I'm sorry to say this, but I think it's time for Willie Randolph to go. I won't belabor the point, because the arguments I'll make are pretty much the same ones that have been bandied about already.The fact is, the Mets are playing like an uninspired, mediocre team. Billy Wagner is right that the players need to be held accountable; moreover, he's correct in saying he's not the one who should be answering reporters' questions about what's wrong with the team. (He's a reliever, already! He's not the reason the bullpen has been so bad. The guy hasn't given up an earned run all year.) But there's more to it than just that. The team is listless.
Don't blame the injuries, either. No one really expected much from Pedro or El Duque. The team should be hitting better than this. Part of the problem is that Carlos Delgado is past his prime. We could tolerate a .260 batting average from him with 20-22 home runs and maybe 80-90 RBI if Carlos Beltran were hitting, but neither of them are producing as expected. For that matter, neither is David Wright at the moment. Thank God for Ryan Church! But what has happened to Jose Reyes?
What kills me is that the way the Mets are playing is not what I have come to expect of a Willie Randolph club. When he was playing, Randolph was a hard-nosed, strong-willed player, proud of his abilities and too stubborn to accept losing. Ask him if he's worried about his team's performance now, however, and he gives an answer of "No, not yet. ... It's just one game. ... You can't judge a season on a couple games..."
Willie, a quarter of the season is behind you. If you can't get this club playing like champions by now, why should you be allowed to keep at it?
Ignite that fire in your belly, Willie. We all know it was there in the past. But if you don't find the fire, you'll find yourself fired.
