At 3:18 this morning, embattled manager , Willie Randolph was fired by the New York Mets.
From the offical press release:
The New York Mets today named Jerry Manuel interim manager, replacing Willie Randolph. Manuel, in his fourth season with the Mets, had been bench coach since 2006. The Mets also named Ken Oberkfell, Luis Aguayo and Dan Warthen to the coaching staff. Rick Peterson and Tom Nieto have been relieved of their coaching duties.
Mets general manager Omar Minaya will hold a briefing with the media Tuesday, June 17 at 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. ET) in the media room at Angel Stadium. Mets manager Jerry Manuel will meet with the media immediately thereafter.
Wow. This was news I didn’t expect to wake up to, especially given the Mets improved play over the past six games (4-2), but it’s not surprising. Randolph’s days were numbered in Flushing. Even if he wasn’t entirely to blame for the Mets disappointing performance this season. Someone had to take the fall.
This isn’t Manuel’s first managerial …
Chien-Ming Wang’s injury has Yankees owner Hank Steinbrenner (pictured) fighting mad. So mad, he’s decided to call the National League out, chastising them for not having a designated hitter.
“My only message is simple. The National League needs to join the 21st century,” Steinbrenner said in Tampa, Fla. “They need to grow up and join the 21st century. Am I (mad) about it? Yes,” Steinbrenner added. “I’ve got my pitchers running the bases, and one of them gets hurt. He’s going to be out. I don’t like that, and it’s about time they address it. That was a rule from the 1800s.”
WFAN’s Mike Francesa said it best on the radio yesterday. Perhaps from now on we should parade all the Yankee pitchers in dresses. Would that make Hank happy?
Note to Hank: Pitchers were required to hit in both leagues until 1972. 1973 was the first year the American League introduced the DH. Wait… That’s the same year George Steinbrenner took over as managing partner of …
Often when a team struggles or falls into a slump, fans look for someone to blame. A team just can’t be over-matched one day, or possibly get shut down by a strong pitching performance. It’s always someone’s fault. In the case of the Mets, most people point to an obvious target: Willie Randolph.
Randolph is the field general. He sets the lineup, calls the plays, and decides when it’s time to go to the bullpen. It’s Randolph’s job to get the team motivated and playing good baseball. When they blow a lead, or leave runners in scoring position, Randolph’s the guy fans and the media alike look at.
Besides, when a team falters the manager’s the first person that gets the pressure put on him. Occasionally the front office will fire a warning shot and fire a hitting or pitching coach, but usually the manager’s the next to go.
When it comes to the Mets, I find it hard to place blame on one person. Their current disaster is a …
There’s no place like home, or so they say. Regardless, it has to be better than San Diego. Doesn’t it?
Shea Stadium has to be a welcome sight for the Mets after getting swept in San Diego. Whether it be Padres pitching (minus Jake Peavy and Chris Young) stifling the Mets offense, the umps squeezing Pedro Martinez (that’s why he gave up 10 hits and 4 runs), or Billy Wagner having a meltdown in the 8th (at least he still has his alpacas), absolutely nothing went right in San Diego.
Well after an off day, the Mets find themselves in a pretty tough spot, 30-32, 7.5 games behind the Phillies. Their .484 winning percentage is tied with the Pirates. You never want to be in the same category as the Pirates. It doesn’t look like it’s going to get much easier with the Diamondbacks in town for three games. Sure, the Diamondbacks have cooled from their red-hot start, but it’s not the team you can beat up on …
Can it get any worse for the Mets? They’re stuck in a three game tailspin where they’ve only been able to manage one run a game against a disappointing Padres team. This lack of run support wasted good starts by Johan Santana and Oliver Perez. Not to mention the Phillies keep winning, putting the Mets six and a half games behind their NL East rivals.
Well it’s gotten worse. The Mets have announced that outfielder Ryan Church has been shut down with post-concussion symptoms.
Church suffered his second concussion of the season on May 20th, when he took a Yunel Escobar knee to the head while trying to break up a game-ending double play. Church took a couple days off after the incident and was available for pinch-hitting duties, but has played minimal since.
Friday Church complained of a “Heartbeat in my head,” and team officials felt it best that Church not play until he’s further evaluated by doctors. He will fly back to New York with the Mets and be …
Well it appears Scott Schoeneweis is coming back to reality. The lefty reliever, who has been a pleasent surprise, reverted to his former ways handing the game to a struggling Padres team as the Mets lost in San Diego 2-1. The worst part about it is the Padres didn’t need to take the bats off their shoulder.
Schoeneweis entered the game in the ninth inning with the score tied 1-1. After promtly walking the first two batters (Scott Hairston & Brian Giles), Schoeneweis got Adrian Gonzalez to ground out, advancing the runners. Schoeneweis elected to intentionally walk Kevin Kouzmanoff, to load the bases (his third walk of the inning), and face Paul McNaulty. Unfortunately the first pitch McNaulty saw hit him in the shoulder, scoring Hairston and giving the Padres the victory.
“It’s tough to lose a game like that,” said Schoeneweis. “The last pitch just got away. It was one of those days, one of those things.”
