From the daily archives:

Monday, May 26, 2008

postGame: Marlins 7 Mets 3

May 26, 2008 at 10:42 pm · 196 comments

by Mike Nichols

The Mets (23-26) lost to the Marlins (30-20) by a score of 7 to 3 tonight at Shea Stadium.

For a complete recap and box score, check out SNY.tv.

  • Lost chances was the story tonight.
  • Mike Pelfrey lost a chance to get out of the first inning unscathed, but a two-out error by Jose Reyes allowed the Marlins to take advantage with back-to-back run scoring doubles. Pelfrey needs to learn to overcome the mistakes behind him and get the team out of these type of innings. He also needs to learn to finish off innings in general as all six runs he allowed came with two outs. Opponents have a .895 OPS against Pelfrey after two outs in an inning.
  • Carlos Beltran made a diving attempt with the bases loaded and two-outs in the top of third, but came up short and three Marlins runs scored. I love the effort Carlos, but if you’re going to make an attempt like that with two outs, you better keep the ball in front of you.
  • Speaking of fielding, what’s going on Jose? Yesterday, he let a potential a inning-ending double-play go through his legs and today he made to mistakes on two grounders on plays he usually makes look routine. At least his bat is coming around, as he was 2-for-4 with 2 homeruns.
  • The Mets also lost several scoring opportunities tonight, including one in the bottom of the first when they scored only one run after loading the bases with no outs after Reyes lead off the inning with his first of two homeruns tonight. After their other missed opportunities in the fourth and fifth, in which they had two runners on base in both innings, the Mets bats went silent as Marlins pitching retired the final 15 batters. They left 14 men on base, including four from Carlos Delgado and five from Nick Evans. It’s unreal this team can collect nine hits through the first five innings then go into a coma.
  • Speaking of Evans, his batting stance reminds me of Scott Rolen.
  • I’m still skeptical the Marlins have the ability to continue to overachieve, but they can no longer be taken lightly as they have been in years past.
  • As far as the Mets go, the losing continues and as much as the team thinks today’s events will put the maelstrom of Willie Randolph’s self-inflicted situation behind them, it wont. Not at least until this team starts to win.

The Mets continue their three-game series versus the Marlins tomorrow night with Johan Santana on the mound, game time 7:10 pm.

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Quote: Delgado, Wright, Wagner and Beltran

May 26, 2008 at 7:00 pm · 82 comments

by Matthew Cerrone

David Wright, regarding today’s drama involving Willie Randolph, while talking to reporters before today’s game:

“As players, we need to pick up our teammates, and Willie is one of our teammates and we need to go out there and play better.  Wins solve everything.”

Billy Wagner, on the same subject, also before game: 

“If Willie could pitch and he could catch, he would.  You know, we have to play well for him.  Every one knows, when the team plays well the manager looks good and when you play bad the manager looks bad.  It has nothing to do with manager.  We haven’t held up our end of the bargain.”

Carlos Delgado, on the current state of the team, talking to reporters prior to tonight’s game:

“I think we need to be responsible, and turn it up a notch and do whatever we need to do on the field to win some games.”

SI.com’s Jon Heyman then asked Delgado what he thinks of the situation, and whether he believes that Randolph should remain as the team’s manager, to which Delgado responded…

“I’ll tell you what I think, we need to play better.  This is not about the manager.  I’m not in the position to think or not think, they don’t pay me to think.  They pay me play baseball.

Asked to answer the part of the question regarding Randolph, Delgado told Heyman, “If you wanna be an ass, I can be an ass too.”

Carlos Beltran, asked a similar question, said:

“We have to go out there and play the game.  He has done his job.  The thing is, when the team is winning, the manager always looks good.  When they’re losing, the manager always gets the blame.  I believe it should be the players.  We’re the ones that are going out there and not playing at the level that we should be playing.”

Asked why more players are not coming out and demanding that Randolph keep his job, Beltran said:

“That’s not in our hands…It’s not my decision.”

…woh…okay, then…well, that is not exactly a whole ton of support now is it…message received…

…the thing is, who cares if some players support willie and some players do not…this isn’t a popularity contest…

…for these guys, it is about winning and playing exciting, entertaining baseball…end of story…if they win and hate their boss, or they lose and love him, it’s all the same…wins, and fun…that’s what counts…i could care less if they all get along…

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preGame: Mets vs. Marlins (Game One)

May 26, 2008 at 6:59 pm · 721 comments

by Mike Nichols

The Game:

The Mets (23-25) open a three-game series versus the first place Marlins (29-20) tonight at Shea Stadium, starting at 7:10 pm EST.

The Lineup:

The Pitchers:

RHP Mike Pelfrey (2-5, 5.00 ERA) starts for the Mets.

RHP Ricky Nolasco (3-3, 4.62 ERA) takes the hill for the Marlins

How To Catch It:

Tonight’s game can be seen locally on SNY and heard locally on WFAN.

The Bleachers:

For a live chat, head over to The Hot Foot Bleachers.

…enjoy, and as always, Let’s Go Mets…

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Buzz: Fred was Prepared to Fire Willie

May 26, 2008 at 6:14 pm · 41 comments

by Matthew Cerrone

According to Adam Rubin at his blog for the Daily News, citing ‘a source,’ Fred Wilpon was prepared to fire Willie Randolph on Monday “if the fourth-year manager was defiant.”

…actually, i did get the sense during the press conference that nothing is permanent…which is a good thing…fact is, despite whatever did or did not happen today, the Mets are still 23–25 and five games out of first on Memorial Day, so nobody’s job should be secure – including the GM or any one player…

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News: Willie Randolph is Manager of the Mets

May 26, 2008 at 4:36 pm · 227 comments

by Matthew Cerrone

During a press conference at Shea Stadium this afternoon, Mets GM Omar Minaya told reporters, “Willie Randolph is our manager.  There is no limbo.  He’s the manager…and I hope he is our manager for many years to come.”

