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Willie Randolph fired in the middle of the night
Topic Started: Jun 17 2008, 09:12 AM (233 Views)
Mattingly23
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Omar was pretty spineless about firing Willie. He let the speculation run rampant and waited until the middle of the night after a win on the West Coast. He could have done it this past weekend in New York when it was expected or during the day in LA, but waited until 3:15am EST. So the firing missed all of this morning's East Coast papers and last night's news reports.

Also gone are Rick Peterson and Tom Nieto. Ken Oberkfell (AAA manager), Dan Warthen (AAA pitching coach), and 1988 Yankee Luis Aguayo are being added to new manager Jerry Manuel's coaching staff in New York.

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Mets fire Randolph; Peterson, Nieto also dismissed

ESPN.com news services

Updated: June 17, 2008, 8:44 AM ET

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- After weeks of speculation that his job was in jeopardy, Willie Randolph finally got fired by the New York Mets while most fans were sleeping.

The Mets had Willie Randolph manage the team Monday night in L.A. -- and fired him early Tuesday morning.
Randolph was let go in the middle of the night Tuesday, 2½ months into a disappointing season that has followed the team's colossal collapse last September.

Bench coach Jerry Manuel takes over on an interim basis for Randolph, who led the Mets to within one win of the 2006 World Series. They got off to a strong start again last year but plummeted down the stretch and have been unable to rebound.

A preseason favorite to win the NL pennant, the $138 million Mets (34-35) had won two in a row when Randolph was dismissed early Tuesday morning -- making him the first big league manager to get fired this season.

Pitching coach Rick Peterson and first base coach Tom Nieto also were cut loose in an enormous overhaul that was revealed in a fact-of-the-matter news release at a stunning time -- about 3:15 a.m. ET, nearly two hours after New York's 9-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

Ken Oberkfell, the club's manager at Triple-A New Orleans, and Dan Warthen, pitching coach for the Zephyrs, will join the major league staff along with Luis Aguayo, a Mets field coordinator.

A message left for general manager Omar Minaya was not immediately returned. The Mets said Minaya and Manuel would be available to reporters at Angel Stadium at 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

Mets owner Fred Wilpon told 1050 ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand that the decision to fire Willie Randolph and his coaches and the timing of the move were solely Minaya's.

"Omar is in charge," Wilpon told 1050 ESPN New York Tuesday morning. "It was his decision. He made that decision a short time ago, obviously, and decided what to do. You have to ask Omar about that"

Wilpon declined to answer any further questions.

Reached by phone nearly three hours after Monday's game, Mets utility man Marlon Anderson said he didn't know that Randolph had been fired and he didn't want to comment until he heard the news from a member of the team.

"Not tonight," Anderson said.

It was a frustrating end for the 53-year-old Randolph, who was set to be an NL coach at the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium next month.

Signed through the 2009 season, Randolph won't be able to move with the Mets into new Citi Field next year, either. He was slated to earn $2 million this season and is owed $2.25 million in 2009.

Now, the 54-year-old Manuel takes over a squad that still has playoff aspirations. He's had success before, too.

Quiet and confident, Manuel managed the Chicago White Sox from 1998-2003, winning AL Manager of the Year in 2000 after guiding his club to the league's best record (95-67).

He steps in for Randolph, known for his exceptionally steady play as a six-time All-Star second baseman and even-keel demeanor as a coach with the Yankees.

Yet Randolph's time in charge of the Mets was marked by highs and lows from the get-go.

Hired by Minaya to replace Art Howe for the 2005 season, Randolph lost his first five games as a major league manager, then won the next six.

He nearly guided the Mets into the 2006 World Series, losing Game 7 of the NLCS to St. Louis on Yadier Molina's tiebreaking home run in the ninth inning.

The Mets and their fans were convinced 2007 would be their year. Poised for a big run, what followed was one of the biggest collapses in baseball history: Leading the NL East by seven games on Sept. 12, they lost 12 of their last 17 and missed the playoffs as Philadelphia rallied to win the division title.

Several times, Randolph tried to separate last season's failure and this season's struggle.

"I really felt we put last year behind us," he said last month. "Any pressure we feel is because of staying in the mix and not reverting back to last year. I don't sense that at all. No one ever talks about it, no one ever brings it up, so if we are looking a little like we were last year, there's no correlation."