The last pitch got away??? What about the eight …
June 3rd didn’t just mark the debut of Joba Chamberlain. The Mets had their own superstar pitcher returning and Pedro Martinez gave the Mets something to smile about. Martinez, who’s been sidelined with a strained hamstring and ailing father since April 2nd, picked up his first win of the 2008 campaign, as the Mets topped the Giants 9-6. Martinez went six innings allowing seven hits and three runs. He had some early control issues, walking three (one intentional), while striking out three. His fastball topped out at 91, with good movement. He was also impressive with the bat, going 2 for 3 with an RBI (the only other Met batter with more than one hit was Damion Easley).
Although his line doesn’t look very pretty in the box score – at least by Pedro’s standards – he didn’t pitch that bad. After allowing a single to Fred Lewis in the first, who scored on a Randy Winn double, Pedro didn’t allow a hit until the fifth (a double to Lewis). …
I guess Steve Bartman is once again a goat. The dimwit, who interfered with a foul ball in the 2003 playoffs, ultimately killing any World Series hopes for the Cubs, DID stop then Cubs outfielder Moises Alou from making an inning ending grab in foul ground.
At least that’s what Moises says now.
At the end of March, Jim Litke of the Associated Press ran a comment from Alou where he cleared Bartman of all wrong doing.
“Everywhere I play, even now, people still yell, ‘Bartman! Bartman!’ I feel really bad,” Alou, a Cubs left fielder in 2003, was quoted as saying. “You know what the funny thing is? I wouldn’t have caught it anyway.”
I guess spending half of the season on the disabled list helps to jog your memory because now he’s singing a different tune.
“I had it,” Alou said in the Mets’ clubhouse. “I make that catch, (the playoffs would have been a) different story.”
Thanks for the update Moises… So if you’re keeping score, it’s “Coulda had it” …
Most Knicks fans would be pleased with Mike D’Antoni signing a four-year deal to coach the Knicks. The former Suns coach boasts a career 267-172 record, and is considered an offensive genius. His Suns averaged over 110 points a game. Ranked in the bottom four of the Eastern Conference, the Knicks could definately use an offensive boost. I’m just not sure D’Antoni can work his magic in New York.
D’Antoni’s style is a fast-break style, with the Knicks running up and down the court. It involves an offense power forward, a big center who isn’t afraid to mix it up in the paint, and a point guard who leads the team down the floor, and isn’t afraid to pass the ball. With Amare Stoudemire, Shaquille O’Neal, and Steve Nash, D’Antoni’s style works. Unfortunately, the Knicks don’t have that type of cast.
David Lee, while a good power forward, isn’t going to overmatch you on either end of the floor. Eddie Curry can’t get out of his own way to be any-type of offensive force, and …
The Mets suffered a scary moment on Wednesday when outfielder Angel Pagan went over the side wall at Dodger Stadium. Pagan chased down a foul ball, and after he caught it, his momentum carried him over the wall, jarring his left shoulder on a seat.
Pagan remained in the game, and drove in an RBI, before aggravating the shoulder on a slide into second base.
Pagan had an MRI this morning which turned up negative. Officially Pagan is day-to-day with a left shoulder strain. Pagan was the main spark the Mets got off to a hot start this season, but was relegated to a reserve role when Moises Alou returned from the disabled list.
I’m glad Pagan isn’t going to miss much time. Aside from no one wants to see a player hurt, I really like Pagan’s style of play. He’s not afraid to sacrifice his body to make the play (obviously), and is very aggressive at the at the plate and on the bases. Sometimes we get caught in the “business of baseball”, …
Every Thursday, here on Hot Stove New York, we will take a look at Mets of the future, and how they are fairing in their respective minor league seasons.
One time top prospect Mike Carp has gotten lost in the shuffle. After taking the Florida State League by storm in 2006 (.286/17/87), Carp struggled when he reached Double-A ball. His power disappeared (11 home runs), and his average dropped over 30 points (.251). Well this is a new year, and Carp again is beginning to look like the heir appearent to Carlos Delgado. Through 33 games, Carp is batting .339 with 6 home runs and 23 RBI’s. It’s still too early to hand the job to Carp in the coming years, but it’s something worth keeping an eye on.
Top prospect Fernando Martinez has had his challenged at Double-A. The nineteen year-old center fielder has hit .250 with only one home run and twelve RBI’s. At 19, he might be playing out of his league, but there’s no doubt about Martinez’s ability. Once …
Billy Wagner hasn’t always been a fan favorite in the New York. His outspoken ways, coupled with blown saves have caused the fans to come down on the Amazin’s closer, but he’s taken it all in stride. Today’s Post has an in-depth interview with Wagner has he sat down with writer Steve Serby.
While some of the interview is the standard fluff that players feed the media, other parts are very candid, in the style Mets fans have gotten to know Wagner.
He thinks Joba Chamberlain should remain in the Yankee bullpen.
He feels Philadelphia fans are tougher on their players and despise New York because they lack recognition and live in the shadow of the Big Apple.
He let fans into his own personal life. About his four kids and how they raise Alpaca’s (something Phillies fans love to bring up), on his Virginia farm. He brought up how he’s always felt like an under dog, given his small stature and growing up without any money. He had to work harder then the other …
