The Mets fan base doesn't know what to do with itself. Neither it seems, do my colleagues in the media. The same people that have been calling for Willie Randolph's head since
the end of last season, seem to have softened the last week because
Randolph showed a sense of humor – for the first time in four years --
about his inevitable situation.
Then those mean, nasty Mets fired Randolph at 3am, and everyone's taking their shots at the "unprofessional, gutless and cowardly" Mets. Especially toward Fred and Jeff Wilpon, who allegedly “forced” poor Omar Minaya to fire “his” manager.
Stop it. All of you.
I have said from Opening Day that Willie Randolph deserved to be the manager for the 2008 season, win or lose. That said, I am not going to criticize his firing. He's going to get paid almost four million dollars for the next two years to do nothing. Suck it up, folks, and move on. I have more to say on this matter in the latest edition of "Gotham Nation". The message is simple; whether the call came at 3am or 3pm, the result is the same, and the underwhelming Jerry Manuel is now the skipper.
The media likes Omar, so they have been painting him as the reluctant trigger man, and to almost a man, dislike the Wilpons, so they are piling on relentlessly. The Wilpons carry some blame, as they lack the communication skills necessary to deflect agenda-driven columnists. Their defensive nature also doesn't serve them well in these type of situations, creating perfect openings for the fourth estate to strike.
Folks, the Wilpons have allowed Omar Minaya to build his team, and have given him millions of dollars to build an organization. He has repaid that trust by building an imperfect roster, hiring a incredibly divisive assistant in Tony Bernazard who lacks even the minimal skills to perform his duties (and whose lack of skill and decorum in dealing with the media is legendary), and who has undermined the manager on many occasions.
The same GM and front office (and media) who say they are wary of Waly Backman's “unprofessionalism” and discount his obvious expertise at developing young (and cheap) talent, are now not pointing the finger at an organization that has built their farm system around cronyism. So, a bare system with completely untradeable chips (sans Fernando Martinez) at the deadline (and you can't count this year's draftees until they play, so spare me) for the upcoming trade deadline is a result of what?
Bad management. Across the board.
The Yankees have spent millions on free agents, have traded prospects to fill positional voids, and have STILL managed to build a farm system that is bursting with talent Brian Cashman hired Damon Oppenheimer and inherited Mark Newman, and have managed to work well with both.
Minaya has not fared as well, at least looking long-term, and the clock is now ticking on his tenure as well.
The Mets fan base doesn't know what to do with itself. Neither it seems, do my colleagues in the media. The same people that have been calling for Willie Randolph's head since
the end of last season, seem to have softened the last week because
Randolph showed a sense of humor – for the first time in four years --
about his inevitable situation.
