For the first time since getting fired as Mets manager Willie Randolph spoke to the media. Randolph was a unannounced guest at Old-Timers Day this afternoon at Yankee Stadium. Willie spoke in generalities but he did let a few emotions slip when he spoke about some of the players he managed while the skipper of the Mets:
“There’s a lot of people that I really have a great affection for — David Wright and Damion Easley and Marlon Anderson and those guys,” Randolph said. “Aaron Heilman, those are my guys. There’s a big part of me, and that’s my team. I led that team back to where it is today, so you don’t just let that go. Obviously, I want them to do well because that’s the team I lived and died with for the last three years…”I was fortunate enough to have a job with the Mets, and I came there for a reason — that was to help them win the world championship. All that other stuff doesn’t really matter. It’s about reaching goals and winning championships.”
Yesterday in an interview on WFAN Ron Darling said that Willy basically lost the clubhouse. Darling more than implied that Willie and ex-pitching coach Rick Peterson’s words were falling on deaf ears and that Jerry Manuel’s fresh and challenging approach was what the Mets needed:
“They won’t publicly say it, the Mets don’t do that, they don’t publicly do anything, So they won’t publicly say anything. I will say this, there was no communication between Willie and Delgado and at times, I think that by Willie’s, let’s say, silence over the inability for Delgado to get hot, kind of rang true, spoke very loudly, right?
When Manuel took over he said he would replace Delgado late in games for defensive purposes and that he would play guys who were hitting even if they were not so called full-time players. After a recent game, Delagado made a very nice defensive play. Delagdo told the media after that game, “yeah, I got my uniform dirty for that one”, it was an obvious shot at Randolph because of an earlier comment Willie had made to the media about Carlos not hustling on defense and Willie used the same “uniform dirty quote”.
Darling thinks Manuel’s approach motivated Delgado as apposed to Willie maybe alienating his first base slugger, Darling said,
“You know what happened: It hurt Delgado’s feelings and he came out firing,…Whatever happened, somehow he lost the clubhouse and that message from Rick and from Willie became old…Competition amongst this team has made them better, and I think that a lot of that has to be on Manuel”
What helped the Mets turn things around I’m not smart enough to know. What I do know is it is a pleasure to listen to Jerry Manuel after games. The changes he has made, whether they are loosening up some of the rules ie: kids in the clubhouse, more music, facial hair and defined bullpen roles, so far so good. I have no animosity towards Willie. I always hoped he would be the one to guide the Mets to some playoff success or at least get them there this season. I didn’t want his Met managerial career to end with the taste of last year’s collapse everlasting but sadly it will. I’m glad he looks at D. Wright and some others as “his guys”. I hope, like he said, “I was fortunate to have a job with the Mets” because when it really comes down to it there was plenty of blame to go around for the horror of last season’s finish.
Willie Randolph quotes via MLB.com
Pete Lappin (3)
