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The New York Times and New York Post each report on statements made by Willie Randolph prior to yesterday’s game against the Dodgers.
…from what i can gather, having watched his pre-game presser, randolph was asked if the team is more relaxed playing away from Shea Stadium, where his team’s fans have been rather negative of late…
Randolph told reporters that he and his players play hard and are trying to win every baseball game every night, regardless of what city they are in.
Regarding fan negativity specifically, which the reporter first mentioned in his question, Randolph said:
“When we start to play well, then you’ll start to see a change in all that. As far as my players, we don’t talk about it. We don’t concern ourselves with it…Obviously the fans are having a tough time moving past (last season). So we just hope that they eventually get behind this team, because we’re going to make them real proud before the year is over…We live in an environment where they want it when they want it. Believe me, our team is really solid. We look at ourselves. I don’t think we define who we are by the reaction we get. We have some veteran guys. We have some young guys. We’re a real close-knit group. We know we’re not going to be good all the time, but we know mentally where we want to go, where we want to be…We’re going to go through ups and downs, go through the scuttlebutt, but we understand that in this town, that’s how it’s going to be.”
Similarly, according to Joe Torre, who talked with reporters before yesterday’s game, the only way Mets fans will put ‘the collapse’ behind them is when the Mets win, adding, “It’s just a matter of making that a distant memory and give them something to enjoy.”
…my guess is that fans who already do not like willie will take this quote and use it to drive a wedge between him and the fans, and those who do like him will cut him some slack and try to understand what he is saying…
…my feeling is that he is right, and so are we…we should be frustrated and worried and we have every right to be negative…at the same time, for now, willie is probably smart to build a wall around his players…and, in time, like torre says, if the Mets start to win and we all calm down, and get comfortable and confident, fans and players will join back up on the same page like it was in 2006…but, last season was tough, man, for every one…it was never going to be a quick and easy flip of the page, willie…and, some how, i bet you knew that…
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hi, I’m here for the Willie bashing
commence
let me just respond that I agree w/ Cerrone…I’m worried, but i’m giving them time to come together and hopefully win some games and put it behind us
This is one of the many reasons Willie needs to go. He truly doesn’t get it.
Doesn’t get what? Please elaborate…
Yeah I’d also like some clarification on what he doesn’t get. I’m no Willie supporter, but what he is writing is the truth. He needs to keep his players from getting affected by the booing and cat calls at Shea.
Willie realizes that most Mets fans have become fairweathered, and instead of not showing up to the game altogether, they embarass themsleves by booing a team with a winning record competing for the division lead.
Willie is a scuttlebutt
willy please choke on champagne cork, enough already you need to GO.
I just don’t understand the negativity…Most fans will stop being harsh if/when the team gets on a roll…however, the negativity doesn’t exactly help…Considering that in the end, everyone wants the team to win, whats the point in getting all pissy?
i agree with your point. The negativity comes from fans that are not over last year. We need to take every game for just that NOT a sign of last year.
I’m not over last year either…it was awful…For me, the only way to get over last year is to win, and booing and being negative or whatever is very conterproductive to reaching that goal.
Well that’s part of the problem. Let yourself get over last year and move on. Not getting over last year is a personal decision. Either you forget it and move forward, or you hold on to the past and boo at any signs of repeat.
It’s like getting over a girl - accept it is over and move on, or stay unshowered in your sweatpants for the forseable future.
I’m so tired of the “The fans need to get over it” talk. That is such BS. Like it’s our fault that they underachieve. Give me a break. The reason the fans are aggravated is that the fans see the same uninspired play that doomed the team last year. The fans that saw this last year were told constantly, “it’s early”, “we’re still in first”, etc. etc. etc. Then the collapse. Let’s give the fans some credit for seeing that there’s a problem with the teams attitide and lack of hunger instead of saying the fans need to get over it.
>>The fans that saw this last year were told constantly, “it’s early”, “we’re still in first”, etc. etc. etc. Then the collapse. Let’s give the fans some credit for seeing that there’s a problem with the teams attitide and lack of hunger instead of saying the fans need to get over it.<<
100% agree.
Now contrast what Willie said with what ‘Posterboy’ David Wright’s been saying, which is somethign along the lines of: “The fans take it as serious or more serious than we do. We understand they were let down, and we have to work hard to win back their confidence.”
Can we make Wright player/manager?
So, have Willy admit his team isn’t “as serious” and needs to “work hard”-er?……?!?
That’s not very media or clubhouse savvy considering his sitting in a hot seat on thin ice.
“That’s not very media or clubhouse savvy considering his sitting in a hot seat on thin ice.”
Good analogy, but the other option is to borderline insult the fans…?
Again, give the fans some credit here, we saw it last year and all the sign right now are showing a repeat performance. Of course fans are worried. We were told “don’t worry” last year and we saw how that ended.
yes and as you have put it “ENDED”
Mexworshipper
I was in no way shape or form blaming the fans for underachieving. The team caved in and along with it some of the fan base. Willie did tell us “not to worry about it” at the end of last year. This is a new year and we are just getting started. Im just addressing the fans that want to jump off a bridge after every loss because “it reminds them of last year”. We need to move past this and accept the team for what it is. Everyone im sure in the FO knows something is wrong with this team and im sure if there was a way to fix it they would.
