Newsday: Willie Randolph is day to day

Randolph did leave Shea Stadium for the team bus on the way to the airport, but who knows what will happen when he gets there?

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."
...
Carlos Beltran said: "We're here to play baseball. We know as a team we're not winning, we're not playing to the capability that we can play. But they have told that he's going to be our manager, he's still our manager. So we're not worried about his job. That's what they said to us two weeks ago and it hasn't changed, not that I know."

Minaya said, though, "The players were not told that."

The general manager will join the team in California tomorrow, perhaps looking to shake up the roster. The Denver Post reported yesterday that the Mets have talked to the Rockies about reliever Brian [Fuentes].

They either need to fire him or let it be known that he will be manager until the ASB or some other arbitrary date when the situation will be re-evaluated. This is a ridiculous way to deal with the situation where the team has to answer questions about Willie losing his job after every loss.

They either need to fire him or let it be known that he will be manager until the ASB or some other arbitrary date when the situation will be re-evaluated. This is a ridiculous way to deal with the situation where the team has to answer questions about Willie losing his job after every loss.

Agreed. This was a stupid situation with Torre, except that was at least done annually. We're really on a weekly system here? If it didn't mean losing millions of dollars, I'd suggest that Willie just quit.

I'd fire him personally. Firing the manager is one of the few things you can do as a GM to play ball with the more annoying members of the press without seriously impacting your team's chances of winning.

I dare Minaya to fire Willie while in transit. Give him a parachute over St. Louis and say "jump"

For crying out loud, will they just get it over with?!?

Willie should have been fired after the "boo hoo SNY picks on me" and "they're mean to me just like they were to Herm and Isiah" (paraphrases) comments. And if they had, Joe Smith would have been at AA where he belongs, and we'd be at least .500.

If we could get Fuentes without giving up too much, it will be a strong addition to the bullpen. Wonder what the Rockies are asking for in return...

They'd probably rather give us Corpas, and they should pass on that idea.

If we could get Fuentes without giving up too much, it will be a strong addition to the bullpen. Wonder what the Rockies are asking for in return...

I'm sure the Rockies would settle for one of the 15 future Hall of Famers that the Mets have in AA and high A.

Say levski, how did your bet with Treder on Randy Johnson turn out?

Apparently the Rockies asked for Schoeneweis and the Mets stopped negotiations.

That's Omar for ya.

Apparently the Rockies asked for Schoeneweis and the Mets stopped negotiations.

That's Omar for ya.

Schoeneweis and Heilman.

I'm still worried that we'll end up having to turn over Evans or Tejada as the PTBNL in the Nixon deal.

Schoeneweis and Heilman.

Show *and* Heilman? That changes everything. Whew, dodged a bullet there.

Say levski, how did your bet with Treder on Randy Johnson turn out?

I won on the ERA, lost on the IP & K. Back surgery and all.

I'm still worried that we'll end up having to turn over Evans or Tejada as the PTBNL in the Nixon deal.

And here I was hoping for David Wright.

If the PTBNL is anything like the return from the Shawn Green trade, Omar robbed JByrnes again.

I don't know whether the Mets budget prevented him from doing so or if he felt it wasn't necessary but Minaya made a mistake in not acquiring a reliever better than Matt Wise to help in the setup role. I really wanted him to sign Dotel because I was worried about Sanchez and Heilman as the eighth inning guys. The Mets need to find a setup man pretty badly. Sanchez is good when he is hitting 91-92 but his stuff is inconsistent. Heilman has been a disaster but he could always turn things around. Still, Fuentes would be a big help.

At this rate, the Dbacks will have both Brandon Lyon and Juan Cruz up for grabs in 6 weeks.

Willie Randolph is day to day


Aren't we all?

Heilman has been a disaster but he could always turn things around. Still, Fuentes would be a big help.

Heilman is just a tad too homer-prone for me to feel secure in a critical September game. Particularly against lefties with power, Heilman relies on that tailing fastball which tails into the down and in power zone. I cringe everytime he locates a pitch there.

NY Daily News: Rick Peterson, Tom Nieto facing ax but Willie Randolph safe - for now

It's believed that Minaya abruptly changed his travel plans as the Mets' team bus was about to depart Shea Stadium on Sunday night and quietly joined the team for its cross-country flight following Sunday's doubleheader split against the Rangers that left the Mets 33-35.
...
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 like the Nixon pickup. He's definitely going to help even if he does nothing but replicate last year's numbers.

The Mets and Diamondbacks have a fair bit of business in recent years. Omar and Byrnes have a good waorking relationship.

