Gregory Gewirtz

I'm reading this and I'm, in the words of Mets management, "scared to death." I see no commentary on what Manuel is like in-game, though. I wonder if he would employ a suicide squeeze play on occasion.

Who is new Mets manager Jerry Manuel? -- Newsday.com

BY ANTHONY RIEBER | anthony.rieber@newsday.com
3:25 PM EDT, June 17, 2008

So who is Jerry Manuel?

The Mets' new interim manager is a Christian, a philosopher-type who finds inspiration from the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandi and Leo Tolstoy.

He's considered laid-back, but he was certainly more fiery than Willie Randolph when it was Manuel, then the bench coach, and not Randolph who was ejected on May 18 for arguing an incorrect non-home run call on Carlos Delgado at Yankee Stadium.

Most observers think the underachieving Mets need a kick in the pants, not a hug. But is the 54-year-old from Hahira, Ga., the man to give it? The fact the Mets only gave him the rest of the season probably tells you even they are not sure.

Manuel was fired, in part, because it was felt he wasn't pushing the White Sox hard enough and had an underachieving team (sound familiar, Willie?). That view was justified somewhat when the White Sox won the 2005 World Series under the so-fiery-he-seems-crazy Ozzie Guillen.

Some highlights and lowlights of Manuel's reign as White Sox skipper and beyond:

THE TOUGH GUY: Manuel got in Frank Thomas' face during spring training in 2000 when the slugger didn't want to participate in running drills. A few months later, Thomas told the Orange County Register, "He's been more of a stern rock. It's working. It's made me a different player. It's hard when you fail. He points me in the right direction of moving forward." Thomas hit .328 with 43 homers and 143 RBIs and finished second to Oakland's Jason Giambi in the MVP voting.

Manuel's take-charge approach in 2000 was cited as part of why the White Sox went 95-67 and won the AL Central. They were swept in the Division Series by the Mariners and did not return to the postseason during Manuel's tenure.

THE KEEP 'EM LOOSE GUY: In April 2000, Manuel, who was suspended after a brawl, greeted his players in a Detroit hotel wearing a bellman's uniform.

THE UNPOPULAR GUY: By 2003, Manuel had worn out his welcome with White Sox fans. He was booed during introductions for the All-Star Game at U.S. Cellular Field. He was fired at the end of the season.

WILLIE'S GUY? Manuel was Randolph's first base coach in 2005. He became bench coach in 2006 and had one controversial moment in that role.

Manuel was drawn into controversy after the 2006 season when Cliff Floyd told Newsday's Ken Davidoff that Randolph was "confused" during the ninth inning of Game 7 of the NLCS against the Cardinals.

Floyd was sent up as a pinch-hitter with runners on first and second and no one out. Floyd said that Randolph deferred to Manuel because Randolph wasn't sure whether Floyd should bunt or swing away. Manuel, according to Floyd, told Randolph to let him swing. Floyd struck out. Randolph later disagreed with Floyd's version of what happened, but did not get into specifics.

Manuel's professional playing career lasted 14 years but only resulted in 127 major-league at-bats with the Tigers, Expos and Padres. He batted .150 with three home runs. He is the father-in-law of former Yankee Rondell White and lives in Sacramento, Calif., during the offseason.

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Masters of Superiority

He lives in Sacramento? That makes him ok in my book. The smartest people on Earth live in this area of the country. We only stay up until 10pm or so to watch the team play West Coast games. See there?

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"Here's the pitch, slow and straight...
All I have to do is swing and I'm a hero...
But I'm a zero..."

-- Weezer, "Perfect Situation"... and the 2008 Mets

mets84

Does he acknowledge the existence of statistics? Will he change his mind based on new information? Will he make rational decisions when it comes to putting his players in the best positions to succeed?

Or will he stubbornly adhere to his "gut"?

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You ****ing knew it after reading that.

kingdiggler

If he's a christian, how will delgado play for him?

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"To avoid being mistaken for a sellout, I chose my friends carefully. The more politically active black students. The foreign students. The Chicanos. The Marxist professors and structural feminists."

Barack Obama


It ain't socialism, it's his thug thizzle.

mets84

Can he handle a pitching staff?

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You ****ing knew it after reading that.

A$$hole from El Paso

Good thing Shawn Green retired, too.

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Originally posted by KingDiggler:

I'm glad he's finally seen the light

Gregory Gewirtz

I'm surprised that none of the articles around address Manuel's reputation as an in-game manager, his reputation for making role changes, or what style of baseball he prefers.

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mets84

Probably because most journalists know as much as we do about the guy.

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You ****ing knew it after reading that.

MetfanBren

They can't crucify anyone while they're still martyring Willie. And to be fair, I'm sure their editors are far more concerned with the Willie story right now than anything else...

swataz

As classless and moronic as this firing is, a lot of these reporters forget that Willie basically accused the Shea fanbase as racist.

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www.DiscussGlobalWarming.com - Where do YOU stand?

mets84

And the reporters who are currently deifying him.

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You ****ing knew it after reading that.

swataz

Yeah...either they have very short memories, little self-respect, choose to ignore it as they bronze a statue of Willie in the chop shops adjacent to Shea, or they need to play this story up to glorify themselves as journalists.

Thing is, I didn't forget it, and frankly, EFF HIM for saying something like that in the first place.

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www.DiscussGlobalWarming.com - Where do YOU stand?

mets84

Not that the Mets are innocent victims here, but Willie has become a very convenient weapon with which to club the team. The Yankee connection takes this to a whole 'nother level.

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You ****ing knew it after reading that.