History is Not on Willie's Side

by: Joe McDonald | Publisher and Editor-in-Chief | Wednesday, May 21, 2008



Call it the manager’s curse. It’s there. Every time the Mets lose in the playoffs – and don’t go back the next year - the skipper gets fired within two seasons.

As Casey Stengel said, “You can look it up.”

After Yogi Berra has us all believe in 1973, he was dismissed during the 1975 season. Davey Johnson took a hit in May of 1990, just a season and two months from losing to the Dodgers in seven games. Even Bobby Valentine wasn’t able to survive after losing to the Yankees in 2000. He was gone after 2002.

Sure, this could be just a historical coincidence, but think about it. This pattern actually makes sense, because each time the Mets go to the playoffs, expectations become just a little higher and since the Amazins’ don’t win the World Series, the house money earned from a championship isn’t there.

So when the Mets falter the next season, the skipper goes on the hot seat. The fans turn on him. Then the media, followed by his general manager, who is more concerned about his own skin. The players just can’t seem to be motivated, which finally causes ownership pulls the trigger.

Sound familiar?

Willie Randolph is on stage 4 right now. After losing the fans, who are still bitter from last season, and the media starting to question his motives, the Mets manager doesn’t have Omar Minaya in his corner. And after looking a little motivated against the Yankees, the players went back to their placid ways during the Braves doubleheader sweep tonight.

Yeah, the meeting on Friday helped, but the Mets beat up on a Yankee team who can’t hit lefties [four of the five Met pitchers over the weekend were lefthanded] and Bombers are suffering from their own malaise to boot.

But they looked like they had life and everyone who follows the Mets hoped the team would come on strong in Atlanta. Instead the Braves were the ones who were playing fundamentally sound baseball during the both games and in 18 innings, the team could only muster three runs, while allowing 12.

Oh yeah, there was a little controversy as well. Yesterday, Nation was treated to Ian O’Connor’s column in the Record of Hackensack, NJ. Randolph blamed SNY for making him look too calm and not interested when the camera is on him in the dugout, while also bringing up the race card.

The manager couldn’t be more off base.

SNY is owned by the Wilpons, who don’t need to make the manager look bad to fire him. Again, Randolph used all his house money and good will up last season, so the Mets don’t need to use SNY to slander the manager, because the owners were well in their rights to dismiss Randolph after last’s year’s collapse.

As for his comments on race, it’s kind of sad an intelligent man like Randolph feels that way. His examples for Herman Edwards - who was treated very fairly in New York - and Isiah Thomas - who got what he deserved - were way off base and didn’t support his argument.

Now Randolph did retract his statements today, but the damage was done and the Mets looked lifeless during the two game sweep. Now the team is back to square one and the manager is back on the hot seat. With two more game in Atlanta and three in Colorado, it’s conceivable the Mets could come back 2-5 in these seven games.

And then the pressure will be back with the first place Marlins in town for four games.

It’s hard to see a good man like Randolph go through this, but if the Mets continue down this road, the curse will strike again. And sooner rather than later.