I think I'd do that Fuentes deal. Fuentes is a Type-A free agent. You unload Schoenewiess' contract and you'll get a pick for Fuentes if he leaves at the end of the year. Heilman is never going to be a great reliever even if he returns to his 2006-2007 levels.

Apparently, Minaya offered Heilman, the Rockies wanted Show as well, and the Mets said no. Minaya likes Show because he limits the power of lefties. He is thinking about Utley and Howard. Depends on how much salary the Mets are supposed to be eating, IMO.

Firing Tom Nieto? What has Nieto done wrong?

Peterson's done a decent job - not sure that you can blame the bullpen's implosion on him.

Still this could turn out alright - Warthen did a pretty good job with Sosa last year, and he's working wonders with Armas and Stokes down in AAA this year.

What they should do is move Jerry Manuel to 3rd base coach, move Sandy to 1st base coach, and appoint Oberkfell to be the "tactics" coach on the bench.

little Willy, Willy won't go home
But you can't push Willy round
Willy won't go,
try tellin' everybody but,
oh no
Little Willy, Willy won't go home

Haha, if the Rockies are insane enough to reconsider a Fuentes for Heilman/Schoenweis deal, I'd give levski's next kid to the Rockies' GM as tribute.

My theory is, Omar's trying to keep Willie around as long as possible because, once Willie's head has rolled and the media is done celebrating and starts looking around for more blood... Omar knows who's next.

Peterson's done a decent job - not sure that you can blame the bullpen's implosion on him.

What has he done that is especially good? How much credit does he get for Maine? I was willing to give him some credit for Perez but that's looking like a semi-fluke.

Way too early to tell, but if Pelfrey continues with this type of season - 4.2ish ERA, I think Peterson should get some credit for that.

I think I'd do that Fuentes deal. Fuentes is a Type-A free agent. You unload Schoenewiess' contract and you'll get a pick for Fuentes if he leaves at the end of the year. Heilman is never going to be a great reliever even if he returns to his 2006-2007 levels.

You THINK you'd do that deal. You think you can spare Scott Schoenewiess and Aaron Heilman, really??

If that's true, Dan O' Dowd is a moron.

Fine, the Rockies can have Robinson Cancel too.

Even with his struggles this year, Aaron Heilman has a 3.35 career ERA as a reliever which is good for 125 ERA+ and he's a reliever who you had been able to count on for 80-90 IP a year. If he returns to that level, he's one of the better setup men in the NL. And he won't be a free agent until after the 2010 season.

Schoeneweiss dominates lefties. Garbage against righties but he's an excellent LOOGY. He's overpaid but the Mets can afford it.

Maybe I am overrating Met players but it's not a slam dunk, IMO.

Speaking of which, is anyone in the media going to mention that Willie (or Omar) has been carrying Cancel as the 3rd catcher and all he's been used for is PHing. I mean he's never used to provide catcher flexibility, which even if stupid, would at least justify carrying Cancel on this roster.

I hope they use Castro as the DH even against righties but I doubt they will. They'll probably use Anderson.

first base coach Tom Nieto.

Nieto! I knew it was him. Even when it was the bears Randolph, I knew it was him.

Russlan, I love you as a fellow chatterer, but that trade is more lopsided than the Louisiana Purchase. Fuentes has had 3 consecutive excellent seasons in Colorado - he's in that second tier of great relievers. If we can get him for a LOOGY and decent setup man who currently sucks, if you even have to think about that for a millisecond ...

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."

Awesome idea. Best not to actually resolve the situation too quickly. Let's see if we can totally disrupt the team while leaving this thing hanging a little bit longer. The Mets should either just fire Willie or announce that he will be the manager for the remainder or the season. Anything else is chickenshit.

It really is horrifying how indecisive the Mets have become. First the Beato and Flores screwups. Then letting Milledge get flogged from within his own clubhouse. Then the Church situation - which is a joke. Now this... Willie should have been canned 2 weeks ago. At this point, I'm beginning to feel for the man, and I can almost see giving him the rest of the season.

Russlan, I love you as a fellow chatterer, but that trade is more lopsided than the Louisiana Purchase. Fuentes has had 3 consecutive excellent seasons in Colorado - he's in that second tier of great relievers. If we can get him for a LOOGY and decent setup man who currently sucks, if you even have to think about that for a millisecond ...

Ok, now I know I am definitely overvaluing Met players.

I'm irrational when it comes to Met prospects. I have little attachment to serviceable relievers, particularly as Show and Heilman have been two of the culprits in sabotaging our season thus far.

The daily installment of WillieWatch*

We're all just waiting for them to get done pulling Willie.

