New York Mets fire Randolph

[Drum]

-- ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- 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.

Randolph was let go in the middle of the night Tuesday, 2 1/2 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.

More at: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/06/17/bc.bbn.mets.randolphfir.ap/index.html?cnn=yes

[cboy4]

1. How can a team with that kind of payroll be below .500?

What a joke.

[Captain Hilts]

2. This move upsets me, actually.

I can't put a finger on it.

I guess I think that the collapse last year was the players' fault.

I know it's easier to change managers than to change players.

I sure hate to see a NY native lose the post.

[Drum]

3. Me too, Mookie.

I like WR. I remember him coaching with the Yanks, & was happy when he got the Mets job as top dog. I live 3 blocks from the Cyclones stadium (Mets A-league)in Bklyn and they gave out Willie bobbleheads last summer...makes me sad about this too, even though I am primarily a Yankees fan.
And being fired in the middle of the night, after you've just won, has got to burn too.

[Captain Hilts]

5. He was one of those guys...

like Bernie Williams and Paul O'Neil that symbolized the calm professionalism of the Yankees amid the Steinbrenner, Clemens, etc. tumult.

Love 'em all - Williams, O'Niel, Randolph....

[Drum]

7. Same here...

the contrast of those guys (+ Tino, Knobby, Jeter, Jorge & some others) is very appreciated, amid all the loudmouth antics of the others...balances out that "axis of evil" argument.
RIP Willie, and good luck with the job search....

[Bluzmann57]

4. Yet another reason to despise the mets

It is certainly their right to fire the manager, but the way they did it shows no class at all. Mets show no class in firing Randolph, Steinbrenner mouths off like an idiot. Like I said earlier, the sports equivalent of the axis of evil is New York, Boston, and ESPN.

[Drum]

6. Okay okay,

easy now... :eyes:

[Jack Rabbit]

8. In the middle of the night, announced by e-mail.

Baseball owners are a class act, aren't they?