Many Mets watchers, however, felt there was a carry-over effect. Injuries to Pedro Martinez, Moises Alou and Ryan Church, another down year by Carlos Delgado and a sudden slump by closer Billy Wagner didn't help.

With each stretch of inconsistent play, chants of "Fire Willie!" grew louder at Shea Stadium and on New York's sports talk radio stations.

Despite a $138 million payroll, the highest in the National League, and the offseason addition of ace pitcher Johan Santana, the Mets never found their groove. Even when things briefly went their way, Randolph caused trouble.

Coming off an uplifting, two-game sweep at Yankee Stadium in mid-May, the first black manager in New York baseball history created a stir by suggesting in a newspaper interview that he was portrayed on Mets broadcasts differently than a white manager might be.

Randolph brought up the race issue as he detailed the way he's been shown by SNY, the team's TV network.

"Is it racial?" Randolph was quoted. "Huh? It smells a little bit. ... I don't know how to put my finger on it, but I think there's something there."

A couple of days later, Randolph apologized to Mets ownership, SNY and his players "for the unnecessary distraction" he'd created.

Late last month, Randolph got a temporary reprieve when he met with ownership.

"Willie's job was never in danger going into this meeting," Minaya said after the session. "Willie has my support. He has the support of our ownership. ... There is no limbo period. Willie is the manager."

But no promises for the future were made.

Raised in Brooklyn, Randolph enjoyed many of his favorite and finest moments in the Bronx.

He played for the Yankees from 1976-88 and was a member of two World Series championship teams.

Surrounded by stars Reggie Jackson and Thurman Munson, characters Sparky Lyle and Mickey Rivers and volatile George Steinbrenner and Billy Martin, Randolph merely went about his business. He made for a good fit in pinstripes, and later became a Yankees co-captain.

Randolph batted .276 lifetime -- he got 2,210 hits in 2,202 games -- and never made an error in his 47 postseason appearances.

After finishing his playing career with the Mets in 1992, Randolph served as an assistant GM with the Yankees in 1993. The next year, he moved back onto the field and became their third-base coach, a post he held for 10 seasons.

He was part of the Yankees team that won four World Series titles, and was manager Joe Torre's bench coach in 2004. Before landing the Mets job, Randolph said he interviewed unsuccessfully for 11 or 12 managerial openings.

Randolph had Torre's full backing for the move over to Queens and they remained friends, filming a series of popular local TV commercials together.

Randolph was hired in November 2004 and, boosted by the addition of Carlos Beltran and Martinez, the Mets showed immediate improvement. They went 83-79 in his first year, stopping a slide of three straight dismal seasons.

The Mets did far better the next year, tying the crosstown Yankees for baseball's best regular-season record (97-65) and winning the NL East for the first time since 1988.

Making their first playoff appearance in six years, the Mets swept the Dodgers in the first round despite an injury-depleted pitching staff and went into the NLCS against the Cardinals with high expectations -- those ended in Game 7.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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Venom
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The Mets do some of the dumbest sh*t.
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Giambi_MVP_25
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What a rinky dink organization.
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Yanks473
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And the Band played on......
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Sauces tell me Willie will be in a Yankee uniform is some capacity for the ASG.
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Venom
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I hope Willie isn't too prideful to take a coaching position. It's time for Wave 'Em Willie to make his return to his rightful spot in the 3B coaches box.
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Yanks473
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And the Band played on......
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Venom
Jun 17 2008, 12:57 PM
I hope Willie isn't too prideful to take a coaching position. It's time for Wave 'Em Willie to make his return to his rightful spot in the 3B coaches box.

Get Bobby Meacham outta my face.
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HomieYank
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Venom
Jun 17 2008, 11:57 AM
I hope Willie isn't too prideful to take a coaching position. It's time for Wave 'Em Willie to make his return to his rightful spot in the 3B coaches box.

That would be awesome. Bowa went from managing to coaching 3B, why can't Willie?
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Mantlemurcer
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Yanks473
Jun 17 2008, 01:00 PM
Venom
Jun 17 2008, 12:57 PM
I hope Willie isn't too prideful to take a coaching position.  It's time for Wave 'Em Willie to make his return to his rightful spot in the 3B coaches box.

Get Bobby Meacham outta my face.