Has anyone mentioned yet how stupid it is to have a manager's job hang on game to game basis? Either dig in and accept he's your guy for the rest of the year or fire him. What are they waiting for, the results of a focus group study?

So can we assume that Mets win serise vs. Angels, Willie stays but Mets loses series, Willie goes?

Sorry to beat a dead horse, but:

Flores (23 y/o): .311/.383/.557, 4 HR, 25 RBI in 106 ABs.
Schneider (31 y/o): .255/.337/.315, 2 HR, 15 RBI in 149 ABs.

Forget about Willie, Omar still deserves to burn for this and I will shed no tears when he's gone.

It really is horrifying how indecisive the Mets have become. First the Beato and Flores screwups. Then letting Milledge get flogged from within his own clubhouse. Then the Church situation - which is a joke. Now this... Willie should have been canned 2 weeks ago. At this point, I'm beginning to feel for the man, and I can almost see giving him the rest of the season.

I still think Willie should go, I also think Omar should go now too- RIGHT NOW- before Nick Evans/Carp/ everyone warm body not nicknamed FMart really do get dealt as PTBNLs for some has beens... as Omar thrashes around frantically.

I think the worst thing that ever happened to Minaya was Valentin's 2006 season... It's like he has this compulsive need to haul in every 30 something who had a productive MLB season some time in the last 10 years- just to see if something is left in the tank...

Randolph about to get s---canned. Minaya is incompetent. Alou is hurt. Delgado is toast. Wright's production has slipped. Reyes is in a seemingly permanent defensive funk. The farm system is thin.

Why not just contract them?

Minaya likes Show because he limits the power of lefties. He is thinking about Utley and Howard. Depends on how much salary the Mets are supposed to be eating, IMO.

Yes, that's why they have Feliciano, too. He's pretty damn good vs. lefties.

Flores (23 y/o): .311/.383/.557, 4 HR, 25 RBI in 106 ABs.
Schneider (31 y/o): .255/.337/.315, 2 HR, 15 RBI in 149 ABs.

For most of the past 20 years, the Mets have been run on a series of 120 day plans. The extreme short-term focus may now be at its most extreme. Even if Flores had not been taken in the Rule 5 draft, I cannot envision such a green catcher getting any significant playing time at the major league level - he would likely have been traded or be in New Orleans.

Has anyone mentioned yet how stupid it is to have a manager's job hang on game to game basis? Either dig in and accept he's your guy for the rest of the year or fire him. What are they waiting for, the results of a focus group study?

That's exactly what I was thinking. What is Omar going to do, call Willie in and congratulate him because his superb double-switch won the game? That Willie took the starter out at just the right time?

It's too late at this point. Why delay the inevitable? If the Mets go on an extended winning streak, it isn't going to be because of Willie, so why bother?

Minaya likes Show because he limits the power of lefties.

Also, Eric Show had some fine seasons.

I fear Willie Watch is this year's version of a pennant race, so try and enjoy it.

I understand taht Minaya has decided that if Mediate leads after nine holes, he'll fire the coaches. If Mediate wins, he'll fire Willie. If Tiger wins, it's still day to day. Unless there is fog at Torrey Pines, in which case he'll promote Manuel to manager and make Willie the 4th catcher. Or he may choose to go in a different direction. He's not sure.

For most of the past 20 years, the Mets have been run on a series of 120 day plans. The extreme short-term focus may now be at its most extreme.

I think it was at its most extreme in the summer of 2004. Now we have a team that was predicted to win, with a solid championship caliber core. In 2004 the Mets had neither, but more than one ex-Met functionary has claimed that the Wilpons insisted that team make a "go for it"...

A few years ago, the Knicks had reached a point where rebuilding was obvious, the owner's idiot son publicly put his foot down, declared that failing to make the playoffs THAT VERY YEAR would be a disgrace, so the poor slobs running the team made more trades, took on more salary- all in a frantic effort to somehow reach 40 or so wins... They failed and were canned, to be replaced the next year... but the team had managed to turn a 3 year rebuilding job into a 5 year one...
and still the team did not rebuild.

Anyway, this is likely a lost year. If Omar was replaced NOW, and Jeff Wilpon stepped aside for a few months, things might be different- if the holes were effectively patched (league average production from C, 1b & LF- Pedro gives 100ip, get league average pitching from Oliver and Pelfrey) this team could get on a roll in the 2nd half...

I think we will watch Willie twist in the wind for so long, that even I will start to feel bad for him... Omar will scour other teams organizations looking at the Trot Nixons and Damon Easleys of the world, thinking if only he can find someone who will do what Valentin did in 2006...

