Opinion: Sense of Urgency
Willie Randolph, on yesterday’s loss, and sweep, against the Phillies, talking to reporters after the game…
“It was a bad time to play bad baseball, especially with the Phillies behind us. We were there about two weeks ago and we responded, so now we’ll have to respond again – bottom line. Everyone thinks it’s easy to win divisions, and stuff, but we know it’s not. You know, last time we went through this we responded well, so this is just another challenge for us to respond again. And, we will.”
Asked if he talked with his team after the loss, Randolph told reporters that he did not, adding, “There’s no reason to.”
…i guess, but, even if he did talk to them, he isn’t going to tell you…willie would see that type of honestly as a sign of weakness…so, don’t assume anything from his quotes, at least that’s becoming my motto…
…the thing is, from what i can gather, there was little emotion in the clubhouse after yesterday’s loss…this will bother some fans…but, not me…because i understand that this team is what it is…willie’s stamp is on them…like it or not…he projects a level-headed, even-keel, focused, one-game-at-a-time attitude, and the team reflects it back…stop wishing for the Mets to be a football team, because a) they don’t wear pads or play just 16 games, and b) that’s not their style…
…the problem is that their style, which is also their biggest strength, may actually be their biggest weakness…
…as i see it, willie’s lack of urgency, lack of aggression, lack of signaling any one game out over another has two net effects…the first, which is a good thing, is that the team rebounds well, and outside of one bad stretch in july, it never really goes on a long prolonged losing streak, which will help them weather a lot of storms and always be in great position at the end of a season…the second effect, though, which is bad, is that no one game becomes more important than another, and on a day like yesterday, or in October, that is not the case…yesterday was important…every game in October will be important…and i fear that when the bell rings, and every pitch is the most meaningful pitch of the season, the Mets overall team will still be even-keel, level-headed, sensible and not very urgent, which will not go well…
…so, i’d love for willie to push these guys harder, assuming he isn’t already…i mean, i’m not by his side all day, so i don’t know what really happens…but, i can only assume he isn’t…however, if he did, if he did go crazy and fire them up, maybe today they’d feel like they just blew the season and they might respond negatively and go in the tank because of the pressure…who knows…what i do know is that what he does has put this team four losses up with 14 games left…what i fear is that this same strategy will get them swept in October…
