Tag: Keith Hernandez

Time For A New Sheriff In Town

The "Willie Watch, Part Two" is in full bloom now that the Mets have reverted to their pre-Wilpon meeting ways. I really thought that the energy that we saw from the Mets two weeks ago could be sustained… But I was wrong. Now it’s time for Willie Randolph to go.

The Mets problems certainly aren’t completely Randolph’s fault. The players and Omar Minaya deserve some of the blame as well.  I stand by my initial feelings about this team; although there are flaws in the roster, the current configuration should be capable of being a strong contender for a playoff spot. Whether they achieve that goal or not depends on variables such as competition, injuries, and seasonal performance.

Based on that assumption, Willie Randolph hasn’t done the job of motivating the players to achieve their potential. Sure there are players that need to go: Carlos Delgado, Aaron Heilman, and maybe some others. But the roster doesn’t require a complete overhaul. You can’t fire all of the players but you can fire the manager.

My contention is that the Mets need a new manager that is bigger than the players. A manger that isn’t afraid of under performing veterans, and isn’t afraid to move young players into power positions in the lineup. It’s common in college but pretty rare in the pro’s. There are a few examples: Phil Jackson, Bill Parcells, and Terry Francona. These are people that have attained the highest level of success in their respective sports and won championships. They know what it takes to be on top. They know that talent rules over union seniority.

The Mets need a "star" that has a significant history within the organization and has won a championship. No… I’m not talking about getting Doc Gooden clean and bringing him in to manage the team. There are only two logical choices; Davey Johnson or Keith Hernandez. They’ve won here as manager and player respectively. They bring immediate clout to the job. They bring an attitude that winning is the only thing, and lackluster play is unacceptable. It’s time for a new sheriff in town.

Francesa: Hernandez Would Manage Mets

There’s been a lot of speculation about Willie Randolph being fired. That speculation has changed since the series in Atlanta to who will be the next manager of the New York Mets and when it will happen.

I’m listening to WFAN’s Mike and the Mad Dog today. They’re talking about the managerial candidates for the Mets. Surprisingly, Mike Francesa says that he spoke to Keith Hernandez at Yankee Stadium last weekend. Mike asked Keith if he was offered the Mets job if he would take it, and Keith said “yes”.

The reason that I’m surprised is that I didn’t think that Keith would want the job. I thought that he enjoyed broadcasting for SNY without having to do every single game.

If Hernandez is interested in the job, that’s the right call. Obviously, he’s a Mets legend which doesn’t always translate into being a good manager. But in this case, I think it would be the correct direction to go. I’d miss seeing Keith do the games on SNY but he’s got a good head on his shoulders and a solid understanding of the game. Specifically, he understands what’s going on with this team.

One of the big reasons that Randolph is still the manager is because there haven’t been any clear cut candidates to replace him. But this revelation about Hernandez changes that. Now is the time for the Wilpons to make a move.

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Mets Television Crew Profile

I found a column from an unusual source this morning: The Wall Street Journal Market Watch. Jon Friedman did kind of a fluff piece on the Mets television broadcasting crew of Gary Cohen, Ron Darling, and Keith Hernandez. From the ways it’s written I have to assume that Jon Friedman is a Mets fan. Nice!

Personally, I think those guys are great. I have absolutely no critique of them. They’re the best crew that I’ve seen including the national networks.