Look, I’m not a mindless Willie Randolph fan. For instance, he favors Latin players over whites. Randolph had a rule that there was to be no playing of music in the locker room. Yet, when some Hispanic players flouted the rule, he did nothing. So, the rule doesn’t apply to Latins.
Of course, it was Omar Minaya’s decision to stack the team with Latin players in the first place, and they can play. Minaya, one of the smartest GMs in the game, has put together a very competitive team. But as I have previously noted, some of the players he variously signed and traded for – specifically Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado – hold the Mets’ predominantly white fan base in contempt. You know, the folks buying the tickets and filling Shea Stadium? (Jose Reyes, by contrast, treats the fans royally.) But that’s on Minaya, not Randolph. And Minaya is the guy Francesa is treating with kid gloves.
Randolph also has an irritating tendency to abuse pitch-arounds, in walking less-than-intimidating hitters (e.g., number eight hitters, in order to pitch to the opposing pitcher), a tendency which blew up in his face a few times last season.
Given that subtle (or unsubtle?) pressure from Omar Minaya may have had something to do with Randolph’s ethnic double-standard, he takes half a rap for that sin, grievous though it is. And given that the occasional unnecessary intentional walk is overshadowed by the effort most of his players put out for him almost every day, and the results he has gotten, Randolph is certainly one of the better managers in the game.
So, Mike, what’s the story?
Article comments
1 - Anthony De Rosa
I'm far from one to come to the quick defense of Mike Francesa, as he's often nothing more than an entertaining blowhard, but he's been quick to praise Willie Randolph often on his radio show. I wouldn't read too closely into his lack of Willie mentions on Mike'd Up.
2 - The Haze
God forbid Francesa should step over the blue pin-striped line and give kudos to another team or player.I have two words for all the "what have you done for me lately" yankee fans: Bernie who? The difference between an old yankee fan and a new one is "loyalty". Old yankee fans loved their team and Players. The new age yankee fan thinks that by loving the yankees he's a loyal fan irregardless of who's in the uniform. Just win....or move on.
3 - Nicholas Stix
This is a test; BC doesn't recognize me, and I'm trying to get it back on track.
4 - rickborn
To say willie randolph favors latin players is just ignorant..willie randolph is one of the most humble people in baseball history. He is more than qualified to be manger of the mets after being an all star 2nd baseman and having joe torre as a mentor. What makes me sick is that after 3 winning seasons people still find negative things to say about him. Joe Girardi a complete scrub won manager of the year? Now i dont like to pull the race card but if willie randolph had a loosing season and got fired would he have even ben nominated??? food for thought.
5 - Nicholas Stix
I guess you didn't read my column all the way through, rick.
Given that subtle (or unsubtle?) pressure from Omar Minaya may have had something to do with Randolph's ethnic double-standard, he takes half a rap for that sin, grievous though it is.
"#4 " October 2, 2007 @ 22:45PM " rickborn
"To say willie randolph favors latin players is just ignorant..willie randolph is one of the most humble people in baseball history."
Textbook non sequitur. That Randolph favored the Latin players is a fact. Facts you don't like are not "ignorant," but you are.
"He is more than qualified to be manger of the mets after being an all star 2nd baseman and having joe torre as a mentor."
More non sequiturs. How is "being an all star 2nd baseman" a managerial qualification? If anything, former all-stars tend to make worse managers than former benchwarmers. And while "having [had] joe torre as a mentor" is a wonderful thing, it still doesn't refute my position that successful minor league managing experience is the most important qualification for someone who has yet to manage in the big leagues.
"What makes me sick is that after 3 winning seasons people still find negative things to say about him. Joe Girardi a complete scrub won manager of the year?" Now i dont like to pull the race card but if willie randolph had a loosing season and got fired would he have even ben nominated??? food for thought."
Girardi took a sinking ship, that was on a pace to lose 100 games, righted it, and almost hit the .500 mark (78-84). He did a great job.
As for your pulling the race card, had Randolph had a losing season his first year at the helm, because he was black, he would never have been fired, unless say, he had shot Carlos Beltran (though that would have made him a folk hero with ticket-buying Mets fans).
Had Randolph had a losing first season, and continued to lose the second season, after the additions of Martinez and Delgado, he might then have been fired. Heck, Omar Minaya wanted to fire Randolph after three straight winning seasons! He only grudgingly announced that Randolph would be back.