News: Willie Randolph is Manager of the Mets
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…
