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In a late-night report for Newsday, Ken Davidoff and David Lennon wrote that, according to ‘sources,’ the Mets were strongly considering firing Willie Randolph as early as today, had the team lost to the 
Rangers last night.
…this is the sense i got yesterday, as well, noting that much of randolph’s previous support had dried up, leaving all sorts of people connected to the team in a state of preparation for life after willie…
According to Bob Klapisch in the Bergen Record, “There’s only one man standing between Willie Randolph and the unemployment line - Omar Minaya, who’s emerged as the manager’s last line of defense at Shea.”
…fortunately for the manager, willie is omar’s last line of defense as well, because if willie is gone than all eyes will turn to minaya…
the Daily News, Adam Rubin quotes an anonymous player as saying, “It’s time for a change. Unfortunately, but it’s time.”
Randolph has a 300-252 record as manager of the Mets, and is second only to Davey Johnson in winning percentage.
However, since June 1, 2007, the Mets are 86-90.
pedros pitching today, lets see what he can do. willie is one bad loss from getting fired.
It’s like his head is in the guillotine, and Omar is holding onto the rope with 2 fingers
I am very nervous about Omar making a panic move to save his job. Signing Nixon is fine, but I really am skeptical that this team’s problems can be chalked up to Willie
Hopefully, the way Omar saves his job is going to Wilpon and convincing him that he can right this ship for a run in 09 in Citi Field.
No panic moves, try to chase the wild card this year but 09 is more important to me right now. I’m over 08 already.
I think they can contend next year with some savvy moves. They have some good players at key positions.
We’ve certainly seen that before, with Steve Phillips, but I’m not sure we really need to worry about this with Omar. The reason? I don’t think we have the chips for him to trade away–in a good *or* bad deal. Sure, there are some nice prospects in the Mets’ system, but they are pretty much all at AA and lower, and it is hard to get established major league talent–whether still productive, or washed up–for such young and unproven players.
You know, I’ve been critical of Omar. But are we so certain that the only reason he defends Randolph is to protect his own a**?
I mean, maybe they are actually good friends, maybe he recognizes that he has a hand in this as well?
I previously replied to this, but it never showed up, so, if it shows up twice…sorry!
I’ve often read that Omar is very loyal, so I am sure that some of the reason he stands up for Willie is for that reason. And I believe he *does* realize he is partly to blame. At that infamous Memorial Day press conference, he was asked if it was possible that this was simply not a playoff-caliber team, and he answered “yes,” adding that they definitely have playoff-caliber talent, but maybe they just don’t fit well as a team–and that would be his doing, since it is *his* job to match the right 25 players together.
That being said, the act of self-preservation is only natural. Once Willie is gone, if the team doesn’t improve, that will make it two managers that couldn’t succeed with this group of players, which places the blame squarely at Omar’s feet. As long as Willie is around, there is still a question of who is more to blame, with Willie likely to get more fingers pointed in his direction, as his errors are more obvious. Omar is far from the only person who would take advantage of that.
So everytime they lose now it could be Willie’s last day. Or everytime they win the Mets can come to terms with the idea that he is the right man for the job. Wonderful.
Hey Mets organization…
How about thinking about how this effects the players, the fans, and most of all Willie himself (not to mention his family)
Just come out and say he’s going to manage this team for the rest of the year because you believe he is the right man for the job, or fire him. Stop screwing around with people and just make a grown-up decision and stick to it.
i think willie doesn’t really give a crap anymore, which is a stark contrast from crazy willie who was blaming everything but himself a month ago. at some point he has to say, “wait, i’m now i’m getting fired because billy wagner forgot how to pitch? that’s fine. send my paychecks home where i will be relaxing with my family.”
I wouldn’t say he doesn’t really give a crap anymore, but I would say that he has probably accepted the fact that’s he’s either going to manage this team to a third place finish this season, or someone else will. Not much he can do at this point but show up for work and put a lineup together.
Agree 100% It’s completely mind boggling to me that if he loses one game he will be fired and if he wins one game he will stay. WTF are these idiots thinking? Either he’s the right man for the job or he isn’t, period. This is typical of Mets ownership.
you said it right there…”this is typical of Mets ownership”
I agree nomore. If Omar is looking after only his own job, than he may make moves that are not in the best LT interests of the team.
