Live: Mets Press Conf. from Los Angeles
Omar Minaya just stepped to the podium.
…which looks weird, because he is surrounded by logos for the Anaheim Angels of Los Angeles, or whatever they’re called…
…Update…5:01 pm…
According to Minaya, it was his decision, and the minute he made the decision he made the call to Randolph.
Minaya believes this team needed a new leader, and this is why he ‘went with’ Jerry Manuel, who was the team’s bench coach.
…Update…5:06 pm…
“This was a tough decision,” Minaya said, because it was my decision, which he repeated five times, adding, “This was tough because it was my hire,” noting that Randolph and he had a bond that was very hard to break.
“It wasn’t easy,” Minaya said, “It had to be done.”
…Update…5:08 pm…
Minaya believes this team is under-performing, not only because of Willie Randolph, “I’m responsible too,” he said.
“That being said,” he added, “It’s about how this team has played since last year.”
…Update…5:09 pm…
“I could not do this on Sunday, because the reality is that I made the decision on Monday,” he explained.
He and Randolph have been in contact about this last week, Minaya said, and he told Randolph that there is pressure and, “he needed to find a way to get it done.”
…Update…5:11 pm…
“We could not go on as a team the way it was this weekend,” Minaya said, with regards to the level of anxiety surrounding the team, “It would not have been fair to his players.”
…Update…5:13 pm…
He said, most managers get fired at lunch, in the morning or after the game, but because he works in a market with so much media and sources, he felt he needed to tell him the minute he made the decision, “And that’s why it was done last night,” because he didn’t want a third party to tell Randolph first.
…Update…5:14 pm…
…i need to listen to this again, but it sounds like he is blaming the media a bit for helping him make this decision by creating an environment, through leaks and rumors, etc, that was unfair to his players…
“You guys do your job very well,” he said, with a bit of sarcasm.
…Update…5:15 pm…
“Jerry Manuel will be the manager of this team for the rest of the year,” Minaya said.
“I love Willie Randolph, he’s my friend I hope he finds another job as a manager,” Minaya said, “But this ain’t about love…The reality is, we’re not playing to the level of the talent that we have.”
…Update…5:18 pm…
“Jerry Manuel was the best manager for this job, at this time,” Minaya said.
…Update…5:20 pm…
“We are where we are today, not just for the decisions on the field, but because of the decisions I made,” Minaya said.
…Update…5:24 pm…
“Randolph got back to the hotel, we talked about the game, I looked at him straight in the eye,” Minaya explained, “I told him I made a decision, and you’re not the manager, that’s my decision.”
I was not going to fire Willie Randolph on the field in uniform, it was going to be done in private, in confidence,” Minaya said. “Let me tell you something, the worst feeling is that when a guy is in uniform and some else reports to him that he’s been fired…I could have told him this morning, but in this market, to hold something like that a secret for 48 hours, ha, it just doesn’t happen.”
…Update…5:28 pm…
Minaya said, “Guys, let me tell you something, at the end of last year, ownership said it was your decision and I could have made the decision to let him go and I didn’t…Ownership supported me either way…When I came on board here, that was the agreement…In 2004 I came here with the authority to make baseball decisions.”
…Update…5:38 pm…
“Those remarks (from Bergen Record), created more mention in the situation, that’s a fact,” Minaya said, “i don’t want to get in to it, but it did.”
…Update…5:41 pm…
Minaya continues to say that, the reason he told Randolph at 11 pm PDT, was because, he knew, the minute he made this decision it would not take much for a third-party source to leak the information.
…which makes no sense…unless that third-party source as a mind reader…
…Update…5:45 pm…
Jerry Manuel is now at the podium, and looks very, very serious.
“There will be differences,” Manuel said.
…Update…5:50 pm…
“I think I would have reminded the team of the collapse, instead of putting it behind us, using it as a way to motivate us to get to a different level,” Manuel said.
…he is a very soft-spoken, smooth talking guy…it sounds like he should be on radio…this is news to me, because i had never heard him speak before…
…Update…5:52 pm…
Ken Oberkfell will be the team’s first base coach, Dan Warthen will be the pitching coach, Sandy Alomar will be the bench coach, and Luis Aguyo will be the team’s third base coach.
Manuel says he has been friends with Alomar for a long time.
“Oberkfell is a tremendous talent, from his days with the Cardinals,” Manuel said, “I’m looking forward to learning and growing with him.”
…Update…5:55 pm…
“I think we have a foundation here to really grow and get us back on track,” Manuel said.
…Update…5:57 pm…
He says he’s not one to just steal bases or hit and run for statistical purposes, though he knows that is important, but, instead, it’s more important for him to teach and work with his players on when is the right time – when is the right context – to hit and run and steal, etc.
…i have no idea what that means…oh well…
…Update…5:59 pm…
“At the end of the year, if this doesn’t work out, and Omar comes looking for me, you know, he said he would never fire a man in uniform so I’m keeping mine on – I’ll take it right home with me,” he said, with laughter.
…Update…6:02 pm…
“Being Interim Manager is not a problem to me,” he said, “It’s an opportunity.”
…Update…6:03 pm…
He says he needs to identity roles in the bullpen, “and lock them down,” and get them throwing first-pitch strikes.
He says he thinks starting pitchers should throw seven, eight innings, and 120 pitches, but he needs to work with his pitchers on that first.
…Update…6:06 pm…
Manuel explained, noting that David Wright will be the DH tonight, “I do plan to make some changes to the lineup, though that depends on how the guys are swinging. Any day, your fourth hitter may not be your fourth hitter that day…I like to use the second spot in the lineup to get a guy going. There may be some things, but if we continue to win then I’m gonna stay out the way.”
…Update…6:07 pm…
“Gangstas get on the field, ladies get on the bus,” he said, which is an expression he and David Wright often say to one another.
“We need to do it right for the fans in New York,” he said, “It’s a tremendous responsibility.”
…Update…6:08 pm…
“I’m going to let them know that I have transitioned to a new position of authority,” he said, “And they don’t have to like me, but they must respect the office that I hold.”
The press conference is over.