I wasn’t refering to you in particular. I was just saying that everywhere you turn, you hear that the fans are being unfair, and that they need to get past the collapse. I don’t think it is necessarilly getting past it, I feel that the fans just haven’t seen a change in the quality of play or the players attitudes to expect any different result than last year. I’m not saying the fans need to boo, I don’t believe in that. I think booing only makes it harder for them to play. I think the fans are frustrated and mad, and justifiably so. It is ok for the fans to expect better. The fans deserve better. Lord knows we pay for it in ticket prices and so on.
You don’t think the fans have a right to express their displeasure with boos?
Look we supported the team %100 in 2006, it did not matter what the score we would win and we did. In game 7 I thought that Floyd would hit the big HR and win and then when Beltran came up I thought its over we won. I was right it was over we lost. I was not yet over 2006 when 2007 arrived. I thought that after loosing by one game we would be ready to go and get it done. One game was all I wanted and I got that one game shy of the playoffs. Now in 2008 we get the biggest pitcher in baseball and we are still barely playing 500 baseball. We have not put teams away and taken advantage of chances to score and win. Last night, even with OP and his 3 HRs we did not score for him or take advantage of the other team. This is our problem. In 2006 a 5 run lead was nothing for us to overcome, now, in 2007 a one run lead is almost impossible for us to overcome. I feel that this team owes me a WS and that they have everything they need to win it. For some reason they are not getting it done. With the Marlins playing more like themselves and the bRaves and Phillies injured we should be getting a lead and padding with with some wins. I love th eteam and cheer the team and want to win, I am just ready for another big let down.
Matts right,
Last year was very tough coupled with the way 2006 ended. We all knew we had to win in 06 because alot of teams were going to be improving but we never did. As i said various times the fans are fickle and will boo failure/cheer success. Willie and just about any team knows that. All the mets have to do is win and put together a good healthy streak and i know the fans will come around. Thing is the reality that we all knew is coming to play that we are not the dominant team in the NL as we were in 2006 and we are going to have to fight for a chance to get to the playoffs. I believe the mets played a little different being the underdog. We as fans just need to get over last year and let this team play. I believe they have the ability to get this done but we just got to wait and see….
Its the same crap as last year with a 6 month layoff in between. Willie must go!!
All it’ll take is a 19-game winning streak, followed by a loss on a questionable call, followed by another 19-game winning streak. That’ll (probably) stop (some of) the negativity for almost 40 games.
Oh, also, I had an idea. I’m as tired of the booing and negativity as most people. So do you think, just to mix it up, instead of booing our guys at home, people could just cheer for the other team (to get the Mets jealous, of course). You know, instead of acting like 15-year-old boys you could try acting like 15-year-old girls, just for a change of pace. I mean, it accomplishes the same goal and it’s a much more pleasant sound. Hey, it’s a long season and I’m just looking for a way to keep things from getting too boring and predictable (although the road trips are nice).
haha…That is an amazing idea. I have Cueto and Volquez on my fantasy team too. Reds are getting my cheers this week!
wow, imagine if this team was actually playing poorly! I mean, they are two games over .500, just took 2 out of three on the road against one of the best teams in the league. They have been without their #2 and #5 starters all year as well as their #5 hitter. They haven’t been great, they haven’t been horrible.
why all the panic?
We need to pick it up or the Phillies will run away with this division. We can’t hold a candle to them on offense and they don’t even have Rollins right now. i know we did well head to head against them but they are playing much better than us against everyone else.
i have major concerns with this team:
only two reliable starters
weak bullpen
horrrendous offense
bad manager who does not get the most out of his talent
something needs to change and quick
The Kansas City Royals have the same problems as the ones you just described (although one could argue that their manager does get the most out of their talent). Would you like to swap rosters with them?
every team has warts. you can find several weaknesses on each team if you look.
What you perceive to be a weak bullpen and a rotation with only two reliable starters is still very strong when compared to our competition.
And even with everything you mentioned, the team is still finding a way to win games. that has to count for something.
you’re right it is finding ways to win, but it is also finding ways to be a .500 team which is what I am talking about. many people are content saying that this team is .500 and delgado hasn’t hit, alou has just come back from injury, pedro hasn’t pitched, etc.
but how long is alou going to stay healthy?
how do we know delgado is going to hit?
how do we know pedro is going to pitch?
well, if alou misses the rest of the year, delgado hits .200 all year, beltran hits .200 all year, and pedro doesn’t come back, this is a .500 team. Why would we as a fan base expect a team to win a division with a team like that?
There isn’t a rule that the mets have to be dominant. Sometimes, things aren’t going to break their way.
They are playing much better against everyone else. I couldn’t agree with you more. But we lost the division last year because we couldn’t win just one of the final 8 games vs. them.
Take this week as an example. The Mets faced Brandon Webb, Dan Haren, and Micah Owings. The Phillies got to face Max Sherzer (who is supposed to be great…one day), Randy Johnson (over the hill), and Micah Owings. The last two seasons, we have seemed to draw all aces. You have to win those games in the playoffs, but I’m a firm believer that scheduling and pitching rotations have as much to do as anything else in terms of who wins the division.
Even take a look at all of our series against the Braves this year. We have seen Smoltz and Hudson in both of them. They saw Figueroa, Pelfrey twice. See what I mean?