Die Hard Mets Fan

Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News reported that…

The Mets have fired manager Willie Randolph, pitching coach Rick Peterson and first base coach Tom Nieto, the team announced shortly after 3 a.m. on Tuesday.

Bench coach Jerry Manuel has been named the team’s interim manager, while Ken Oberkfell, Dan Warthen and Luis Aguayo will join the staff.

That’s the extent of the article, but it’s 3:30 in the morning.  I’m sure there will be tons of articles in a few hours.  I’m upset that the Mets fired Willie, I don’t care one way or the other about Peterson or Nieto.  I’m actually glad that Nieto didn’t get fired by himself which was a rumor.  That rumor confused me because that wasn’t going to make an impact.

The Mets are very classless for firing Willie one night after he flew out to sunny southern California.  The Mets won their game, and three coaches got whacked.  The Mets should’ve fired him at home over the weekend so he can go home and not be bothered.  I’m not looking forward to Jerry Manuel managing my boys in blue and orange.  It is one thing to upset me by firing a manager that I like, but it is another thing to lack class when firing him which is what just happened.  It’s twice as disappointing to me as a Mets fan.  Obviously, Willie has more class than the Wilpons will ever have.  The Wilpons handle things very poorly, and it diminishes my love for the franchise.  One example is how they handled the collapse…they ran and hid.

Like I said the other day, if the Mets fire Willie than I want Bobby V. not Jerry Manuel.  If only Omar had the cajones to admit that he gave Willie garbage to manage then this wouldn’t happen.  Let me know what you think about how the Mets handled this.

Share This

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

Share This

I apologize for not writing yesterday, and getting around to it really late today.  I was traveling home from NH yesterday.  I got home fairly late.  This morning, my dog Murphy drank a little bit of the mop bucket that contained ammonia.  Murphy was vomitting all day, and I had to clean all of that up and take care of my pooch.  He seems to be a little better now, but it was a long day. 

 Santana ready for what New York brings - We’ll see when he shows up and pitches in New York.

Beltran to Rollins: ‘We’re team to beat’ - When you say stuff like this, you must deliver.  Especially when the Mets are coming off of a year where they already were good enough to win the division, but couldn’t win another game.  It seems like this prediction stuff has worked recently.  Jimmy Rollins called it last year.  Plaxico Burress, of the NY Giants, called it this year.  In years past, predictions were a big no-no.  However, it seems like people are delivering.  So make sure you win the division Mr. Beltran.

Notes: Mets trio recovering from injuries - Anthony DiComo wrote about Mets players that are coming back from injuries.

Randolph looking ahead to new season - Anthony DiComo covered Willie Randolph’s press conference.

Notes: El Duque confident in starting - Anthony DiComo covered multiple topics in this article.

• Orlando Hernandez plans on starting.
• Jose Reyes and Ryan Church showed up to Spring Training on Friday.
• Willie again confirmed that Church is the right fielder unless he really stuggles hitting lefties.
• Matt Wise wants to make the Postseason and be part of the roster.
• Sandy Alomar Jr. expressed his desire to become a coach so the Mets named him the Catching Instructor.  Alomar Jr. is replacing Nieto.  Tom Nieto is now going to be the First Base Coach.
• The Mets also signed Brady Clark to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training.

Who will win the World Series? John Schlegel asked MLB General Managers to predict who will win the World Series.  Schlegel included quotes and graphs to provide the results.

Pedro, Johan get things started - Marty Noble talks about the Mets’ pair of aces, Santana and Martinez.

Notes: Schoeneweis clears the air - According to Marty Noble,

Scott Schoeneweis cleared the air on Thursday about his misidentified involvement with steroids.

Schoeneweis had met with people from the Commissioner’s Office in December to discuss an ESPN report alleging he had violated the collective bargaining agreement by using steroids. The office determined it had insufficient evidence of a violation to warrant discipline.

Schoeneweis said the Mets and other clubs he had played for were aware of his use, which was tied to his treatment of testicular cancer.

“I was just trying to get to normal, not above normal. It’s all well-documented,” Schoeneweis said.

At the end of the article, Noble pointed out that the Mets ended up signing Ben Johnson to a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training.

Newsday:

Martinez shedding no tears for Clemens

Pedro on ‘roids: ‘I dominated that era and I did it clean’

Make no mistake, Randolph needs a playoff berth

El Duque expects to be in rotation

Reyes skips refrain to ‘September Mourn’ - I’ll start rooting for Reyes in September when it matters, and the Mets too.

Wagner: Bullpen key to Mets’ playoff chances

For Schoeneweis, MySpace is in a parking lot

Enough of steroids: Let’s get back to sports

New York Daily News:

Willie Randolph breaks down how he’ll learn from 2007 collapse

Mets springing ahead but can’t forget that steep September fall

Jose Reyes is quick to move on

Ryan Church has faith vs. lefties

Pedro Martinez on Johan Santana: ‘I’m glad he’s on our side’

Pedro Martinez proud of clean rehab in steroid-plagued era

Pedro Martinez downplays controversy over cockfighting

Scott Schoeneweis feels vindicated

New York Post:

A BIG LEAD - Bart Hubbuch also discusses how Jose Reyes showed up to Spring Training ahead of schedule.

DUQUE: I’M NOT GOING TO PEN

RANDOLPH: NO DRASTIC CHANGES

FALL IS FORGOTTEN

RANDOLPH READY TO GO

SCHOENEWEIS: I’M NOT LIKE OTHER STEROID USERS - Scott Schoeneweis claims that he had testicular cancer and was prescribed to take steroids.  I have known children and teenagers that have been prescribed steroids to recover from certain illnesses.  I know that takes place in the real world, but I’ve never heard that MLB allows steroids for any reason.  If not then these guys need to get healthy on their own time.  If they recover and can get back in the game then good for them.  If not then so be it.

IT’S NO SMALL WONDER HIS NAME IS STILL CLEAN - Pedro continues to brag about doing his job…pitching without using steroids.

PETITE PEDRO HAS BODY OF EVIDENCE - Bart Hubbuch says that Pedro feels great and he’s happy to have Santana.

New York Times:

Lo Duca Says He Made a Mistake - I agree, and I believe that all of the steroid guys should be thrown out of the game.

Santana’s Here, and Mets Are ‘Team to Beat’

Randolph Confident Mets Can Kick ‘Funk’

Reyes Happy the Mets Didn’t Give Up on Him

The Star-Ledger:

Beltran: Mets are team to beat

Jose Reyes, Sparkplug - Matthew Artus breaks down Jose Reyes’ stats during 2007.

Randolph looks for sun through the clouds

Reyes getting up to speed

Rested Pedro feeling like ace

Wright: Let’s talk baseball

Share This