Die Hard Mets Fan

That has to have been one of the busiest days in Mets land in a long time.  Unfortunately, three guys lost their jobs.  It’s a new regime now.  Jerry Manuel is the the interim manager of the Mets.  That sounds bad, but what do you expect as a Mets fan?

Mets.com:

Mets name Manuel interim manager - Anthony DiComo reported that the Mets promoted Jerry Manuel to interim manager.

Minaya explains Randolph’s dismissal

Manuel, Randolph share similarities

Mets fans react to Willie’s dismissal

Hurdle talks Randolph dismissal - Rockies manager Clint Hurdle had this to say about Randolph, “He’s a good baseball man. When a door closes for a man of his abilities, another one will open somewhere down the line.”

Mets face uphill climb in All-Star races - Anthony DiComo noted, “In the latest tally of online voting, released Tuesday by Major League Baseball, no Mets player is close to earning an All-Star start at his position.”

Williams proving he could be Draft steal - Kevin T. Czerwinski pointed out that the Mets’ 40th-round pick, Seth Williams, has been tearing it up in College World Series.

Mets sign, seal, deliver win for Pelfrey - Anthony DiComo summarized last night’s Mets-Angels game.

DH offers Mets plenty of options - Anthony DiComo put together a pregame analysis for tonight’s game between the Mets and the Angels.

Newsday:

More than 21,000 miles on Mets since May 1 - David Lennon believes that the players are tired because they have traveled 21,611 miles since the start of May.

New York Daily News:

Pals go to bat for Willie Randolph

Derek Jeter calls Willie Randolph firing ‘unfortunate’

Fans quick to condemn Mets’ handling of Willie Randolph firing

New York Times:

Mets Put Him In. Is He Ready to Play? - Joshua Robinson asks, “Recently the question has arisen: How much does a weary, and slumping, David Wright really help the Mets?”

The Star-Ledger:

Jose Reyes pulled from the game, reacts angrily

Firings and Hirings: A complete look at the Mets eventful day - The Star-Ledger compiled dozens of articles about a very busy day in Mets history.  If you check out the article then you will be able to read all of their articles about today.

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I’m in absolute disgust about how the Mets fired Willie so I want to compliment the media for bashing the way that the Mets fired Willie.  I was half asleep and heard it around 3:30 a.m. on WFAN.  I turned my laptop on and wrote about it as I was half asleep.  Now that I’m awake, I’m going to continue to express myself today.  I’m glad to see that the media sees it as I see it because usually that isn’t the case.

Newsday:

Mets’ handling of Willie cowardly - Jim Baumbach wrote…

Did the Mets know they were going to fire Randolph this past weekend? And did they intentionally wait for the team to head West to get away from their own fans and to go to a place where there will be five times fewer reporters? And why the ridiculous timing?

Here’s the sick part: By announcing at 3 a.m., the Mets undoubtedly figured they’d just miss the last deadlines for New York City newspapers, meaning there would be another 24 hours before the next day’s newspaper is published. So this way maybe something else can happen in the world and they won’t have to see their manager’s firing plastered all over the back pages, because it’s day-old news.

And if you’re a Mets fan, that should make you sick.

Wilpons are worst owners in town - Wallace Matthews wrote…

As a result, The Wilpons today assume sole possession of the title, “Worst Sports Owners in Town,” which is quite an accomplishment considering this town also boasts Charles Wang, Woody Johnson, the long-running reality show known as “The Steinbrenners,” and everyone’s favorites, Dolan & Son.

But not even James Dolan, the poster child for bad ownership, would have handled this as badly as the Mets, or more correctly, The Wilpons, did. From a personal standpoint, his worst crime was making Don Chaney drive to Westchester to run a Knicks’ practice session before wielding the axe. That hardly compares with schlepping a manager and two doomed coaches across the country on a red-eye flight following a doubleheader, only to send them all back again, jobless, less than a day later.

Like him or not, Willie’s firing was brutal - Barbara Barker wrote…

Yet, some firings are more vicious than others. And what the Mets did to Willie Randolph sometime before 3:14 this morning breaks the viciousness meter. And, no matter what you felt about Randolph as a manger, it also breaks your heart.

You can debate all you want whether Randolph deserved to be fired, but there’s no doubt he deserved better than this. He deserved better than to be strung out for weeks, flown 3,000 miles to the West Coast, only to get the ax in a strange hotel only hours after his team beat the California Angels.

