Newsday
So I was among the many who had a better weekend than Willie Randolph, and at this point, I'm not sure what's motivating the Mets to keep him as their manager. The team is absolutely going into the tank, as a return home didn't help last night.
It is far from too late to salvage this season. A good week against the right teams, and the Mets can bring themselves right back into the race. But I don't see that good week occurring on Randolph's watch. Too much has happened now. As Carlos Beltran admitted, the whole thing is a distraction. Even if Omar Minaya deserves some blame, as well, I don't see how this roster could be performing any worse than it has in the last calendar year.
I don't buy the notion that the Mets need a "fiery" manager. They just need someone who will retsore peace and a sense of purpose to the clubhouse. I think they have that person on their staff, in the form of bench coach Jerry Manuel. No, Manuel will never be mistaken for Billy Martin, or even Dusty Baker. He does have significant managerial experience, however, having guided the 2000 White Sox to an AL Central title in his third year on the job. And you can bet he won't be watching coverage of himself on SNY, taking notes and voicing complaints.