Willie Randolph Talks About The Future

Willie Randolph addresses the audience at the Somerset Patriots holiday party earlier this month. (Staff photo by Andrew Miller.)

2008 will be a year Willie Randolph won’t soon forget.

It began with him receiving a gift any manager would welcome: the best pitcher in the game, Johan Santana. Then the Mets got off to a slow start and after several near-misses and a few ill-advised comments, his first managerial tenure ended in the middle of the night in a West Coast hotel. He returned to Yankee Stadium, got some applause and expressed interest in managing again. Ultimately though, as 2008 comes to an end, he’s back in baseball, but not as a manager. He accepted a position as bench coach for Ken Macha in Milwaukee.

He recently attended the independent league Somerset Patriots’ holiday party and our Patriots beat writer Ryan Dunleavy was nice enough to grab a couple quotes from the former Mets manager and provide them to The InterMet.

On the surface, it seems like a strange spot for Willie since he originally interviewed for the vacant managerial spot with the Brewers. But Randolph told Ryan he doesn’t think it will be awkward. He also said he had broadcasting opportunities, but said his goal was to win a world championship as a manager and saw this job as a stepping stone to that. Fair enough.

Let’s hear from Randolph directly:

“(Ken) Macha and I are going to work very closely together. I know Macha from our playing days back with the Pittsburgh Pirates and we’ve stayed casually in touch over the years. He wanted me to be one of his guys, so I accepted.”

 

“The opportunity presented itself, and I think that being in the game, on the field, is better than being at home, where I could’ve sat back and collected my money. That’s not what I’m all about.”

 

“I’m going to be like a second lieutenant. Macha and I are going to work together to get this team in the right direction. I don’t have to be the boss. I’m looking forward to helping him be the best.”

Willie’s tenure with the Mets will never be judged fairly, especially given how it ended. It seems like he’s confident this will lead him back to another managerial opportunity. He deserves one.

 

*****

Thanks again to Ryan Dunleavy, who is covering girls basketball this winter, for the quotes. You can read his girls basketball blog, Holding Court, here. You can see more photos from the holiday party, which also featured Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson and Patriots manager Sparky Lyle, here.

Random Thoughts and Updates for Dec. 21

Do you think they had to sew their own 6-foot-7 Santa costume? (Photo by The Associated Press.)

Someone call Guinness. I think the Mets may own the rights to the tallest Santa Claus in history.

The 6-7 Mike Pelfrey was called on to portray Old Saint Nick at the Mets’ annual holiday party this week. It didn’t get the kind of press that Kris Benson’s stint as Santa got a few years back, but then again Pelfrey didn’t show as much leg as Mrs. Claus did that year.

It does raise an interesting question. What might Pelfrey ask of the real Santa Claus for the holidays this year?

Better run support? An extra mile-per-hour on his fastball? A new mouthpiece? (Remember that thing?)

No, I think Big Pelf might ask for more of whatever he found around June 16 of last season. It’s easy to forget that Pelfrey was on his way to another disappointing season in his young MLB career. After winning his first two starts, Pelfrey lost seven straight starts from April 25 through May 26.

But after three straight no-decisions, Pelfrey turned his season around June 16. That’s when he began of streak of winning his next seven decisions. In fact, the righty only lost five games after May 31 — and three of them came against his own personal kryptonite, the Florida Marlins.

As you might expect, Pelfrey’s stats improved along with his win-loss record. From Opening Day to June 11, he pitched to a 4.24 ERA. From June 16 on, he lowered that to 3.45. And while he continued to allow a lot of hits, even those dropped a bit. In the 12 starts through June 11, he allowed eight or more hits in six of the starts. In the 20 starts that followed, he allowed eight or more hits only six additional times.

Was it all Dan Warthen replacing Rick Peterson? Was it all confidence? Hard to say, but whatever it was that worked for Pelfrey, Mets fans better hope he has some more of it for this season.

Hopefully Santa leaves some under the tree this Thursday morning.

Well here we are just four days before Christmas. Before you head out to the stores for some more last-minute shopping, let’s get to a few random thoughts.

One Less Suitor For Derek Lowe

Old Man Moyer. (Photo by The Associated Press.)

Most Mets fans probably reacted to the news that the Phillies had brought back Jamie Moyer the exact same way.

“Whatever.”

After all, it was an expected signing and no one truly fears Jamie Moyer. The Mets went 3-3 in games against Moyer last season, so it’s a non-factor, right?

I say no.

I say the signing is good news for Mets fans, if only because it removes one more potential suitor for Derek Lowe. After signing Raul Ibanez for $30 million over the weekend and now bringing back their veteran arm, the likelihood of the Phils jumping back in on Lowe are slim. As I alluded to this weekend, it seems like the potential landing spots for the free-agent starter are drying up by the day and that can only be good news for the Amazin’s, who just happen to need a starter.