New York Daily News:

Mets an utter disgrace for handling of Willie Randolph’s firing - Bill Madden wrote…

And in the history of New York baseball, there has not been a more cowardly, indecent, undignified or ill-conceived firing of a manager. Only the Mets - these Mets who have somehow lost their dignity since Fred Wilpon has chosen to drift further and further into the background - could embarrass themselves like this, firing Randolph, Peterson and first base coach Tom Nieto (and just what exactly did he do?) in their hotel rooms in Costa Mesa, Calif., and communicated by e-mail to the beat writers at 3 a.m. Eastern time.

Firing them, after having them fly all the way to the West Coast for a game against the LA Angels, a game which they won, when, clearly, they had made this decision days ago. GM Omar Minaya was the one who executed the firing - while refusing comment - but make no mistake, he was just the messenger. Jeff Wilpon and Tony Bernazard were the ones who really wanted Randolph fired. They just couldn’t figure out how, where or when to do it in order to best lessen the media fallout, and Minaya couldn’t help them.

New York Post:

MIDNIGHT MASSACRE AN AMAZIN’ ACT OF COWARDICE - Mike Vaccaro wrote…

Maybe that seems a simple proclamation. Maybe you think everyone knows about the Internet. Well, the men who run the Mets are quite obviously simple men, and sinister men, cowards cloaked in “no comments,” who have seen the way their baseball team has performed this year obviously decided: People don’t just need to be fired.

They need to be humiliated.

What a crowd, these bums are, all of them, from the Wilpons at the top to Omar Minaya down below, all of them who conspired to botch this firing worse than any firing has ever been botched. Ever. You wouldn’t trust these guys to run a 7-11, let alone a National League baseball team. What a joke. What a cowardly, dastardly joke.

A midnight massacre.

A 3 a.m. thrashing.

Disgraceful. Utterly, completely, disgraceful.

The Star-Ledger:

Graziano: Randolph’s Firing Is a Joke - Just Like the Mets - Dan Graziano wrote…

Willie Randolph is certainly devastated this morning. His first big chance at the job he dreamed of for so long has ended in ignominy. Less than two years after he came within one inning of the World Series, he is fired, and must be wondering if he’ll ever get another chance to manage in the major leagues.

But while Randolph likely can’t take this perspective, he’s well rid of the Mets and the Wilpons, who run their organization so poorly it’s hard to imagine any manager succeeding as long as they’re in charge of it.

When you’re around the Mets all the time, your neck starts to hurt because you shake your head so much. Every day, the evidence of organization-wide incompetence hits you right in the face.

I was never a fan of Willie’s growing up because I’m not a Yankee fan.  I didn’t really care one way or the other when he became the manager of the Mets.  Based on his record, he has the second best winning percentage in the history of the Mets franchise.  He handles himself with class, and the Mets showed him none.  This is not the first time the Mets have done something like this, it always happens like this.  Major League Baseball handles themselves poorly as well.  The combination of the two have built up in me over the years.  When that happens, I tend to back off little by little as a fan.  It’s a shame because it makes it harder for me to love the game and love the Mets.  It is the exact opposite with the NFL and the Giants.  The Mara family has more class than any other owners in the NFL so my love for them grows and grows regardless of the record each season.  The Mets are an embarrasement of an organization.

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So Willie managed to make it through the weekend after the Mets won the series against the Rangers two games to one.  Now the Mets are in Cali to take on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim or something like that.  Not really sure what that means…lol.  That would be like the New York Jets of East Ruthersford.  No matter how you slice it or dice it, it just sounds dumb.  The Angels went from representing the state to representing Anaheim to representing L.A. and Anaheim in my lifetime.  Who knows what they did prior to that.  Anyway, here’s the pitching probables for the series.

• 06/16/2008 - Mike Pelfrey (2-6) - Jered Weaver (6-6)
• 06/17/2008 - Johan Santana (7-4) - John Lackey (3-1)
• 06/18/2008 - Oliver Perez (5-4) - Jon Garland (6-4)

Mets.com:

Mets heave sigh of relief with split - Marty Noble summarized the second Rangers-Mets game yesterday.

Team cycle becoming a factor for Mets - Jon Blau wrote up a pregame analysis for tonight’s game between the Angels and the Mets.

Late-inning heroics not enough - Jon Blau summarized the first Rangers-Mets game yesterday.

Church itching to be back with Mets - Ryan Church stated, “It’s progressing every day, it’s getting better. I haven’t had any spells or anything like that. It’s just one of those things now, waiting out time on the DL.”