You hated Willie when he was 3rd base coach.
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Venom
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Mantlemurcer
Jun 17 2008, 01:46 PM
Yanks473
Jun 17 2008, 01:00 PM
Venom
Jun 17 2008, 12:57 PM
I hope Willie isn't too prideful to take a coaching position.  It's time for Wave 'Em Willie to make his return to his rightful spot in the 3B coaches box.

Get Bobby Meacham outta my face.

You hated Willie when he was 3rd base coach.

SHADDAP!!
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Venom
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Black Willie Randolf: Fired
White Rick Peterson: Fired
White Tom Nieto: Fired
Hispanic Sandy Alomar: Not fired? :think:
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Giambi_MVP_25
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Omar's a racist. ¡Los Mets!
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Mantlemurcer
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Venom
Jun 17 2008, 01:57 PM
Mantlemurcer
Jun 17 2008, 01:46 PM
Yanks473
Jun 17 2008, 01:00 PM
Venom
Jun 17 2008, 12:57 PM
I hope Willie isn't too prideful to take a coaching position.  It's time for Wave 'Em Willie to make his return to his rightful spot in the 3B coaches box.

Get Bobby Meacham outta my face.

You hated Willie when he was 3rd base coach.

SHADDAP!!

I didn't say you, I said BC........JACKOV
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Mantlemurcer
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Venom
Jun 17 2008, 02:04 PM
Black Willie Randolf: Fired
White Rick Peterson: Fired
White Tom Nieto: Fired
Hispanic Sandy Alomar: Not fired? :think:

:shocked:
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Mantlemurcer
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Giambi_MVP_25
Jun 17 2008, 02:19 PM
Omar's a racist. ¡Los Mets!

The Mets new pitching coach
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HomieYank
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Venom
Jun 17 2008, 01:04 PM
Black Willie Randolf: Fired
White Rick Peterson: Fired
White Tom Nieto: Fired
Hispanic Sandy Alomar: Not fired? :think:

Thats not suspicious at all. Omar only likes Mexicans, he's trying to turn the mets into los metropolinos. They are going to start allowing three people to a seat at shea and selling Negra Modelo instead of bud. Before you know it there won't even be people watching the gates at Shea and and 200,000 people will be there watching every game in their wife beaters and sandals eating arroz con gandules, roast pig and avacado, while the PA announcer speaks spanish. There will be pickup soccer games in the OF of shea while games are going on.
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Giambi_MVP_25
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HomieYank
Jun 17 2008, 03:20 PM
Venom
Jun 17 2008, 01:04 PM
Black Willie Randolf: Fired
White Rick Peterson: Fired
White Tom Nieto: Fired
Hispanic Sandy Alomar: Not fired? :think:

Thats not suspicious at all. Omar only likes Mexicans, he's trying to turn the mets into los metropolinos. They are going to start allowing three people to a seat at shea and selling Negra Modelo instead of bud. Before you know it there won't even be people watching the gates at Shea and and 200,000 people will be there watching every game in their wife beaters and sandals eating arroz con gandules, roast pig and avacado, while the PA announcer speaks spanish. There will be pickup soccer games in the OF of shea while games are going on.

:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:
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Yanks473
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And the Band played on......
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Mantlemurcer
Jun 17 2008, 01:46 PM
Yanks473
Jun 17 2008, 01:00 PM
Venom
Jun 17 2008, 12:57 PM
I hope Willie isn't too prideful to take a coaching position.  It's time for Wave 'Em Willie to make his return to his rightful spot in the 3B coaches box.

Get Bobby Meacham outta my face.

You hated Willie when he was 3rd base coach.

I never said that. Sojo I never liked at 3rd. Stupid old coot.
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Venom
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Yanks473
Jun 17 2008, 03:25 PM
Mantlemurcer
Jun 17 2008, 01:46 PM
Yanks473
Jun 17 2008, 01:00 PM
Venom
Jun 17 2008, 12:57 PM
I hope Willie isn't too prideful to take a coaching position.  It's time for Wave 'Em Willie to make his return to his rightful spot in the 3B coaches box.

Get Bobby Meacham outta my face.

You hated Willie when he was 3rd base coach.

I never said that. Sojo I never liked at 3rd. Stupid old coot.