ANd right now, given the Mets record and the holes on the team, going “all in” trying to win the WS in 2008 is probably not the best move.
Sure, make adjustments if you think they can get you to the PS, but that doesn’t include trading Carp, Neise, Parnell, etc. for say KGJr. No more future for a washed up big name.
Now, if he can trade some excess BP arms + 1 prospect for someone like Morales, that can help now and in the future, and unload Delgado and/or Cqstillo, then go to town!
I wonder who the player is that said, “it’s time for a change,’”
I’m guessing Pedro Feliciano, Scott Schoenweiss or Ramon Castro.
If so, the “change” should be to trade them at the deadline for something that can help us in 09!
Well, this “courageous soul” (please note the sarcasm) spoke anonymously, so he’s not going to suffer the consequences of being such a jerk (and I agree with the statement, so it just goes to show how inappropriate I think it was for one of the players to say it). If you don’t have the courage to stand behind your statements, you shouldn’t say them.
“I’m guessing Pedro Feliciano, Scott Schoenweiss…”
I’m thinking you’re in the right part of the stadium when you mention those two names, but that it’s not one of them.
I’m guessing you mean Wagner, but I doubt it. He’s not the shy type, so I doubt he’d be going around making anonymous statements. Plus, he’s been bashing himself too much lately to bash anyone else.
And I know Willie was in good spirits last night after the game, but just because he’s laughing on the outside doesn’t mean he’s happy right now. I’ve never been president of his fan club when it comes to being a manager, but by all accounts he’s a good man. He deserves much better than the treatment he has gotten this year. Getting it from the fans is one thing. He knew that came with the job. Getting it from the organization is just bush league. Stop jerking the guy around.
Two weeks ago, the story was that the Wilpons and Omar looked at the record of mid-season managerial changes and decided that they seldom had a significantly positive effect. In the interim, the Mets bullpen melted down and blew a series of games. That’s not Willie’s fault. So if it made sense two weeks ago to keep Willie, why does it suddenly make sense now to get rid of him? This smells like a panic move. I’d like to think that the Wilpons are smarter than that.
I am going to say this for the 50th time.Willie is not the reason this team is like it is.Omar is the reason.Too Old and depending on people who have lost it.Want to know why Carlos Beltran has 6 homers.Look who is hitting behind him.
David Wright should also be doing more clutch hitting.Castillo-mediocre.
You’re also not going win with Endy Chavez in the lineup-He can’t hit except for a once in awhile lucky shot
Keep Willie-send the message
JM
But Omar probably isn’t going to fire himself. And no one’s sure if the Wilpons are awake.
Omar definitely deserves some blame–he collected a lot of old bodies, with no back-up plan–but the players who *should* be doing well aren’t, either. Not everyone has the “Look who is hitting behind him” excuse that Beltran has. Wright and Reyes are also underperforming and playing inconsistently, among others. When a whole team is underachieving, you have to look to their so-called “leader,” and that is Willie.
Also, if Beltran’s struggles are due to his lack of protection from Delgado, why doesn’t Willie change the lineup? Maybe Wright can handle that situation better–he can hit 4th and Beltran 3rd. Willie just leaves things as is as is, and says “I believe in my guys” (I swear, that’ll be on his tombstone). It’s not easy to get new players in the organization–you have to have chips to trade, which the Mets no longer do, after getting Johan–so you can hardly fault Omar for not making that kind of a change at this point. But Willie can make changes to his lineup, and he doesn’t. He marches the same people out there, day in and day out, and can’t seem to figure out that this is not the way to get different results. He made his own bed, and now he’ll have to lay in it.
It seems to me that in order for Willie to get an inspired effort out of his ball club, the players need to believe Willie is about to be fired. They feel bad for him and give it that extra bit of focus. The problem with this is that it only last for about 5 games and then they fall back into their ways. Its really very strange that this organization would be so short sighted. Willie’s basically day to day at this point. If the manager was one heart breaking loss away from being fired, wouldn’t that be enough to make a change?. Whats one loss or one win going to tell you, that you all ready don’t know. Very strange.