Newsday:

Willie deserves better from Jeff Wilpon - Wallace Matthews wrote that,

No one with the Mets has told Randolph he’s in trouble, not to his face, anyway. He must read it in the papers, leaked through Wilpon’s media lapdogs, hear it on the radio, discern it in the lukewarm votes of confidence from his general manager and the ominous inaccessibility of his bosses.

Randolph gets on plane, going day to day - Mark Herrmann pointed out that,

Minaya was asked by reporters if Randolph and the coaching staff will be working when the team plays the Angels in Anaheim, Calif., tonight, and gave only this vague response: “Willie is our manager. That situation is always under evaluation.”

When he was pressed again about the manager and the coaches, Minaya kept repeating the same basic theme. “You know my feelings on it,” he said. “I think we’re not playing to our potential and I would like to leave myself room to evaluate these things.”

Nine years since last hit, Cancel gets a big one - Katie Strang covered Robinson Cancel’s big pinch hit two-run single off Texas starter Kason Gabbard to break a 2-2 tie in the sixth inning.  Strang also pointed out, “Before his at-bat, fans were chanting Martinez’s name in hopes he’d get another at-bat during his first home start of the season, but fortunately for embattled Mets manager Willie Randolph, he did not oblige.”  That was a gutsy move by Willie, and he’s lucky it worked out.

New York Daily News:

Rick Peterson, Tom Nieto facing ax but Willie Randolph safe - for now - Adam Rubin wrote,

Sources have told the Daily News that principal owner Fred Wilpon and chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon have authorized Minaya to make the call on whether to fire Randolph, pitching coach Rick Peterson and first base coach Tom Nieto. Bench coach Jerry Manuel would ascend to manager if Randolph is ousted, while Triple-A New Orleans manager Ken Oberkfell and pitching coach Dan Warthen would join the major league staff.

A team insider speculated that Randolph could survive a first round of firings, saying: “I think the coaches are in trouble. That may be the compromise for now.”

I have no idea how firing the first base coach is going to get this team rolling.  Minaya has to realize that his players are the problem.

Mets bullpen finds a way to save face in second game vs. Rangers

Slow-footed Brian Schneider easily out at the plate - Now that was some poor base running by Brian Schneider.

Brooklyn Cyclones & Staten Island Yankees get farms up & runnin’

The Star-Ledger:

Hola from the OC

Monday Morning Mets Thoughts

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I’ve read a bunch of articles about everyone thinks that the Mets are doing the right thing by holding back Johan Santana until Friday night against the Yankees.  I strongly disagree with this concept, and I can care less what the Mets do in the interleague games.  The Mets need to win as many interleague games as possible, but not as much as they need to win division games and NL games.  The Mets make sure that their aces face the Yankees every year.  Last season, if they lost one more game against the Yankees and won one more game in their division then they would’ve won the NL East and played in the Playoffs.  The Mets are playing a four-game series against the Nationals right now.  They lost one already so they need to slam the door on the Nats.  So I believe Santana should remain in his normal spot.  Should New York bragging rights cost the Mets the division title?

 Order is restored - Marty Noble summarized last night’s game between the Nationals and the Mets.

Mets anything but conventional - Marty Nolbe wrote a pregame analysis for tonight’s game between the Nationals and the Mets.

Mets make several roster moves - Marty Noble lists all of the roster moves that the Mets made yesterday.  The New York Post covered this yesterday.

Shea Apple may move over to Citi Field - Marty Noble stated that the Home Run Apple may move over to Citi Field.  Mets COO Jeff Wilpon stated that it hasn’t yet been determined whether the old one can handle the move or whether a replacement will be necessary.  This is already old news.  This was released during Spring Training.

Newsday:

Church leads Mets to victory over Nationals - Anthony Rieber also summarized last night’s Nationals-Mets game.

Mets cut Figueroa loose

Vargas, Wise, Tatis replace Figueroa, Sosa, Pagan

Looks like Mets will have big apple at Citi Field

New York Daily News:

Ryan Church, John Maine lead Mets past Nationals 6-3 at Shea - Adam Rubin also put together a game recap for last night’s game between the Nats and the Mets.

Forget collapse, time for Mets to avoid a May daze - John Harper believes that the Mets have to take advantage of winning in May so they don’t have to worry about must wins in September when they may be unable to do it.

‘Girls’ can cheer as Figgy gets cut

Mets finally relieved of Jorge Sosa

New York Post:

METS GOING TO CHURCH - Bart Hubbuch summarized last night’s Nats-Mets game.

