Willie Randolph's treatment by Mike and Chris on WFAN

Mike and Chris on WFAN are well aware Willie Randolph has been prevented from doing his job by Mets management. It's been written about by Bill Madden (NY Daily News 9/23/07, 10/03/07, and others), eg.

• "...the deeper problem that threatens Randolph's ability to manage this team as he envisioned. That would be Minaya's assistant GM, Tony Bernazard who, it would appear, is the real power in the front office...."Bill Madden, NY Daily News, 10/3/07, "Willie Randolph Gets Backing But Shouldn't Feel Comfortable."

If anything, Randolph did a much better job than anticipated: Bill Madden, 10/3/07:

• "But it turned out, in Randolph, they got more than they bargained for. From the moment he stepped on the field in his first spring training two years ago, Randolph brought a professionalism not seen around Mets since Gil Hodges held forth in the manager's chair. The Mets, Randolph declared, were going to play baseball the right way; were going to play hard and play smart every day and they were going to conduct themselves as professionals. And for the better part of 2-1/2years they did..."

(I remember Willie telling Cliff Floyd not to lallygag his way back to the dugout and Floyd stopped doing it). sm

• Mike and Chris even brought the subject of Willie's authority up with Minaya last year asking about Tony Bernazard's presence in the clubhouse. I recall Minaya saying Bernazard was in the clubhouse to "help." WFAN's invention of, "Gee, Mets fans don't like Willie Randolph" isn't the same thing as debating for a week whether Joba should pirouette on the mound.
• It's much too personal. The only way this makes sense is if water is being carried. One hears teams use baseball writers to manipulate various situations.
• Radio is a personal medium, so the idea is more distasteful.

The main complaint from callers I heard was Willie reminded them of Joe Torre drinking tea. A firing offense, apparently. With this evidence, Russo would subsequently say, Wow......Mets fans don't like Willie Randolph... over and over. Making it conventional wisdom. And think how much this helps Mets' players.

• Chris and Mike themselves have not come up with any real faults, but are "damning with faint praise." Encouraging calls from the unknown and unwashed is standard procedure, but in this case seems pandering to Mets ownership.

• Since the station will do whatever it wants, the only way a listener can protest is to avoid its advertisers.

The conversation that should be taking place about Willie Randolph if any is that he's not allowed to be manager, players can't "play for him" when Bernazard beats him to players' lockers. Randolph had done his job too well. (This must have scared Fred Wilpon and the monster he created, Jeff Wilpon). Bill Madden: 10/3/07:

• "What is unique about Bernazard's situation with the Mets is that no other assistant GM, let alone GM, spends as much time in the clubhouse - which is supposed to be the manager's domain - as he does.
• After Gomez was thrown out stealing third for the final out in the ninth inning against the Marlins in Miami on Sept. 21,
• Bernazard was immediately at the kid's locker after the game - which could not have been very settling to Randolph..."

• Reference, NY Daily News aarticle by Bill Madden, "Willie Randolph Gets Backing but Shouldn't Feel Comfortable," 10/3/07

• Reference, NY Daily News article by Bill Madden, "Willie Randolph Catching too much Heat for Mets' Slump," 9/23/07, From Madden's 9/23/07 article:

• "Rumor has it there is growing disenchantment from above with Randolph, and while no one reporting this has specified the source of this disenchantment, a pretty good guess is COO Jeff Wilpon, who engaged in a contentious, sometimes rancorous contract negotiation with the Mets manager last winter. Those familiar with the mind-set of the team's hierarchy contend the Met bosses believe any manager could have achieved what Randolph did last year, given the talent he had. For that reason, Wilpon strongly resisted giving Randolph the three-year, $5.65 commitment he sought.

That Randolph, despite his Brooklyn roots, community involvement and popularity in New York, has never been held in the same esteem as other successful managers is evidenced by the fact that Wilpon and GM Omar Minaya

• would allow him to name only one coach - and they unceremoniously fired that one, Rick Down, at midseason this year and replaced him with, of all people, Rickey Henderson.

Henderson was one of the game's greatest players and he combined that with an engaging personality. But as a coach, his contributions have been minimal.

• Around the clubhouse, he is jokingly referred to as the card-playing coach, and those close to the situation say

Randolph has had to bite his tongue every day when he arrives at the clubhouse only to see Henderson playing cards with the players.

• It should also not be forgotten that Minaya said the hiring of Henderson, former leadoff man/base-stealer extraordinaire, would especially be beneficial to Jose Reyes. Has there been

anyone more disappointing (to use Wilpon's word) than Reyes these past six weeks?

• We also hear that Mets brass is regretting not giving Manny Acta the manager's job three years ago. That chatter grew louder last week when Acta's Washington Nationals were pounding the Mets 12-4 and 9-8 in the first two games of their series in D.C. One can only imagine what Randolph must have thought

seeing Mets assistant GM Tony Bernazard openly fraternizing with Acta for nearly an hour before the Mets' games in D.C. in August and then again last Wednesday.

• As it is, Bernazard spends way too much time in the Met clubhouse, which is supposed to be the manager's domain.

But as former Mets manager Bobby Valentine - who complained bitterly to ownership about then-GM Steve Phillips constantly holding court in his clubhouse - can attest, around the Mets that's just not the case."...

• (Above from referenced Bill Madden article, 9/23/07)

P.S. A team forced to work in an environment such as the Mets have created would have a hard time winning. (sm)

• *If links to NY Daily News default to current issue, try putting the article's headline in google.

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