MM is too busy blogging to remember anything else that's gone on here the last few years.
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Mantlemurcer
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Venom
Jun 17 2008, 03:28 PM
Yanks473
Jun 17 2008, 03:25 PM
Mantlemurcer
Jun 17 2008, 01:46 PM
Yanks473
Jun 17 2008, 01:00 PM
Venom
Jun 17 2008, 12:57 PM
I hope Willie isn't too prideful to take a coaching position.  It's time for Wave 'Em Willie to make his return to his rightful spot in the 3B coaches box.

Get Bobby Meacham outta my face.

You hated Willie when he was 3rd base coach.

I never said that. Sojo I never liked at 3rd. Stupid old coot.

MM is too busy blogging to remember anything else that's gone on here the last few years.

I remember Roberto..BC is a hater.
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Mantlemurcer
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HomieYank
Jun 17 2008, 03:20 PM
Venom
Jun 17 2008, 01:04 PM
Black Willie Randolf: Fired
White Rick Peterson: Fired
White Tom Nieto: Fired
Hispanic Sandy Alomar: Not fired? :think:

Thats not suspicious at all. Omar only likes Mexicans, he's trying to turn the mets into los metropolinos. They are going to start allowing three people to a seat at shea and selling Negra Modelo instead of bud. Before you know it there won't even be people watching the gates at Shea and and 200,000 people will be there watching every game in their wife beaters and sandals eating arroz con gandules, roast pig and avacado, while the PA announcer speaks spanish. There will be pickup soccer games in the OF of shea while games are going on.

:laugh:
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Grandy4MVP
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What a 2nd Rate organization the Muets are!!!!

Pathetic!!!!

Bring Willie back home to the Bronx! :rock:
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Sori4Mvp
Jun 17 2008, 04:04 PM
What a 2nd Rate organization the Muets are!!!!

Pathetic!!!!

Bring Willie back home to the Bronx! :rock:

:please: He's going out west to feast on subways with joe the nose. :peace:
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Mantlemurcer
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YankeeBaseball
Jun 17 2008, 04:11 PM
Sori4Mvp
Jun 17 2008, 04:04 PM
What a 2nd Rate organization the Muets are!!!!

Pathetic!!!!

Bring Willie back home to the Bronx!  :rock:

:please: He's going out west to feast on subways with joe the nose. :peace:

Joe don't like Willie.
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Bleedrngrblue
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Is there any fight left in the dog.....?
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Giambi_MVP_25
Jun 17 2008, 02:19 PM
Omar's a racist. ¡Los Mets!

Claro que si! Los Mets de Nueva York son majoridad hispanos!
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Mantlemurcer
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mad dog roasted omar when he was on
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HomieYank
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Mantlemurcer
Jun 17 2008, 05:51 PM
mad dog roasted omar when he was on

Did he mention the blatant racism? I can't wait till someone has the balls to bring that up to his face.
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amit
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HomieYank
Jun 17 2008, 10:20 PM
There will be pickup soccer games in the OF of shea while games are going on.

I'd watch it. :peace:
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Mantlemurcer
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HomieYank
Jun 17 2008, 07:53 PM
Mantlemurcer
Jun 17 2008, 05:51 PM
mad dog roasted omar when he was on

Did he mention the blatant racism? I can't wait till someone has the balls to bring that up to his face.

No, it was just about the way the whole thing was handled.
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Bleedrngrblue
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Is there any fight left in the dog.....?
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Mantlemurcer
Jun 17 2008, 10:23 PM
HomieYank
Jun 17 2008, 07:53 PM
Mantlemurcer
Jun 17 2008, 05:51 PM
mad dog roasted omar when he was on

Did he mention the blatant racism? I can't wait till someone has the balls to bring that up to his face.

No, it was just about the way the whole thing was handled.

Hard to mention it when Jerry Manuel is a black man and a minority also, but not a "Latino". It was a spineless and stupid move the way it went down though!
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Yanksfan03
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Mantlemurcer
Jun 17 2008, 10:23 PM
HomieYank
Jun 17 2008, 07:53 PM
Mantlemurcer
Jun 17 2008, 05:51 PM
mad dog roasted omar when he was on

Did he mention the blatant racism? I can't wait till someone has the balls to bring that up to his face.

No, it was just about the way the whole thing was handled.

Did they at least tell him he's a spineless bitch?
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