SANTANA GETS OK TO START VS. YANKEES

CITI FIELD SHAPING UP - Howie Rumberg describes how far along Citi Field has come.

New York Times:

For the Mets, New Faces, Better Result - Ben Shpigel summarized last night’s game between the Nationals and the Mets also.

Mets Making Moves and Noise

The Star-Ledger:

Clearer picture at new ballpark

Church rings true in win

Santana will start vs. Yanks

Final: Mets 6, Nationals 3

Thank you, Rick Peterson… - Dan Graziano thanks the Mets as an organization for pitching Johan Santana against the Yankees.

Game 37: Nationals at Mets - Jeremy Cothran provided the lineup for last night’s Nats-Mets game.

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Major League Baseball continued to make a mockery of itself today in Congress.  Clemens is toast, but I knew that already.  Every time he says a sentence, he makes the situation worse.  I enjoyed the mockery because I always thought Clemens was a piece of crap since he cried after losing to the Mets in the World Series in 1986.  All he does is whine.  Then he threw the bat at Piazza.  He has always been scum.  The simplest reason why they were in Congress today was because there were discrepancies in the Mitchell Report.  If Clemens admitted it like everybody else in the report then Congress would not have held the session today.  It should never be in Congress because MLB should be able to police themselves as everybody suggests, but Bud Selig is too incompetent to police anything.  He had to hire a Senator to create a report just to discover that a steroid problem existed.  Selig needs to step down. 

 Sanchez aiming to play pivotal role - I agree with Marty Noble 100% about Duaner Sanchez.  Sanchez was a stud prior to his injury.  We need to see if he can get back to being a stud.  If Duaner can then the Mets are going to have a great season because he’s the one that will fill the void from the starter to the closer.

Notes: Santana makes first appearance - Marty Noble notes that ”Johan Santana made his first appearance at the Mets’ Spring Training headquarters and, in relative privacy, threw for about 15 minutes. Niemann caught, while Rick Peterson, the big league pitching coach, observed. Later Peterson and Santana auditioned each other. And all was right in the Mets’ world.”

Around the Horn: Bench - Marty Noble examines the Bench in the final article of his weekly column ‘Around the Horn’.

Newsday:

Citi Field, Mets new home, quickly taking shape - Roderick Boone lets you know all about the status of Citi Field.  I’m excited about the new stadium.  I do not like the corporate name, and I will miss Shea…who won’t?  But, I’m excited about the new stadium.

New York Daily News:

Major League Baseball acts on John Rocker’s steroid curve - Ian Begley points out that former Brave, John Rocker, stated that baseball doctors as well as union doctors basically informed players in Texas how to use steroids safely.  Due to this claim, Major League Baseball is investigating the situation.

Citi Field making progress - Oren Yaniv also reports on the progress of Citi Field.

Infielder Olmedo Saenz with Mets - Adam Rubin further discusses the Mets acquiring Olmedo Saenz.

New York Post:

WILPON EAGER TO SIT ON CITI PORCH - According to Mark Hale, “Mets COO Jeff Wilpon is such a fan of the right field porch at Citi Field that he’s going to personally own seats there. Right field may be far away from the batter’s box, but for Wilpon, being in the porch is worth it. The porch will stand approximately 30 feet tall and extend over the field for 8 to 10 feet.”

New York Times:

An Uneven Year Over, a Met Seeks the Grind - Joe Smith says he’ll do whatever the Mets want to help out the team, according to Ben Shpigel.

New Home for Mets: On Time, On Budget

The Star-Ledger:

The Mets Close To Adding Another… - Jeremy Cothran points out that the Mets may bring Ben Johnson back.

Who Picks Up the Call to the Bullpen?

Citi Field honors past

Reliever seeking new start with Mets - Jeremy Cothran also discusses Joe Smith.

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Most of the news is about the Mets introducing Johan Santana.  People are so upset about the Pedro Martinez video that it got removed from YouTube.  I agree with him though.  It is legal and part of the custom in his country so it’s not a problem because he did it over there.  I’ve never been to the Domincan Republic to know, but I’ve been to Puerto Rico and I’ve seen cockfighting arenas the size of small stadiums.  It would be different if he tried to do it here.  I’d bash him for that just like I did about Michael Vick.  On a positive note, Billy Joel will perform the final concert at Shea Stadium.  That’s pretty cool because they play ‘New York State of Mind’ at the end of the games already.  It’s not like the Mets are going to get the Beattles back. 

