N.Y. Observer: Megdal: The Torre-for-Randolph Fantasy

Howard adds…“CBS’ new drama, Manager Swap!”

It is commonly assumed that if Joe Torre had been a free agent, rather than property of the Los Angeles Dodgers, he, and not Willie Randolph, would currently be manager of the New York Mets. That chorus will likely quiet a bit after the Mets completed a 5-2 homestand by defeating the Dodgers Sunday night, 6-1.

But the funny idea of the whole Torre-for-Randolph idea is that there’s no evidence that the aspects of Randolph’s managing that have come under fire most—his lack of demonstrated passion, his deference to veterans, and his problems managing his bullpen—would have altered with this particular regime change. After all, Randolph learned his style by Joe Torre’s side as a bench coach for much of Torre’s Yankee tenure.

While Willie Randolph has yet to be ejected from a game, there are some who have argued his failure to kick dirt on an umpire has led to an indifference from his team. But Joe Torre hardly qualifies as a Bobby Cox-level umpire agitator. Torre has only one ejection this season, and one all of last season. Clearly, the success Joe Torre had in leading the New York Yankees to 12 straight playoff appearances wasn’t based on his willingness to be a yeller.

Shouldn’t that be old yeller…because of Torre’s resemblance to the mummified Coates family?