Lupica On Mets Racial Divide

Last night the Daily News website published a new column from Mike Lupica on the Mets so-called racial divide. If you listen to WFAN or other sports talk radio shows, this column doesn’t contain any new information that you haven’t already heard. Omar Minaya gave Lupica some quotes denying that there’s a rift in the clubhouse. No surprise there.

Personally, I don’t believe that there is this rift that we’ve heard about. Paul LoDuca was one of the people that publicly raised the issue last season. Nobody ever accused him of being particularly perceptive or bright though. I wouldn’t use LoDuca as my barometer for anything. He exercised very poor judgment on several occasions while with the Mets and there was evidence on Facebook to prove it.

Billy Wagner’s comments about Carlos Delgado disappearing from the clubhouse after a Mets loss were also tied to the so-called rift. But I don’t understand that. It was one person talking about another person. That’s all.

Audio: Neyer And Marchand On Randolph

ESPN Radio

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ESPN’s Rob Neyer and Andrew Marchand join Michael Kay on ESPN Radio. Neyer makes some great points about why Willie Randolph should have been fired yesterday. Andrew Marchand talks in detail about the scene at Shea Stadium yesterday and the mixed support that Randolph received from the Mets players.

ESPN Audio

Delgado Benched Tonight, Maybe More

New York Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado before a Mets/Devil Rays spring training game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

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Willie Randolph said prior to tonight’s game that he’s giving Carlos Delgado some time to clear his head. He may sit out tomorrow night as well. Delgado has been killing the Mets for most of this season and last year. He just appears to be “done”. He can’t get around on inside fastballs anymore and frequently can’t get to high pitches.

I have to think that his decision came out of the meeting between Randolph, Omar Minaya, and the Wilpons yesterday. Hopefully, they’re working on a plan for a permanent solution to Delgado’s two year long lack of productivity. Scott Hatteberg, designated for assignment by the Reds today, might be a good start.

Fox Columnists On Randolph And Minaya

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The Fox Sports columnists are firing out columns about the Mets, both Willie Randolph and Omar Minaya. Ken Rosenthal and Mark Kriegel talk about the Mets problems from the players to the manager and the GM.

Ken Rosenthal talks about the Tigers, Mariners, and Mets chemistry problems and lack of players with passion. All three have $100+ million payrolls filled with too many overpaid underachieving players.

Mark Kriegel talks about Willie Randolph’s comments about racial discrimination. He says that the Mets problems aren’t racial.

Randolph Stays

Mets manager Willie Randolph before a Mets/Devil Rays spring training game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

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Omar Minaya and Willie Randolph addressed the media this afternoon and Willie Ranolph is staying. Basically, they said that the Wilpons wanted to speak to Willie face to face about the comments that he made last weekend to Ian O’Connor. And they wanted to discuss what’s wrong with the Mets and how to get things turned around.

If I was in the Wilpons shoes, I probably would have made a change. I think that there are viable candidates out there to replace Randolph as the New York Mets manager.

I would surmise that they spoke about particular player performances and what to do about several players that have been major disappointments.

Well, there you go. That’s what we’ve been waiting all week for. Nothing has changed. If you thought the booing was bad earlier this season, hold onto your hat tonight. I expect that the Mets are really going to hear it.

Rockies Drop Mets 6-5 In 13 Innings

A lot happened for the Mets in this game and today:

  • Willie Randolph may be on the verge of being fired
  • Omar Minaya showed up in Colorado and gave Willie cautious support
  • Gary Carter threw his hat in the ring to become the next Mets manager
  • Marlon Anderson left the game with what appeared to be an injured hamstring
  • Billy Wagner blew his second save of the season, and gave up his first earned run of the season to send the game to extra innings
  • Jose Reyes inexplicably got picked off second base after hitting a double in the tenth inning
  • More inexplicably, Yorvit Torrealba got caught trying to steal third in the bottom of the tenth inning; he’s overzealous in his attempt at revenge on the Mets for not signing him this off-season
  • Oliver Perez walked eight batters but managed to pitch into the sixth inning
  • Scott Schoenweiss looked good for two innings
  • Aaron Heilman takes the loss in his second inning of work
  • The Mets lose their fifth straight game

The losing continues for another day. At least Omar Minaya is in Colorado to figure out what exactly is going wrong for this team. I’m sure that we’ll hear a lot more about this when the team gets back to New York. Hopefully, the Mets won’t embarrass themselves on regional Fox coverage of the game tomorrow.

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