According to Minaya, the goal of today’s meeting was to a) discuss Randolph’s public comments from last week, and b) talk about the current state of the team and what they need to do to get better.

“We had a good, productive meeting,” said Minaya, who noted they all share ideas on how best to make the team better, adding, “Two things, ownership is very disappointed in how the team is playing…They wanted to talk to Willie about those things…Also, about the comments, once we get beyond today, like today is over, those comments are over, and they felt it was important to talk to Willie about it, they’ve accepted his apology and we move on from there.  It’s over.  Let’s go on.  It’s over.  Let’s move forward now.”

Minaya said Randolph has his support, the support of ownership, who did not need to be convinced of keeping him, adding, “Willie’s job was never in danger heading in to this meeting,” which was more about a) last week’s comments, and b) finding a way to play better baseball.

Randolph told reporters that the meeting was productive, adding, “Any time we talk as a group, it’s always about how we can get better, how Fred and Jeff can help to make us better in some way, and how I can help make the players get it done on the field.”

According to Randolph, the Wilpons wanted to talk face-to-face with him about his comments from last week, and, “It was fine,” adding, “The Wilpons are very supportive of me.”

Randolph, having sat at the table for 20 minutes or so, and looking a bit testy and impatient, announced, “Yeah, I’ve got a ball game to manage tonight, so if you guys are done, you know, maybe we can get to baseball…I’ve got to get on the field, man…Like I said, we’ve got a game in a couple of hours, and I’d rather be out there doing that.  So, let’s do it.  Let’s win a game,” at which point he got up, after being dismissed by the team’s spokesman, and left for the field.

…honestly, randolph looks exhausted…he had a look on his face, as if to say, ‘I just want to win,’ enough with this drama…and i totally agree…

…also, from looking at how willie and omar talked, in some cases almost finishing one another’s sentences, it is clear these two are now tied at the hip…from what i understand, this was sort of the case after omar convinced ownership to keep willie last fall, and it looks to be very much the case now…again, that’s just a hunch having watched the press conference with my own two eyes, but i believe i am correct…

…so, there you have it…willie stays…omar stays…and they’re clearly being given time, together, to get the ship moving in the right direction…which is fair, considering there is still 70 percent of the season yet to be played…

…in other news, why did ESPN News cover the most dramatic day of the year, live, while SNY was showing Beer Money…again…

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News: The Meeting is On

May 26, 2008 at 2:19 pm · 212 comments

by Matthew Cerrone

According to the New York Post, Willie Randolph and Omar Minaya are meeting with Fred and Jeff Wilpon at 2 pm.

…in other words, right now…good luck, boys…

…Update…3:10 pm…

…from what i can gather, one of the main goals of this meeting is for fred and jeff to listen to willie, not fire him, and get a sense of what may be wrong in the locker room and on the field, while also hearing from omar on how certain situations can or cannot be fixed…

…in other words, it sounds like a meeting of the minds, talking constructively and honestly about what’s up with the Mets, so that a plan can be put in place to try and make things right – with or without willie, omar or other players on the roster…

…Update…3:45 pm…

…if i’m correct about the above, and i think i am, i like this approach…fact is, as much as we do not like to hear it, there is a lot of baseball yet to be played…and, it probably makes far better sense to hear people out, collect information, analyze it and then create a plan for moving forward with the best possible personnel, whomever that may be…

…as i have said before, i like willie’s old-school, hard-nosed style…the problem is that he does not have players who fit that mold…so, either he needs some new players, or the current players need a different leader – or, some constructive combination of the two…either way, though, the status quo is not working, and today seems to be a nice step in figuring out how best to move forward…

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Poll: Who Should Manage the Mets

May 26, 2008 at 10:25 am · 0 comments

by Matthew Cerrone

…i posted this poll earlier, but accidentally left off Lee Mazzilli, Larry Bowa, Bobby Valentine and Buck Showalter, which are all names i see often in my e-mail’s inbox…

[Poll=102]

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Buzz: Mets Consider Heilman to N’Ola

May 26, 2008 at 8:54 am · 77 comments

by Matthew Cerrone

According to the Daily News, the Mets are discussing whether to demote Aaron Heilman to Triple-A, while replacing him with Carlos Muniz.

…ah, yes, the old Steve Trachsel treatment…frankly, these days, if i were aaron, i’d welcome a week or two away from the Mets, and all that is going on with them right now, while also getting to spend some time in New Orleans…life could certainly be worse…

Last week, also in the Daily News, Rubin reported that the Mets have been shopping Heilman for a set-up man.

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Buzz: Today’s Meeting at Shea Stadium

May 26, 2008 at 8:45 am · 186 comments

by Matthew Cerrone

From what I can gather, Fred and Jeff Wilpon want to meet with Willie Randolph today at Shea Stadium, not to fire him, but to speak with him face to face about a) his racially-charged comments about the city and team, spoken last week to the Bergen Record, and b) the team’s play, and to make it clear that the current state of the team is unacceptable.

For what it’s worth, the way I have heard it, the team’s owners were far more disappointed over the race remarks than any comment about SNY. 

That said, the team’s lack of consistent success, and the air of frustration surrounding the them and in the stands and in the ratings is ownership’s biggest concern.

The Wilpons are not the type of people to overreact, though, so my sense is that they’ll take what they learn in today’s meeting with Randolph and Omar Minaya, watch the week-long home stand, see how the team, media and fans respond, and then decide how best to turn this ship around.

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