another 4 game sweep by a very bad team. good thing management has no expectations of success, they may actually be disappointed.
Does the Willie death watch start up again? Or are things so hopeless that there's no reason to even bother?
So what is the expression beneath sad? Because that may not be enough to descibe the Mets performance.
Willie should be fired tomorrow and Omar should be told that he'll be fired at the end of the season. Can't wait for the news that Church is out for the year due to the Mets mishandling of his injury. As much as its on Willie for the lackadasical play and general unpreparedness the team exhibits, this last series really highlighted how pathetically thin the Mets roster is and the utter lack of talent in the minor league system. All of which should be more then enough to sign Omar's walking papers.
The Cubs, Yankees, Phillies, and Braves all have better records than the Mets. That really bothers me.
This board, in most forums, can be often be a little too trigger happy when it comes to getting rid of players and/or coaches. But for once, I agree. Willie should be gone immidiately.
Truth be told I think Omar is more resposible for this mess then Willie but there's really no benefit to firing a GM midseason and it would create the impression that they were "giving up" which the Mets really don't want at this point. I don't really think that a new manager would make any difference with this bunch but at least it would signal the Wilpons actually doing something rather then sitting back and deferring to Omar. The team is now 84-88 over the last year+ and they're still preaching the same tired old message about long seasons and getting them tomorrow. Someone in the organization has to realize that they really aren't as good as they seem to think they are and some action needs to be taken.
I refuse to believe that it's Willie Randolph's fault that the offense couldn't score more than 1 run for the first three games and that it was his fault Billy Wagner gave up that three-run HR.
I've been convinced by 3rd, they both must get canned. Willie is useless and Omar's work for our lineup and bullpen has been hideous at best If I could figure out that our lineup was a potential weakness since before last season ended, it is truly irresponsible for it to get so bad.
As I've asked so many times before, what is it that you think Randolph does well? For that matter, what is it that you think any manager does? If you truly believe that a manager has no effect EVER on the number of runs that a team scores or gives up, either directly (lineup choices, strategic decisions, etc.) or indirectly (keeping the clubhouse running well, making sure the team plays good fundamental ball, infusing in them a professional, "never say die" attitude, etc.), what exactly do you think he is there for?
It doesn't matter what he does well or doesn't do well. He's not the one throwing the pitches or swinging the bats. The players continue to take full blame for this and repeatedly say it's their fault and not their manager's. Every manager has in-game flaws, and obviously, most Mets fans are hot at Willie because of his bullpen management. Yet, while watching the other team across town win four championships with Joe Torre managing the bullpen almost the same way, if not worse, they seem to have done fine. Yes, there is a difference when you have Mariano Rivera closing your games, but nonetheless. The manager fills out the lineup card, makes the in-game calls, keeps the clubhouse united as one. He doesn't teach them how to hit. That's what the hitting coach is for. He doesn't teach them how to pitch. That is what the pitching coach is for. Countless times, I have defended Willie in the regard that he was not allowed to select his own pitching staff and Tony Bernazard and Omar Minaya influenced the decision to go with much of his current staff, which is no way to let a guy manage a franchise. I refuse to believe that when the oldest team in baseball, that Omar Minaya put together, struggles, it is the manager's fault. Carlos Delgado is due at the very least $20 million this year with the Mets and he's hitting .245. Luis Castillo signed a four-year, $25 million deal to hit .259? Year after year, the Mets are forced to call up the likes of Claudio Vargas, Jorge Sosa, Jose Lima, Geremi Gonzalez, Jason Vargas, a bunch of scrub pitchers to fill in for the oft-injured players of Pedro Martinez and Orlando Hernandez. In almost a year and a half, Moises Alou has only played in 100 games and the Mets have had to deal with replacing that key spot in their lineup with guys like Nick Evans, Endy Chavez, Fernando Tatis, Marlon Anderson, Damion Easley, etc. Guys that clearly cannot produce to the same level as Moises Alou. Oh, and after a huge collapse with the pitching staff, the only changes the Mets have done to the bullpen is adding Matt Wise, who has yet to pitch more than 7 innings this season, and probably won't pitch again this year. Outside of Fernando Martinez, who is going nowhere at this point (meaning trade), the Mets farm system is full of a ton of B-Level prospects with not a ton of value. With that, the Mets now can't toss a couple of arms to a team if they want to acquire a player, such as Xavier Nady or whomever to help this team in the middle of the order and the power part of the offense. This team simply needs to get younger. No more overpriced veterans that have little to nothing left. All of these moves are on Omar's head. Willie can only play the cards that Omar deals him. This team looked great on paper with the addition of Johan Santana. This team is simply not what everyone made it out to be...and to take it out on the manager is uncalled for. I'm not going to sit here and deny that I haven't been frustrated with some of Willie's in-game calls, but a change in that regard won't fix the way this team is performing on the field.