Scott Boras will find a way to get some action on Lowe, but a lot of the big fish are swimming away. Everyone except the Mets.

Random Thoughts and Updates for Dec. 14

They did not choke. (Photo by The Associated Press.)

So the Phillies thought the ‘07 and ‘08 Mets were choke artists, according to a controversial interview Cole Hamels gave to the WFAN mid-day hosts.

The only thing shocking about this is that Hamels actually admitted it.

What else would you expect the Phillies to think? They clearly had no fear of the Mets all throughout 2008, even though the Mets won the season series handily. And when push came to shove, the division race played out exactly as they hoped it would.

Expecting them to think differently is like expecting Manny Pacquio to think he got lucky by pummeling Oscar De La Hoya for the entire fight.

But now that it’s out in the open, somebody on this team better cut out that article and have it posted on the bulletin board of the first day of spring training. Motivation, yes? But also a somber reminder that this team failed at such a high level that their rivals got away with underestimating them for two years.

You can’t let them get away with that again.

Well, it’s Sunday. You know the drill. Let’s get to the random thoughts.

Random Thoughts and Updates for Dec. 7

Bobby Abreu longs for the days he got to patrol youth fields with no outfield walls. (Photo by The Associated Press.)

You might have heard this little rumor going around that the Mets need pitching. It’s strange because most teams don’t need pitching and every team has a lights-out closer. But not the Mets. Odd.

OK, now for a paragraph that is not drenched in sarcasm. Yes, it’s well-documented that the Mets need a closer first and then some starting pitching and with the Winter Meetings getting underway this week, we can expect to finally see movement on that front.

But what about the offense? It’s starting to get a bit neglected, so let’s spend a little time on the bats.

We’ve discussed the second-base situation frequently and the need to upgrade Luis Castillo. But until the Mets find a sucker interested team, the pursuit of Orlando Hudson must wait. (More on Castillo in a minute.) I’ve recommended the controversial and undervalued Adam Dunn for a corner outfield post, but the Mets appear to be in the 50 percent of the league that doesn’t recognize his contributions — a .900 OPS guy who cranks 40 home runs year in and year out.

So who are the Mets interested in? According to most reports, including this one on Andrew Marchand’s blog for 1050 ESPN Radio, it’s Bobby Abreu and Raul Ibanez. Both are interesting choices for the Mets (though neither is as good as Dunn, but I digress…), but as Ben Shpigel notes in the New York Times’ Mets blog, neither are the righty bat the Mets really need to complement David Wright. (To be fair, neither is Dunn.) Unfortunately, the falloff after that three is pretty severe if you are looking for a righty bat. You’re talking the Juan Rivera’s and Jay Payton’s of the world. Are those guys enough of an upgrade over the Fernando Tatis/Daniel Murphy platoon to make a difference? Should the Mets just sign the best-available guy and not lose sleep over lefty/righty protection? Will Abreu be even more scared of the wall with a porch overhanging the outfield in Citi Field?

All questions that the Mets need to answer once they get the closer squared away. Do you have any input in the meantime?

Well it’s Sunday and that can mean only one thing. NFL football? Well, yes. A more expensive newspaper? Umm, yeah. Church? Not in years, but sure. OK, Sunday can mean plenty of things, but it also means some random thoughts right here on The InterMet.

A Brave New World

The oft-injured A.J. Burnett would look good in a Braves uni. The dominating healthy A.J. Burnett? Not so much. (Photo by The Associated Press.)

It wasn’t that long ago that the Mets’ only true rival — aside from the not-so-friendly rivalry with the Yankees, of course — was the Atlanta Braves. The team that won division titles for a decade-and-a-half and always seemed to be a step ahead of the Mets like they were Bugs Bunny and the Mets were Daffy Duck.

Even after the Mets finally vanquished the Braves in 2006 and Jimmy Rollins started looking into his crystal ball, the team from Atlanta was front-and-center for most Mets fans as Public Enemy No. 1.

Then the Phillies went and edged out the Mets two seasons in a row and won a World Series and there’s just no denying that the Phillies have moved to the top of most Mets fans’ list. It also helped that the Braves really faded the last two seasons, initially dropping to third with 84 wins in 2007 and then fourth with just 72 this past year.

But that might not be the case for long. First came reports that the Braves were very much interested in making a trade for San Diego ace Jake Peavy. No come reports that the Braves have dipped into the piggy bank to make a competitive offer to Blue Jays free agent A.J. Burnett.

