Wake them up? Is this new manager going to teach Delgado how to hit the ball? Is this new manager going to teach Beltran how to hit in the clutch? Is this new manager going to make Heilman a great relief pitcher again? Is this new manager going to make Reyes hit? Is this new manager going to get Santana to stop giving up the long ball? Is this new manager going to stop Oliver Perez from being erratic? Is this new manager going to stop Mike Pelfrey from sucking?
If I could I would, the players in suspect are basically untradeable or unreleaseable, and Omar has been mediocre however part of that comes with the weak FA market that we faced last offseason. So the only one that could truly be disposed of first is the manager, he has shown absolutely no signs of improvement and has shown despite his cool front that he tries to showoff has cracked under pressure repeated number of times.
Okay Mr. Randolph lackey what exactly does he bring to the table, it has been asked repeatedly without one answer.
It's not about what he brings to the table. It's about the fact that changing managers will mean nothing. Firing Willie does not solve any of the team's problems, since a new manger would be looking at the same exact players. Any new manager could come in and try to make some inspirational speech, that's fine, but it doesn't win ball games when your veteran players aren't healthy or producing. It's time for Omar to explore all options in getting rid of the players that are not performing. He brought them in here. It's time for him to admit to his mistakes like he did with Jorge Sosa and find an alternative. The position we are at with this team is all on Omar's head. He supplied Willie with an injury-plagued set of players in Moises Alou, Pedro Martinez, and El Duque. Omar supplied Willie with underachieving veterans such as Carlos Delgado and Luis Castillo to a lesser-extent. Omar's wrong-doings of trading guys like Brian Bannister, Matt Lindstrom and Henry Owens who all could have been valuable pieces of the bullpen or valuable trade chips in times like these. While you are getting frustrated with the team for losing, I am getting frustrated with having to listen to this fire the manager crap.
A lot of times, just the general mood of the manager can change everything. In '78, the Yankees had grown tired of Billy Martin's antics, so they brought in Bob Lemon, someone who made Joe Torre look fiery, and they turned it around. Torre was great for the Yankees for many years after Martin and years of instability, then his act became stale and they needed a fresh face. Girardi went nuts last night and all of a sudden the Yankees rally to win (not saying that was the reason, but it's a possibility). A manager with a different style than Willie might be able to succeed with the same roster.
I strongly believe Omar should not be fired. The team we have is a solid ballclub. They need a manager who can manage a fucking baseball team and they will win. Randolph does practically nothing IMO. The team we have is a top 3 team in the NL period. The problem is they are leaderless. Yes they are playing like shit. But with a good manager they will not. Don't get on Omar. Church is crushing it, Schneider has been good, he robbed the twins of santana. I only knock him on Luis Castillo. Not even Delgado. He hasnt been great but honestly he hasnt been bad. THIS FALLS ON THE MANAGER..WILLIE RANDOLPH....WHEN YOUR TEAM CAN NOT EXECUTE FUNDAMENTALS AND ARE DEAD ON THE FIELD YOU CANNOT BLAME THE GM OR THE PLAYERS. CLEARLY THEY ARE NOT FUNDAMENTALLY RETARDED OR ELSE THEY WOULDNT BE IN THE MAJORS... WILLIE RANDOLPH...PERIOD END OF STORY IT IS NOT THE ROSTER.....BEFORE THE YEAR WE WERE BACK ON TOP OF THE NL NOW THE ROSTER SUCKS??? BULLSHIT...ITS THE DAMN MANAGER...WAKE UP
The Mets bullpen stinks for the 2nd year running and the bench is an absolute disgrace this year. A big reason for this is Omar awarding multi-year deals to old broken down players who were decent for him in the past. To put all the blame for this joke of a team on Willie is as ridiculous as putting none of it on him.
Before the year? What the hell does it matter if we are the best team on paper when it's the end of May and they are two games under 500?
I was a Willy supporter (somewhat--more so than you guys, but I was kinda cool on him). But this is enough. The team has been awful. We need a shakeup.
Exactly. The guy's not enough of an asset with his in-game moves to really wait to see if everything shakes itself up on it's own. He's a bad in-game manager. We're not losing much if we lose him. This is a case where change for change's sake could end up working out. I do agree that Omar better be on the hotseat as well though, because this is his team.
Honestly should the Mets not win the next two against a struggling Rockies team Willie should be fired immediatley. I know Omar is in Denver with the team so a shakeup may be coming. I'm not absolving Omar of any blame either, he was the guy that traded Bannister, Heath Bell, Royce Ring, Lindstrom, Owens. In return we've gotten disapointments like Delgado, and nothings like Ben Johnson and Ambriox Burgos. Here are some of Omar's trades Mike Jacobs, Yusmeiro Petit for Carlos Delgado: Jacobs is having a good season but I think excluding the youth of Jacobs we got the better end of this. Heath Bell and Royce Ring to San Diego for Ben Johnson and John Adkins, even with Bell and Ring struggling I'd much rather have them in the bullpen then Schoensuck and Sosa and especially over two guys that aren't even MLB talent. Brian Bannister to KC for Ambriox Burgos, one of the worst trades in Omar's reign. Bannister may be inconsistent but when he is good he is very good and Burgos has pitched 23 innings since joining the Mets. Again MLB talent for a guy that can't make the roster especially given how bad our bullpen is. Matt Lindstrom and Henry Owens to Florida for Aam Bostick and Jason Vargas, again tarding away bullpen help for guys who aren't MLB talent. Who the hell is evaluating talent for this club? Owens hasn't pitched in the majors this year but Lindstrom has been pretty good for the Marlins this year. Jorge Julio to Arizona for El Duque.... can we call this one a draw? They both suck I think it's pretty obvious when looking at the trades, we've traded away so many bullpen players and have gotten back absolutely nothing in these trades. With all the pitchers he has traded we haven't even gotten back one quality player. Not one... that falls on Omar not Willie.
I'd be all for firing Willie, but what's the point of doing it midseason? Do we really have any better options? Better to see how the season turns out and then reassess, I think. Edit: Just saw the other Willie thread...My point is that we have no reason to believe Jerry Manuel will be even moderately successful.
Apparently Gary Carter thinks Willie is fired already. http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/05/24/today-in-the-journal-news-281/#comments
I don't see why Carter gets ripped? He follows the team and he is aware of the Willie situation. He knows the other shoe is going to fall soon, likely before the All-Star break ; which is a shame because than Willie won't get to be the bench coach for the NL. I'm sure he just wants to be in the running for the job WHEN Willie is fired.