My humble :-) suggestion
1: Trade Schneider for whatever you can get
2: Platoon Castro and Casanova and pray
3: Bring up Pascucci and institute a strict L/R platoon with Delgado
4: Bring up Carp, stick him in LF, cross your fingers AND LEAVE HIM THERE (caveat- He's played 15 games in Left in Binghamton- I don't know how bad he is out there- if he's Cust-like- bring up Evans instead.
5: Send Heilman to New Orleans- and S T R E T C H him out, yes I know Omar and Willie and Peterson say no- but every article I've seen that quotes a non-Met scout- thinks he should be a starter- at the very least 1-2 decent starts and his trade value will be restored. If it doesn't work? Well his trade value torched now anyway.
6: Replace Heilman on the Mets roster with Armas jr.
7: Pray Church comes back reasonably soon
8: Wait until the off-season before deciding to sacrifice any minor league trade chits

If Carp was hitting, say, a still very good .310 with the same peripherals and defensive rep, would anyone even consider calling him up from AA. I think people are a little too excited about 60 games of .360.

I think people are a little too excited about 60 games of .360.

The last Met prospect to do that in AA was this guy

plus, Met LFs have been hitting: .239/.292/.306

Carp's current translation (per BPRo).323/.380/.496
take 50 BABIP off that: .273/.330/.446 and he handily beats Met 2008 LFs
Evan's translation is: .268/.319/.493
another guy Dan Murphy is at : .286/.332/.435

Carp played poorly last year (and was injured), but hit .287/.379/.450 as a 20 year old in the FSL, Evans hit .286/.374/.476 as a 21 year old in the FSL last year

and once again, Met LFs are hitting .239/.292/.306...

Trot Nixon hit .251/.342/.336 for Cleveland last year

Does he have anything left? Maybe, he was raking in Tucson (but who doesn't?)
But what's the point?

I don't think Omar has an obsession for older players. It's just that the Mets have tried most of the younger players in trades they really had to make and there's no one in the farm system left to help. If you want to fire Omar, that's a better reason than some obsession with older players.

Valentin was superb defensively and would have been an asset even if he posted a 90 OPS+. After 2006, you had to give him a chance. Keppinger is a nice player and all but I'd like to see him have a season where he hit in over 400 plate appearances.

I have to say, Met fans turning on Omar is kind of funny, when most around here felt he had built the best team in the NL.

WillieWatch*
Great stuff!

Any guesses where Peterson will end up? I say .. . San Fran.
Minaya will of course go on to Baltimore. :)

This is almost reminding me of the Dusty Baker situation in '06. Hendry dithered on what to do with Baker until the team completely imploded to the point that they just said "the hell with it" and kept Baker around till the end of the season. These Mets aren't as bad as those Cubs were, but the indecisiveness seems strikingly familiar.

Newsday blog:

Just saw Willie Randolph, Jerry Manuel and Sandy Alomar leave for the stadium from the team hotel. No sign yet of Rick Peterson or Tom Nieto. Stay tuned ...

Wow, I had no idea that Carp's translation would look so gaudy. Still, it's half a year. Let's wait before crowning him a top prospect.

I have to say, Met fans turning on Omar is kind of funny, when most around here felt he had built the best team in the NL.

If you remember right, snagging Santana was the only thing that saved his rep this winter. Granted, that's a huge move, but most people here were pretty down on Omar's offseason until then. No one liked keeping Castillo for so long, even though it has worked out so far in '08. He's gonna look pretty bad by the time that deal runs out. Is Valentin coming back this year or is he done? Maybe he'll replace Willie...

In Omar's defense, I don't think he could have counted on Church, Pagan and Alou all going down at once. Alou of course you can really only expect 1/2 a season out of, but the Pagan and Church injuries are just bad luck. Doesn't change the fact that Pagan sucks...

On the flip side, they've been really lucky with the health of the 'pen.

We'll see what happens now that Pedro's back, and Perez has had two good starts in a row. Offenseis a problem, but they're only 6.5 back, and the teams in front of them aren't all that great. It's not like they're going to be facing great pitching every night, either.

(But, I think that Randolph being replaced would make a turn-around far more likely.)

The Mets are fifth in the NL runs/game. I don't know how they are doing it but they are scoring .15 runs/g more than the Braves.

Speaking for myself, I've just been so frustrated with Minaya's moves in-season in response to the injuries and slumps. Tatis, Anderson, Gotay, and Pagan tells me that Omar doesn't see talent the way I do. Maybe he's smarter than me, but so far the record doesn't indicate that.