 Joel concert to help close Shea era - Ben Apatoff noted that Billy Joel will perform a concert, “dubbed “The Last Play at Shea,” will take place on Wednesday, July 16, 2008. The show will make Joel the first artist in history to perform at all four of New York City’s major sporting venues; Shea Stadium, Yankee Stadium, Giants Stadium, and Madison Square Garden, where Joel sold out a record-breaking 12 consecutive shows in 2006.”

Church, Mets agree on contract - Marty Noble reported this about Ryan Church, ”The Mets are down to one potential salary arbitration case after they settled their case with their outfielder Ryan Church. The right fielder agreed to a $2 million salary for the 2008 season, an increase of $1,605,000 over the salary he earned with the Nationals last season.”

Newsday:

Mets welcome Santana

Mets got more than just an ace in Santana - Ken Davidoff believes that the Mets also got this out of Johan Santana, “They got themselves a warrior and a deep thinker. Someone who not only wants the rewards of greatness, but takes on the responsibilities of it.”.

Source: Billy Joel to headline “Last Play at Shea”

YouTube video shows Pedro involved in cockfight

New York Daily News:

Video of Pedro Martinez at cockfight taken off Web site

Johan Santana fired up for new chapter

Mets have a right to be euphoric - John Harper stated this after the Mets introduced Santana. 

Hagin set to join Mets’ radio team - According to Adam Rubin, the Mets finally filled the vacancy on the radio team, and Wayne Hagin is the man.

Video shows Pedro Martinez, Juan Marichal at cockfight

New York Post:

SANTANA HAS A DAY AT SHEA

PAYROLL WON’T BE A PROBLEM, WILPON SAYS

PEDRO’S PITCH: JOHAN A BETTER PERSON THAN PLAYER

OMAR: FORGET DUQUE’S BRO’ - Omar Minaya no longer sees the need to acquire Livan Hernandez now that they have Santana.

The Star-Ledger:

Hernandez Brothers’ Reunion on Ice?

Mets’ Pedro Martinez is shown in cockfighting video

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Johan Santana was introduced to the Mets by Omar Minaya at 1:15 p.m. on February 6, 2008.  Minaya said it is a historic day for the Mets.  He noted that the weekend was a great weekend for New York sports, but today starts baseball.  Minaya said that an organization strives to achieve excellence.  They believe they accomplished this by acquiring Santana.  Minaya stresses the support he has received from the Wilpon’s.  Minaya also expressed the excitement level of the organization.  Minaya said he looking forward to a great season and as well as a great era by introducing Johan Santana.

Johan Santana stood up on the podium and looked great in his # 57 Mets pinstripes jersey, and he took some photo shoots.  Johan thanked everybody included in bringing him to New York.  He’s looking forward to a new chapter in his life.  Santana wants to keep doing what he’s been doing.  Then Johan fielded some questions.  He said that he wanted to play in New York because this team has the right pieces to go all the way, and he is excited about it.  Santana said New York is the capital of the world.  Johan stated that hitting is a challenge, and he is looking forward to it.  He said it is a learning process to play successfully in New York.  Santana is here to win a World Series.  He feels like the Mets have the right guys and the right Coach to make it happen.  He knows a bunch of the Latino players on the team, but more importantly the Mets had the right guys to be successful.  He complimented former teamate Luis Castillo, and he is happy that he will play with him again.  About the Mets being a favorite to win, he is very confident in his ability, and he will do his part to win a championship for the Mets.  He said that he will have to make adjustments about switching from the AL to the NL.  In regards to his less than stellar results late in the 2007 season, he doesn’t have an answer for it and it’s just part of the game.  Regarding the pressure of having to perform after the collapse, he stated that he is here to perform, and he is ready for the challenges, and to start a new season in 2008.  He hopes the dimensions of Shea Stadium will help him, but he’s ready and going to give it a go here.

The following people were interviewed by Mike and the Mad Dog from WFAN.

Jeff Wilpon believed that they were going to do what it took to get Santana.  Wilpon said that the Mets do 5-year contracts, and that is what was offered to Santana after the first year.  Also, there are performance benchmarks, and if he delivers then the Mets can add an option year for a 6th year which include Cy Young Awards and innings pitched, etc.  On coming off a bad finish and going into a new stadium, Jeff said that Santana is an icon, and he believes that if santana can get 300 strike outs and keep an ERA under 3.0 then the expectations are big.  He states that Santana is a hard worker and a tough kid.  The Mets don’t like to pay the luxury tax, and Wilpon said they are still under it.  Jeff was aware that there was plenty of room to work with prior to the trade.  He still feels like they have room to make acquisitions during the year if need be.  About Glavine’s final game, Wilpon said he wanted to do something to make the team better.