You do realize that they're never going to get rid of Omar before Willie though right? At best they'd be fired at the same time but there's really no scenario I can envision where Omar would be let go and Willie would be kept on. Willie is taking alot of the heat right now from the press/fans, once he's gone if the team continues to struggle then hopefully despite his hiding the press will finally start getting on Omar. Where has he been lately anyway? He's like Dick Cheney in the fucking bunker since the nothing Willie press conference.
As soon as you said this the rest became pointless. I would love to find the boss anywhere in the world who thinks it doesn't matter what his employee does well or doesn't do well. You certainly seem to think it matters quite a bit what the players do well and don't do well, and what the general manager does well and doesn't do well, but for some reason you think a manager who is horrible at the few things you seem to think matter ("makes the in-game calls, keeps the clubhouse united as one") is not to be held accountable. It is hysterically funny to me that you think the team "looked great on paper," is underperforming at a tremendous level (and has been for more than a year), and yet refuse to consider that the manager could have anything to do with it. You think that people like me are the ones insulting Randolph, but it's really you that are doing so, since you believe that he is incapable of having any effect whatsoever, good or bad, on the team. No one here is denying that many of Minaya's moves have worked out poorly, and he should be held accountable, but that has nothing to do with the point. If you think that Randolph deserves to stay if and when Minaya gets fired, however, you're probably the only one who does.
Yeah, that's pretty much how I feel. We have nothing to lose, so screw it, and Omar's not going to get fired anyway.
Everybody thought this team looked great on paper. Most thought they were the clear cut choice to come out of the National League into the fall classic. Mets fans get frustrated with the player's inability to score runs, so they call for the easiest person to fire on the team without costing them money or without firing the general manager. Willie is an easy scapegoat for the real problems with the Mets. Instead of calling for the manager's head, why not call for Delgado's release? Castillo's release? Because of the money, that Omar has taken on with these players, you can't. Why is the focus on Willie Randolph when the TEAM is responsible for wins and losses? It shouldn't matter who he puts in the game, what match ups he brings pitchers into, or what pinch hitters he uses on the bench, the players should perform in any situation. If they don't, that's on their head. I suppose it's Willie's fault that Delgado can't hit the ball anymore? And that Beltran can't hit in the clutch? And that Perez can't find the strike zone? And that Moises Alou, Pedro Martinez and El Duque are always hurt? Get real. If the fans want to run Willie out of town, they can and they will. It won’t make a difference because for the last time, Willie doesn’t throw a pitch or swing a bat, and that is where the real problem with this team lies.
As usual, you repeat the same mantra without addressing in any way the point. No one claims that a manager has everything to do with the way a team is playing, or even the majority of the way it is playing. He does have SOMETHING to do with it, however, and in all of those ways Randolph is a joke. You have NEVER said anything good about him, continue to insist that a manager has no effect on anything, and yet will defend him to the death. The statement I bolded above has to be the most ridiculous thing anyone has ever said about coaching or managing in any sport, and I am 100% sure that Randolph would NEVER in a million years agree with it.
Oh boy can't wait to see this pathetic bunch in Anaheim next week..... especially considering they have another cross country flight for that game on Monday against the Angels...... who the hell made the schedule?
Church to the 15 day DL retroactive to Friday and Alou is supposed to be back tomorrow. At least the Mets will theoretically be down to 1 waste of a lineup spot in the OF now. As long as it's not a day game after a night game. Or Alou doesn't need a rest. Or it's not too hot out. etc
