Thanks to a blown 4-run lead last night to the recent struggling D-Bags, the New York Mets suffered their 5th consecutive loss and with Arizona machine Brandon Webb on the mound against the white Ollie (aka Mike Pelfrey), the odds of it stopping don't look so good. By extension, the 2nd edition of the guillotine hanging over Willie Randolph's head in 3 weeks returns.
The debate on whether Willie should go or not is as heated as the recent Democratic nomination race, with the fervent belief on each side intense. Those who want to keep Willie say that he's not the one blowing leads late, not hitting in the clutch and not hitting a curveball to save his life (21, we're looking at you) and that he can only do so much. The Willie haters point to his lack of emotion during the event that we shall not mention that led to this blog, the its not the end of the world attiude/entitlement that his team his carried for the last 12 months and his frequent mishandling of the bullpen. While I see both sides of the argument and each raise valid points, I have become of the opinion that Willie's time has come.
When Willie was on the hot seat last October after The Event That Shall Not Be Mentioned, it seemed unfair that Willie could be punished for having 2 bad weeks after 2 years of bringing the Mets back to contention. That being said, I wouldn't have entirely faulted Minaya and Co. for giving Willie the axe after such a traumatic event that obviously is still haunting this team and fanbase a la Grady Little in 2003 (other reasons aside). I also don't blame them for letting Willie stay and try to dig his way out of such a hole, but the way Met management is handling this situation is laughable.
As the players have echoed as much, either you fire Willie and get the circus over with, or you give him the season and ride it out. But to let the speculation hover around does no good for all parties involved. Despite all their eveidence to the contrary, the season can be saved as witnessed by the Phucking Phils last year and the Red Sox and Astros in 2004 (which should be noted, fired Jimy Williams around the All-Star break), each of whom kicked it around for a couple months.
As far as Willie acting like a cyborg during games. I don't expect him to be Lou Piniella, there's only a handful of managers like that in the league. But at some point, you have to get on your players for mailing it in as the Mets have done so often these past 12 months, even "Clueless" Joe Torre did it every so often. While it's true Willie isn't at fault for Beltran turning into Flushing's A-Rod, Delgado becoming the real life Pedro Cerrano and Oliver Perez reverting back to his 2006 Pittsburgh form, at some point, he becomes like any other boss, eventually the company's failures become your reponsibility. There is plenty blame to go around for the last 12 months (Brian Bannister for Ambiorix Burgos, anyone?), but ultimately, Willie is the general and needs to be relieved of his duties before this turns into the '96-'01 California/Anaheim Angels.
On a related note, the Mets said follwing a players-only meeting last night they plan to go 62-38 to finish the season and make the playoffs (uh,playoffs?). In related news, I plan to have Carrie Underwood's baby by June '09.
Yeah, she can get it.
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