Burnett is certainly an injury risk so any four-or-five-year deal is dangerous, but whether you think the pitcher is the answer or not, this clearly is a signal of what is to come from the team down in the Dirty South: It looks like they are bulking up to go to war with the Phils and the Mets for the NL East crown.

It’s already difficult with so many fans being more worried about the Yankees than the teams the Mets play nearly 20 times a season. Can the Mets afford to have two hated rivals in the division?

And if you have to choose, who gets top billing for your disdain? The defending champs or a revamped Atlanta squad?

Random Thoughts and Updates for Nov. 30

CC Sabathia sold a ton of T-shirts for the Brew Crew. (The Associated Press.)

And you thought the Brewers merely beat out the Mets for the wild-card.

Milwaukee was named MLB’s “Club Retailer of the Year.” Yes, not only could the Brewers score more runs than the Amazin’s, they sold more T-shirts too.

According to the Capital Times in Madison, Wis., Miller Park’s retail sales have tripled in the last three seasons and more name and number tees were sold there than anywhere else in the last two seasons. That’s all fine and good, but every Mets fans will cringe when reading this excerpt:

“In addition, timely marketing has particularly aided in driving Brewers retail sales. Upon clinching a wild-card spot on the last day of the regular season, the Brewers launched a “24-Hour FanZone Frenzy” campaign supported by radio, print, out-of-home and online advertising, and which drove sales of thousands of postseason caps and T-shirts.”

Sept. 28 stings a little more every day, doesn’t it?

Well, it was a short week for news with the holiday, so here’s a short collection of random thoughts.

On The Road: Busch Stadium

The St. Louis Archway. (Photo by Steve Feitl.)

St. Louis will always be known for its Arch and its brewery — even if it Anheuser-Busch is now owned by some company called InBev.

But it’s also fairly well-regarded as a good baseball town. And a good baseball town needs a good ballpark. I can’t speak for the old Busch Stadium, because I was never there. But I was at the new Busch Stadium back on June 19 for an interleague matchup with in-state rivals, the Kansas City Royals.

And I will tell you this much, they have a great ballpark now.

The world will get a good look at this three-year old facility next summer when it hosts its first All-Star Game, but we can take a look inside today with this ballpark review.

One of the things that strikes you about Busch Stadium is the incredible view of the park you get as you drive along Broadway in downtown St. Louis. The Arch and the Mississippi River is to your left and then out a slew of high rises emerges this gorgeous ballpark with an impressive brick exterior on your right.

Great view. (Photo by Steve Feitl.)

It must be what New York City tourists feel like when they drive downtown on Seventh Ave and suddenly spot Madison Square Garden for the first time. It just feels slightly out-of-place but also really cool to have right in the middle of the city. And as a bonus, you can see into Busch Stadium.

As for bells and whistles, Busch has a few, including a family pavillion with batting cages and other kid activities that also offer a view of the field. But more than anything Busch is a baseball stadium first and foremost. There are no swinging liberty bells or firing steamboat stacks. And I like those city-specific details in Philadelphia and Cincinnati. But I also appreciate St. Louis’ approach to presenting a first-class baseball game in a first-class baseball facility above all else.

There are great sightlines throughout Busch with all the modern amenitites — seats tilted to home plate, a roomy lower bowl and, of course, cupholders. It’s a big stadium which will never be described as quaint. But there’s not a bad seat in the house.

Nice view of the Arch too. (Photo by Steve Feitl.)

And even though there is no apple rising from a magic hat or any other easily identifiable features, the scoreboards beyond the outfield walls do add some nice personality to the ballpark.  Not to mention the fact that you get a clear view of the Arch from inside the stadium. But then again, you get a clear view of the Arch from anywhere in St. Louis. It’s like the ultimate directional landmark. “Oh you want to go to the brewery? Well, you go to the Arch and make a right.” “Oh you want to go to the casino? Well, you go to the Arch and make a left.” “Oh you want to go to Alaska? Well, you go the Arch and make a U-turn.” (And you thought I was going to make a Sarah Palin joke…)

The Cardinals lost that day to the cross-state Royals, so that makes it a little hard to judge the fan experience. But they seemed knowledgeable of the game and fairly laid back. In fact, there was a little bit of a Wrigley vibe to Busch… minus the hundred years of angst. A lot of groups of friends congregating at ballpark to watch a game and catch a few brews.

The home of $9 beer. (Photo by Steve Feitl.