You are right. The only time this team really seems to wake up is when we get this kind of drama. But that’s not going to work all year, and it’s no way to run an organization.
Omar needs to stop protecting himself and make a statement. Either that Willie is good enough to stay on for the year and take this team wherever it is going to go, or he’s not good enough and he is fired. That’s his responsibility, and he’s not living up to it at all. And one win doesn’t make it all go away.
“Anonymous” either means “made-up” or “p*ssie” who aint got the guts to stand behind his comment.
What’s their record since September 1, 2007?
Matt, there was an excellent post on Steve Popper’s blog that shed a different light on this whole Willie Watch crap. I only mention because there is another side to this and it should be heard as well.
He wrote…
Just got back up from the clubhouse where a few players said that Willie Randolph isn’t to blame for their struggles and then Omar Minaya said that, as he insisted on Memorial Day, Randolph has his support and no change is imminent.
Also Minaya said…
“What I told you guys on Memorial Day I’m going to tell you again today,” Minaya said. “Willie has my support. He has ownership’s support. I have full confidence that he’s doing everything he can to get us to play to the level of play that this team should play based upon its talent.”
Later
I think what is frustrating to a lot of people is that he keeps saying Willie has their support. That sounds good, but it’s not a real commitment. Support is a funny word because it sounds like it means someone is safe, but a level of support can change in a very short period of time. Why won’t Omar just say that Willie is has shown that he is good enough to lead this team, and because of that he is going to have the whole season to right the ship? Probably because they don’t support him THAT much… which like I said, doesn’t make it much of a firm commitment.
It’s a cop out. It’s typical Minanya BS. I’m tired of this guys and all his Latino Re-treads. Willie isn’t the greates manager, he isn’t really even a particularly good one, but he deserves better than to be left blowing in the win. How in the world can the player play for this guy if they don’t even know if he’ll be here tomorrow? Think back to when you were in school, if you knew there was a good chance that your teacher would not be around tomorrow, would you really give a shi…..t if you didn’t do your homework that night?
It seems that Omar has changed his position on the capability of this team. He previously said that he thinks that this team is underperforming and not playing to its level as a postseason contender. Now he saying that the team needs to play up to the level of its talent. He doesn’t sound too confident in his team to me…….
And before I take off for the day, I just want to say that I really hope Willie Randolph is not fired.
Is he the best manager around? No.
Do I think a better replacement is available to them right now? No.
I think the guys who are going to produce for this team know what Willie expects from them. They have responded to him enough already for me to know they can and will respond again. Maybe Trot Nixon will help, but there needs to be more emphasis on who else is out there right now that can help this team.
I’m not a huge Willie fan, but I understand him imporatance to the parts of this team that are still working. He must be given the rest of the year, and if things don’t turn around then not one day more. But they should not fire him now.
Sorry, meant to say I understand HIS imporantance…
Right now the priority has to be to try and find some more productive players and get rid of some of the dead weight.
Do not fire the manager.
Screw Omar and his support. Why doesn’t he step up and admit that he’s the jerkoff that gave Willie an old, injury depleted lineup to work with?
But you know he won’t. And I honestly don’t think Omar wants to fire Willie, cause he knows then that the spotlight will shine on him when this team doesn’t get any better when Willie is gone.
I think maybe Omar knows deep down he is to blame for this mess this year.
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Willie sucked two weeks ago when everyone wanted him fired.
He still sucks.
I’m just bummed about the Jerry Manuel half-measure.
If we are really trying to shake up the team, there’s only one answer.
And the answer is Bobby Valentine.
Also, just for fun they should bring Piazza out of retirement for a bat off the bench, to see if they can bring some of the old magic back, plus get the fans to believe.
we do need a fourth catcher
“Pitching coach Rick Peterson and first base coach Tom Nieto also appear targets of the purge, but hitting coach Howard Johnson is expected to be spared.”
Good lord. I don’t care how much D Wright loves HoJo. This team is not hitting. Move him to first base, where he can’t do any harm, but this team needs a hitting coach with some ideas.
And I’ll add to the chorus that this is tiresome, and they need to fish or cut bait, already. It’s ridiculous. I really wish the Wilpons didn’t own this team.