Today I am embarrassed and ashamed to be a Mets fan. I awoke this morning to see an “ALERT” on SNY; the Mets had fired Willie Randolph. I was surprised because the Mets did it after a win and they waited until 3 a.m. eastern time to announce it.

I am ashamed to be a fan of a team that was so cowardly and gutless that it didn’t have the courage to fire Willie before they travelled across the country. I am also ashamed that the Mets let Randolph wave in the breeze for weeks.

I have never seen anything handled so poorly in my life following sports than this situation.

If you thought it was bad that the Mets collapsed at the end of last year, it is even worse with the way this team has gone about firing Willie. Omar Minaya is the general manager, but this was a move that the Wilpons forced; plain and simple.

Look, I understand the reasoning for firing the manager, don’t get me wrong. Willie was the manager and he is the “boss” of the on-the-field product. But, the way this whole debacle was handled can be described with one word: pathetic.

I am normally a glass half-full person, but after yesterday’s loss and the Mets pathetic showing in their series at Shea against the Washington Nationals, I’ve had it. I’m dumping the glass.

This team has no heart. Yup, I said it… NO heart.

Wags, DWright, Moises, Johan, Mainer, Ryan Church and Brian Schneider are the only ones on this team who have shown they are gamers; so let’s get that out of the way. I’d even put Nelson Figueroa in there.

However, guys like Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, and Oliver Perez aren’t getting it done. Reyes has become a shell of his former self and has reverted to that pre-2006 player than hacks at everything. He had a week and a half where he appeared to be getting on track, but now he’s off again.

We all know that Delgado has been hit or miss; it’s been mostly miss this year. I can’t say I’m too surprised after last year’s swoon. He told everyone that would listen in the spring that he broke down everything this off-season and re-taught himself how to hit. Unfortunately, his re-teaching has made Carlos Delgado into Wilson Delgado.

The most disappointing person, to me, is Carlos Beltran. He was very boastful in the spring, telling reporters that the Mets were this year’s team to beat. They sure are (as my Phillies fan brother keeps telling me); teams just keep beating them and beating them.

Beltran has done absolutely nothing this year, aside from his spring declaration. I especially enjoyed watching him yesterday; he swings at the first pitch with runners and first and third and two outs. Perfect opportunity to hit in the clutch and work the count; of course, that didn’t happen.

I’ll keep it short on Perez. I have zero confidence in him when he’s on the mound. Someone, anyone want to tell me where the passion is? Where is the hard work that this team was built on when Willie Randolph took over as manager in 2005?

I know Gary Grund has called for an overhaul of the coaching staff, but I can’t put all of the blame on Willie and Co. Is he the one that hits a wall in the 4th inning? Is he the one that can’t play fundamental baseball? The answers are no.

Sure Willie will take the fall, but you can blame Reyes, Beltran, Delgado, et al, for his ouster.

There will be some that believe that since it’s May 16 that there is plenty of time. It’s an excuse. This team is running out of time… and fast. Losing two of three, or getting swept by the Yankees, and

Billy Wagner said it best after Thursday’s game:

“We’re not earning our money.”

That is an understatement.

Wallace (don’t call me Wally) Matthews of Newsday is at it once again with his latest hatchet job on the New York Mets. In today’s edition, Matthews picks apart the Mets for last year’s marketing slogan and calls this year’s team a “$145-million boondoggle.”

There’s no sense in going with something as boastful and contemptuous of the realities of baseball as last year’s slogan, because right now, it is tough to read how good this Mets team is going to be. Aside from (Johan) Santana, Jose Reyes, David Wright, the roster is aging and lacks depth. Have we seen the best of Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, Moises Alou, Pedro Martinez, and Billy Wagner? Probably so, and it hasn’t been good enough.

Matthews also gives his ideas on what this year’s marketing slogan should be.

What gets me about this story is that it is blatant hate. Take a look in his archives and read some of Wally’s “articles.” And since when do all the Mets have are Santana, Wright and Reyes. Really?? What about John Maine and Oliver Perez? What about the future stars, like Fernando Martinez? And since when did Carlos Beltran become a grey beard?

I know that Wally is paid to write stuff like this. However, you can be critical without coming off as a jerk. I have no problem with poking fun at the fact the Mets said, “Your Season Has Come.” The Mets didn’t get it done last year; we all remember that. Good writers find a way to be critical, without sounding cynical.

John Maine took the hill for his first start of spring training. It didn’t last long and it didn’t look too pretty, either. Maine lasted 1 2/3, allowing three runs on four hits, while striking out two.

Maine, as quoted by Lisa Kennelly of the Newark Star-Ledger:

“I felt strong, maybe a little too strong.”

Maine added that his goal in the outing was to get consistent with his breaking pitches. He also threw a wild pitch on a change up, which he described as “I choked it, big time.” It allowed the Cards third baseman Troy Glaus to score from third.

I don’t get worked up over the first few spring starts for pitchers. They are still getting back into it. Sure, there will be some that may look at this and be concerned. However, I read most of the write-ups of Maine’s rough second inning. The hits were a couple bloops and a chopper. He did throw the aforementioned wild pitch, as well.

His first inning was a 1-2-3 effort, though. Baby steps, folks…