Which actually segueways nicely to my other complaint about Busch. The price of beer. Not just the price of beer, but the price of everything in general. It was easily the most-expensive ticket I purchased out of my three-game swing through Cincinnati, St. Louis and Kansas City this past June. But the food was expensive and nothing unique enough to warrant the price. And while the team shop was spacious and quite nice, things were expensive there too. But it was the $9 beers that bothered me most. You take the free Anheuser-Busch brewery tour and you get two free glasses of beer. You go to a ballgame at a stadium named for the same company and pay an arm and a leg. Just not cool.

But that is a nitpick and when the two cashcows in the Bronx and Flushing open this coming spring, $9 beer might seem like a bargain.

The past is not forgotten. (Photo by Steve Feitl.)

One thing that also cannot be ignored is the respect the Cardinals show for their past. The new stadium was built where part of it actually stands on ground where the old stadium once stood. This fact does not go ignored. The Cardinals have been smart enough to put plaques in key locations noting that the Old Busch once stood in this spot and then paint lines in the cement to show you where the outfield wall was, as well as other landmarks. It’s a really nice touch.

Also, as is the case with most new ballparks, the Cardinals have large bronze monuments outside the gates remembering the greats of the past. None is bigger than Stan the Man himself.

The reality is Busch Stadium is a really great ballpark. And it’s only due to get better. The land on the other side of the street where the rest of the old Busch Stadium sat was still just a dusty hole in the ground in June. But there are plans to move the team’s hall of fame there as part of a ballpark village. I’ve read reports that claim at least a portion of this will be operational once it’s time for the Mid-Summer Classic. That will be a nice plus to the ballgame experience, though there are several bars and even a nice park within walking distance of the ballpark.

Fredbird, the goofy looking red bird. (Photo by Steve Feitl.)

All in all, the Cardinals aren’t my favorite team in the world. I think most Mets fans would agree. So if there was even an opportunity to bash the Cards’ park, I would take it. But every time I thought I had something to complain about (other than the prices), the Cards came through.

Case in point, the public address announcer declared that Fredbird, the team’s mascot, would be in a certain location at a certain point. Wanting to grab a photo for the blog (the lengths I go to for you people…) we left our seats down the left-field line and wandered over to where the mascot was supposed to be. Only he wasn’t. After several less-than-patient moments in the summer heat we were about to head back to our seats – forever cursing the name of the Cardinals for their cruel ruse – when who should emerge from a staircase? None other than that big, goofy looking bird.

Crisis averted and another one in the “Win” column for Busch Stadium – an easy Top 5 ballpark nomination.

For more photos from my trip to Busch Stadium, check out this photo gallery.

Random Thoughts and Updates for Nov. 23

Do not boo the picture. I know it is a reflex for Mets fans. (The Associated Press.)

It’s no secret the Mets need a closer for the 2009 campaign almost as badly as the stars of this weekend’s blockbuster “Twilight” needed better dialogue. Still, the Mets need to repair more than just the ninth-portion of their tattered bullpen.

Ben Shpigel writes about that very subject in the New York Times, providing evidence that the Mets’ bullpen issues didn’t begin when Billy Wagner went down with injury. Those problems merely got a brighter spotlight. In the article, he notes that while Mets relievers threw the 11th fewest innings in the majors, they made the most relief appearances and averaged less than inning per appearance. Only the Cardinals joined them with less than an inning per appearance. And contrary to popular belief, it wasn’t just Aaron Heilman’s fault.

Here’s another telling stat:

“The Mets also led the majors with 3.44 relief appearances a game, another sign that they used relievers more often but got less from them.”

Despite this, the Mets have let Jeremy Affeldt sign with San Francisco and shown no reported interest in Joe Beimel and Juan Cruz. As Shpigel notes, the Omar Minaya model has been to troll the scrap heap for relievers. Given the Mets’ vast problems in that area, it might be time for Minaya to start shopping on Fifth Avenue instead.

Well it’s Sunday, so it must be time for some more random thoughts.

Derek Lowe Will Be Expensive For The Mets

Derek Lowe would look good in Orange and Blue.

Anyone else amused that two days after David Stern headache and potential Bud Selig headache Mark Cuban was charged with insider trading Major League Baseball announces a hard deadline for bids on the Chicago Cubs? It’s like they waited for months until the one moment he couldn’t possibly make a serious bid and then announced the deadline. It’s almost like they didn’t want him to be the Cubbies’ owner…

While Cuban sorts out his financial problems, it looks like Derek Lowe might be a financial problem for the Mets or whoever is interested in signing the free-agent pitcher.

SI.com’s Jon Heyman reports Lowe is looking for an annual salary of $16 million or more. His agent Scott Boras is using the comparison of the $16M Andy Pettitte got from the Yankees last season after similar years at similar ages.

It’s been a slow start to the Hot Stove, but one thing has become clear: Starting pitching is going to cost more than ever.

Time to break out the checkbook, Fred.