Mets Fire Randolph, Embarrass Themselves in Process

The New York Mets filed for their divorce from manager Willie Randolph early this morning east coast time.

The team cut ties with the second winningest manager (by percentage) in franchise history — the official announcement crossing the wire via press release at about 3:15 a.m. EST. It’s actually quite fitting of an organization that has, in many ways, derailed over the course of the last two years.

If you frequent this blog from time to time, you know of my allegiance to the Mets. I am a lifelong fan and season ticket holder since 2000. While I’ve never been an adamant Willie supporter, I’ve also never piled on the guy or unilaterally claimed that firing him was the answer curing the Mets ills. As I’ve said time and time again, this team is severely flawed in many ways, a phenomenon that points the arrow of culpability just as squarely on some other individuals, as it does to Willie.

So, this morning my emotions are mixed. I could drone on for hours about all the reasons this move was right or wrong. I could lament how seemingly “unfair” it is that players getting $100M contracts are largely free of consequence for underperforming, or how illogical it seems that the manager is the only fall guy despite not having the opportunity to swing a bat or turn a double play. But these are the realities of today’s game, for better or worse. You simply can’t fire your entire bullpen. You can’t release players making $10M/year for hitting .240 or going 0-for-the-season with RISP.

Instead of attempting to wax poetic on those broader “issues of the game,” I’ll try to keep it simple. Because, to be honest, I’m not entirely sure all of the things I’m feeling this morning. Here’s what I do have some opinions about.

The Mets are an old and mediocre ballclub. Willie was not the reason for the Mets struggles, nor was he the solution to improving their play. Sometimes Willie managed the Mets like he was overseeing a Little League team, making sure certain players got opportunities they never deserved and costing the squad a game here or there because of those moves. But, for the most part, I didn’t have any major problems with Willie Randolph.

What I do have problems with, like so many columnists have already opined on, is the way in which this whole thing went down. Simply put, the Mets can’t even get a firing right. For those who haven’t heard the sordid details, just read any of the columns from the local media who all have it nailed.

On a day when the Willie Randolph era officially ends in New York, I am not excited about the prospect of a reinvigorated team. I’m not even relieved to be turning the page from this drawn out saga. Instead, I feel badly for Willie and embarrassed to be a fan of this organization. Instead of moving forward, I feel like this organization has taken a self-inflicted leap backwards.

Tonight, Jerry Manuel will take the helm as the Mets play the second of their set in Anaheim. What’s been done can’t be undone. It matters not how well Omar gets trained by his media people. Whatever comes out of his mouth henceforth won’t hold much water if he were to even admit some missteps (which will never happen). His actions brought to mind for me the likes of Bobby Petrino, making you ponder “what kind of man is this?”

There is only thing that can bring this team a modicum of respect in the near-term. There is one group that can take action to try to make something right out a situation that is all sorts of wrong. It is the same group who is ultimately most responsible for the events of the past few months. And that is the players. Tonight, we’ll see what the Mets, the men who put on the uniform every day, are all about. Perhaps their play on the field can serve to momentarily divert attention from this ugly black eye.

In the meantime, Omar Minaya should slink back into the shadows with the same sleazy stealthiness with which he glided into Anaheim for his midnight hatchet job. And maybe take a hard look in the mirror and ask himself a few questions.