It's Time: Mets Manager Willie Randolph Must Go

One of my favorite columnists, ESPN's Bill Simmons, recently wrote in an article that you should never write anything down while you're extremely upset.  That includes, he states, letters or emails to bosses, ex-girlfriends, or in his case, columns about your favorite sports team that has recently sent you straight to a bottle of whiskey.

This didn't stop him from writing a great column about his Celtics (it's right on ESPN's front page, I suggest you check it out), in which he destroyed his beloved team by stating what everyone in Beantown's been thinking about their playoff performance.

The Mets performance today has infuriated me to the point where even I cannot hold back anymore. 

Having played baseball at the college level, I have at least a somewhat better understanding than the average fan of how hard the game can be, and how hard it can be to play the game well.  It's because of my experience with the game that I'm able to understand the ups and downs of a major league season, and the struggles and slumps that go on over the course of 162 games.  And most importantly, it allows me to not read too much into them, because I've been there, and I understand.

But all of that has gone out the window.  It's time to say what everyone who loves this team has been thinking since the end of last season, Willie Randolph needs to be fired, and he needs to be fired now.  

Today's game against the Nationals, at least for me, was the final straw. 

Mike Pelfrey gives the club arguably the best outing of his young career, even carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning.  He ends up giving up one run over seven and 2/3 innings, and surrendering only three hits.  He pounded the strike zone all game long, and challenged the Nats' hitters from the start.  

When you get this type of outing from your number five starter, you need to win the game. 

Oh, and did I mention the Mets were facing the LAST PLACE Washington Nationals, and facing a pitcher who had an ERA over 11 before today's start? 

Granted, Bergmann threw the ball very well today; he was getting on top of his curveball and it was breaking sharply out of the zone, which helped him to strike out eight Mets.  But he was going to the same pitch over and over with two strikes.  How about an adjustment fellas?  Maybe pick up a tendency one time?  The guy's ERA is over 11, his stuff can't be THAT good.

Good teams win games like this.  Championship-caliber teams, which everyone in the Mets clubhouse seems to think they are, win games like this.  The fact the Mets lost a game 1-0 to a last place team isn't even the main issue, though.  Those sort of things happen over such a long season.

But take a closer look at how they lost: With Castillo on first base and two outs, David Wright hits a fly ball to right field.  Austin Kearns comes over towards the line to make the play, but drops the ball.  Castillo, thinking the play is routine, coasts around second base, just waiting to be told the ball's been caught.  Once he realizes the ball's been dropped, he speeds up and gets to third.  Could he have scored on the play?  We can never really be sure, but the play would have been awfully close if he had been busting it around the bases.  

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?