Omar Minaya said they were able to keep Hernandez.  Minaya felt like they gave up good players in the trade, but he wanted to make the deal.  Omar said that the GM of the Twins, Billy Smith, was looking for a combination of major league ready players and players that were further away.  He said that he wanted to know how Santana was in the clubhouse and what the players he faced had to say about him.  According to his inquiries, Santana’s work ethics were fine.  Minaya pointed out that Santana can have 10 strike out within 100 pitches which is incredible.  Regarding when Santana struggled in late 2007, Omar said that Santana was disappointed when the Twins traded away good players.  About prior stars stuggling in New York, he said he’s not worried about it, but those things happen sometimes.  There’s a transitional period in New York so he would not be surprised if it happened.  Minaya feels like Santana will pull back and figure it out.  Omar saw it happen with Beltran.  It happens.  According to him, Pedro Martinez is excited about getting Santana.  Pedro said Santana wants to come to the National League so he can get a Cy Young in each league.  Santana said he felt like he was special when Pedro asked him for his autograph.  Last, Minaya felt confident that the players are going to move past the collapse.  Omar feels like Santana re-energizes the team.  He said the players were embarrased after the collapse.

David Wright thinks everybody knows what Santana does on the field, and Wright has friends on the Twins that say Santana’s a great guy in the clubhouse and should mesh well with the team.  David thinks the collapse will always be in the back of their minds, and he thinks it will keep it from happening again.  He thought they didn’t have that swagger and that attitude like they did in 2006.  Wright thinks they need that swagger back.  About the Phillies, David feels like they have some veterans that let their gloves do the talking.  He thinks he has a long way to go about improving his defense from last season.  Wright feels like he improved his arm strength and accuracy during the offseason.  In order to make that happen, he did a lot of long throwing…much more so than in the past.  David said Reyes had his slump in September.  After losing that last game, he said it was tough to see the fans with their hands over their faces.

Willie Randolph didn’t like what happened the day before that final game with the fight against Florida.  Randolph never expected Tom Glavine to have that type of game.  Their core players lost confidence and struggled at the wrong time.  Willie stated that Reyes couldn’t steal a base for two weeks, and that was infathamable.  He felt like Reyes didn’t know how to get out of a funk because he had 3 years of success.  About Church and Shneider, Randolph felt like they have a player to take over for Green, and he feels like Schneider will catch 100 games and Castro about 60 games.  Willie feels really good about Carlos Delgado.  About Gotay, he thinks Gotay needs to learn how to be more versatile.  Regarding handling the 8th inning in 2008, Randolph wants to know where Sanchez is.  Willie noted that Heilman has done a great job in the past.  About Perez and Maine, he feels good about them but they have to prove themselves to him regarding consistency.

Johan Santana is looking forward to coming to the NL.  Santana is very excited and happy to be in New York.  Johan has to hit and run the bases which is an adjustment.  He wanted to stay with the Twins for his entire career, but he understands that it’s part of business.  Regarding to living up to a new contract, Santana said time will tell, he’s not trying to overdue things here, he knows exactly what he has to do personally to do well.  Johan stated that the goal is to win the World Series.  About the pressure of that, he said it takes 25 guys to win as a team, and he is not going to try to carry the team on his back.  Pedro was his favorite player, and he wants to learn from him.  About the Twins losing to the A’s two years ago, Santana said that they just didn’t execute well.  Johan thinks he has to be optimistic about what you do.  About this consistency, he is always willing to learn, to listen, and to make himself better.  Santana said he works hard to stay at that level.  On his performance last year, Johan said your gonna have ups and downs, that’s what happened last year, it’s part of the game, he was battling, but it’s fine.

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Here is the statement released by COO Jeff Wilpon yesterday: 

On behalf of Fred [Wilpon], Saul [Katz] and myself, all of us at the Mets are bitterly disappointed in failing to achieve our collective goal of building upon last year’s success. We did not meet our organization’s expectations — or those of our fans.

We will continue our commitment in providing the resources necessary to field a championship team. We will be meeting with Omar [Minaya] shortly for him to present his plan on addressing our shortcomings so that we can achieve our goal of winning championships in 2008 and beyond.

Our fans deserve better results. We thank them for their record-breaking support this season.

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