Willie Watch

It won't happen for a month or so, but Willie Randolph is going to get fired. I honestly don't know whether this is a good thing or not, because I don't know who would replace him, and if it's Jerry Manuel or some other member of the Mets' current coaching staff, it probably won't make a lick of difference.

But if there's one thing that's good about MetsBlog, it's measuring the feeling of the mainstream fans. I imagine that the audience here (about 100 people a day, probably the same 100) is quite different from the MetsBlog populace (about 70,000 a day). No matter how right we are, what they think is way, way more important. And the most distilled form of their opinions is to be found in the polls. So, yes, it is important that Willie's approval rating fell from 81 to 56 percent in just one week. That 70,000 surely includes employees of Sterling Mets, LP.

And now, the usually positive and upbeat proprietor of that site has written an editorial proclaiming that "Willie's message must change." It is worth reading first for the novelty of the criticism and second for the salience of its points, if not for the shoddy grammar and hackneyed style that is typical of that author and his site:

…what’s more, i had hoped to see this team play out of the gate as though they had no choice but to redeem themselves for what happened last year…because, you know what, they have no choice…they need redemption, otherwise a whole lot of people will be looking for new jobs next season…i hoped that the Mets would remember the Collapse, not brush it off, using it is motivation to start hot, emotionally and in the standings, to send a message to us, the Braves, Phillies, etc, that this year will be different…

Indeed. How long will Randolph preach "a nice little rhythm" and defensively shoot down any criticism made by writers and fans, eschewing all wisdom in favor of the wisdom of his gut, which is slow and cantankerous and altogether wrong?

How can he fail to argue and spit and scream or even have a discussion with the umpires when Chase Utley leans into multiple pitches with no retribution, no hard fastballs in the back, nothing but three free trips to first base?

How long will the Mets allow this manager to perpetrate this message to his players: "we are here to earn paychecks, nothing more," a message that finds its way out on the field, into the stadium and the papers, upsetting our very notions of glory as sports fans?

Sit down, Lastings! No celebrations, José! We're not devastated. We're fine. You're the ones who are devastated. You fans, you boors in the seats. Get a job, loser.

How long? About a month, I think.