Jerry Manuel spoke with the beat writers before tonights game regarding the situation where Jose Reyes threw a tantrum when Manuel tried to pull him from the game to protect his hamstring.

I told him you know next time you do that i’m gonna get my blade out and cut him. Right out there on the field. I say hey, I’m a gangsta now, you wanna get gangsta on me, I’m gonna have to get you now, you do that again, I’m gonna get you, right out there on the field.

Marty Noble asked him about the serendipity of the Reyes situtation, giving Manuel a chance to show himself laying down the law.

I think that anytime you step in this position you need to be able to react and do what you think is right. Once you step into an authoritative position, you’ve got to be authority. I’m not here to make friends or for me people to like me. I’m here to run the club in the best way that’s possible.

Its official. I love Jerry Manuel. That didn’t take long.

By the way, I just caught Joe Smith wearing a pink Hello Kitty backpack out to the bullpen (which is of course filled with snacks for the guys out there.) Gary Cohen remarked “Low man on the totem pole. Joe Smith can’t wait for Carlos Muniz to get called back up”

Bob Klapisch on The Record reveals a confrontation between Willie Randolph and one of the elder players on the Mets in early May of this season.

The manager summoned one of his veterans into his office for a closed-door meeting, challenging him to focus more on baseball.

It was a rare, line-in-the-sand moment for Randolph, who avoided confrontation with his players. But the manager’s attempt to assert his authority failed miserably, as the two men raised their voices at each other.

As he walked out the door, the elder Met taunted Randolph, “I’m going to be here longer than you.”

Why did Klapisch sit on this story until after Randolph left? Seems he had lost at least one of the veteran players on the team. My guess is that this was either Delgado or Beltran, both of which Jon Heyman mentioned on WFAN as not being 100% in Willie’s camp.

Bill Madden of the Daily News writes today regarding Mets assistant general manager Tony Bernazard.

Meanwhile, Bernazard, the unofficial godfather to the Mets’ Latin players, has been a constant undermining presence in the Mets clubhouse even though he is supposed to be Minaya’s assistant.

If Randolph had a problem with the Latin players like Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and Jose Reyes - it was only because they felt they could go to Bernazard with their problems.

Even worse, clubhouse sources have said Bernazard would relay to the Latin players critical comments Randolph made about them in private meetings of the Met high command.

Marty Noble spoke regarding Bernazard on XM Radio.

Tony Bernazard told many people internally last year that he wanted a new manager and wanted it to be Manny Acta. Word obviously got around to Noble and many others. Since Bernazard has continued his role there, ownership approves.

Bernazard has been raked over the coals by much of the New York media for ‘gloating’ over Willie Randolph’s dismissal. Many feel like Bernazard and Willie were at odds through most of Randolph’s reign and Omar would not confirm or deny the stormy relationship when the subject came up on his interview on WFAN yesterday.

If Bernazard was an undermining factor while Willie was here, can he be trusted to not be an undermining factor going forward as well?

Willie Randolph spoke to reporters outside his Franklin Lakes home this morning for the first time since the Omar Minaya press conference yesterday.

“I can’t control how things were handled. All I can do is control myself.”

Randolph wasn’t prepared for the firing.

“I thought he was talking about whacking a couple of my coaches. I felt all along that this team was going to play better. This, in my mind, all happened way, way too early.”

Willie watched the game from home for the first time in years.

“Those are my guys. I still think about David (Wright) and Jose (Reyes) and Marlon (Anderson). I lived and died with those guys for four seasons. We’ve been through a lot of ups and downs. We’ve had a lot of heartache.

Randolph spoke about how he wishes to manage again.

“Yes, I want to do it again. Once you get a taste of managing, that’s what you want to do.”

Randolph felt there was still time to turn things around.

“I felt all along this team would play better and we would eventually get into the season and really do well. In my mind, this all happened way, way too early. We all know baseball is a long season, a marathon, so for me, it was a little abrupt. You can talk all you want to about expectations and stuff and this team didn’t play up to its capabilities, but I felt like we were going to start to do that. I wish I had the opportunity to see it through, that’s all.”

I think its fair to say the Mets do a pretty awful job at presenting themselves in the best possible light as an organization. Isn’t it time the Mets look into hiring a real public relations firm to manage their day to day operations or at the very least, how they handle a situation like the one they found themselves in with Willie Randolph?

Over at O’Dwyer PR Blog, Kevin McCauley suggests that the Mets hire Howard Rubenstein, longtime rep of the New York Yankees.

McCauley writes that Rubenstein, “would have urged the Wilpons to take the heat via a Shea Stadium press conference.” He adds, “The Mets could sure use Rubenstein’s counsel, especially with Citi Field opening next year and a new manager in charge.”

“Top Ten ways the New York Mets can turn things around” (“Late Show,” CBS, 6/17).

10. “Less horseplay, more grab-ass. ”

9. “Ask Tiger Woods to switch to baseball.”

8. “Stop leaving games early to beat traffic.”

7. “Convince super delegates to put them in the playoffs.”

6. “Ask President Bush how he was able to turn things around in Iraq.”

5. “For starters, pay the poor bastards enough to live on.”

4. “Jetpacks.”

3. “Before every game, feed other team tainted to-maters.”

2. “Replace batting practice with frozen head of Ted Williams and dunk tank.”

1. “Start fixing games like they do in the NBA.”

Hat tip to Adam’s Tumblr for the list.

Last night the players finally weighed in on the changing of the guard in the Mets clubhouse, hoping they can finally move on from discussing the fate of their manager day in and day out.

Billy Wagner

“As a team, we hadn’t lived up to expectations. The bad thing is, the manager gets the blame. That’s the way the game is.”

Wagner spoke regarding the way Willie was fired.

“I don’t know if there’s ever a good time to do something like that. I don’t think any general manager likes to fire a coach.”

Jose Reyes

“I just feel sorry for the guy because we weren’t able to play good baseball for the guy. He’s going through a tough time right now, but when I get a chance, I’m going to call him and thank him for everything he’s done for me.”

David Wright

“(Randolph) took this team to a different level while he was here, but that being said, I’m excited about what Jerry can bring to the table.”

Carlos Beltran

“Jerry knew the players as the bench coach and communicated with us. I think he’ll do a great job. He’s communicates a lot and is always positive.”

Omar Minaya spoke to Mike Francesa and Chris Russo on WFAN after his press conference.

To listen audio of the interview head over to WFAN.com