but yeah it’s starting to look like his days are numbered. However, if you ask me the bigger problem is Omar, not Willie.
Omar is great at spending the Wilpon’s money and signing the big name. Even if that big name is really more of yesterday’s news - Delgado, Martinez (& I defend him on that one), Castillo, Alou, etc. He doesn’t have faith in the young players he’s signed and doesn’t seem to have done much as regards restocking the farm system. Two years ago I thought that was the plan, but he’s failed or dumped that idea.
And he has put together this team of characterless ballplayers. Randolph would probably be the ideal manager if the team he was managing had character, but this is not a good fit for him now. If I were Randolph I’d resign before I was fired. I would not let Omar fire me.
If I was a Wilpon I’d be talking severance with Omar, not Willie.
I will wait until Moises comes back to see if that gives them an offense that can compete..cause brudders, this is not a great team. Willie may be able to get them to play better, but you can’t make a ferrari out of a buick. I’m afraid that betran, reyes,& wright does not a team make.
Remember the chant at Shea has to be
Willie Must GO, not Lets Go Mets…
Remember
Willie Must GO,Willie Must GO,Willie Must GO
Willie Must GO,Willie Must GO,Willie Must GO
Willie Must GO,Willie Must GO,Willie Must GO
Willie Must GO,Willie Must GO,Willie Must GO
Willie Must GO,Willie Must GO,Willie Must GO
Willie Must GO,Willie Must GO,Willie Must GO
Willie Must GO,Willie Must GO,Willie Must GO
Willie Must GO,Willie Must GO,Willie Must GO
I am more concerned about the Joe Torre destroy the bullpen, put a skirt on the starting pitchers and have the bullpen throw four innings a game crap.
Give these guys a chance to perform. This is not Sudden Death or the NFL where every game is highly critical. Last year at this point we were already taking command of the division, but could not sustain it at the end. This year could be the other way around.
We’ve got the horses to win, but so do the other guys. I would rather our manager and players play confident than scared…and part of that is not having them booed by their hometown fans, or thrown under the bus in the second week of the season.
David have you ever ran a business?? If you have or are you know that you must motivate your employees or team. How does Willie motivate he has no enthusiasm and makes decisions that are poor. He must have a pea brain.
Rob,
If you run a business you get to decide who the personnel are. Willie may have some input, but the decisions are Omar’s, not Willie’s.
OK, Rob, I head up a successful nonprofit organization. One of the most important motivational things a boss, or manager, or parent, or whatever, can do is to give their subjects a sense of confidence and appreciation. The ones that try to motivate by harsh criticism, creating a reign of terror, the perform-now-or-leave-in-the-morning types, are ususally counterproductive, nerve-wracking, stressful, and in the end hinder the creative, confident risk-taking that you want in your staff. If the players are making their best efforts, a good manager stands behind his players, and trusts that the wins will come, like last night.
Willie Randolph is only a few years with us so far, but already among the top 4 or 5 Mets managers of all time in wins. I say, give him and our guys a chance to perform, whoever is out there wearing the uniform, and enjoy that it is April and time to play ball again.
If your team is not performing, its your job to either motivate or change things. Willie does not do anything risk taking and to change the paradigm. He is as bland as store brand white bread and Joe Torre.