Monday, January 22, 2007

As Usual, Blame La Russa

The latest "what the heck are they thinking" moment from the Mets centers around the lack of a new contract for manager Willie Randolph, the man who helped to lead the charge out of incompetence from the days of Arthur Howe.

Some would say that it's just another salvo in the long line of thinking by owners and GM's like Billy Beane that managers are nothing more than village idiots with the keys to the townhouse.

But what if the Wilpon's took special heed to the job Tony La Russa did with the 83-win St. Louis Cardinals in the playoffs? (After all they, and we, got a first hand look.) What if the Wilpons are under the misguided notion that "hey, think of how good the Mets would be with a tactical genius like Tony La Russa?"

Sure, Willie Randolph was questioned mightily in his first season on the job...more so than in 2006 with a more talented roster that some would think would cover up Randolph's "rookie" mistakes. But how exactly did La Russa do with those late 80's Oakland teams? If he's such a great tactician, how could he not have won more than one title with a team that faced three vastly inferior teams on paper in three World Series?

Probably because managers like La Russa and Bobby Valentine need less to do more.

Perhaps because managers like Willie Randolph knows that with more, all he needs to do is stay out of the way.

The Wilpons have given Willie Randolph more talent than they've given most if not all of his predecessors. It's time to give him a new contract...and stay out of his way.

***

Meanwhile, our friend Cliff Floyd is growing ever closer to becoming a hometown Chicago Cub thanks to, off all things, an unselfish position change by Alfonso Soriano.

According to John Thomson, if Jeff Samardzija had known that this was going to happen, he would have chosen to play football.

Unfortunately for Floyd, Samardzija might be the best pitcher the Cubs signed all off-season.

Nevertheless, we wish Cliff Cornelius well. Let's reserve a standing "O" for him on May 14th.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Omar will hire Benito Santiago as the new manager because he has 'cultural ties' to the team!

Anonymous said...

Say hello to seven more years of Chase Utley with the Phillies! :(

Anonymous said...

Phillies are better than people think and the Marlins may also be a factor (although they could falter without Girardi's guidance). Mets will win the division but this time it may not be as easy. Biggest competition (as in 2006) will come outside the division.

Anonymous said...

Why. Are. The. Mets. Dissing. Willie. Randolph??? This is disgusting! We lost Seaver over Dick Young's yammering along with M. Donald Grant over a mere $50K, putting the Mets as the Biggest MLB Schmuck Organization until Cashen arrived. Are we going to lose our manager because Wilpon/Minaya can't give him an annual salary at a fraction of useless Julio Franco's salary??? I don't want to relive the 70s...

Anonymous said...

Tom 'the drunk' Seaver was a good guy to get rid of. Did you forget his classic CHOKE in the 1973 world series?

Anonymous said...

It appears the Mets have reached a new deal with Willie.

Quick, find something else to complain about, guys!

Anonymous said...

OJ was framde by the LAPD and all you liberals care about is eating tofu and learning french!

Anonymous said...

Hey folks, I just started up a Mets blog, "Riding with Rickey." Check it out if you want:

http://ridingwithricky.blogspot.com