The decision was made despite a tumultuous week for Randolph that started with negative comments made in the Bergen Record about SNY, the Mets’ television network, and ended with the team going 1-6 in Atlanta and Colorado.
ESPN showed the pair live as they took questions during a brief press conference. Omar reiterated his full support for Willie as well as the support of ownership.
The Daily News reported the following quotes from the press conference…
"We always talk about how we can get better and how we can improve as a team," Randolph said shortly after the meeting ended. "We do that periodically, and this is a time where we need to turn things around. … We always talk about stuff like that. Obviously, we started by talking one-on-one about the things that happened last week, and they wanted to talk to me face to face, and that’s what happened."
"Willie’s our manager," GM Omar Minaya said. "I hope he’ll be our manager for many years to come."
When asked if his job was safe for the rest of the season, Randolph replied: "They didn’t say that."
"It’s always urgent in a division where you don’t want to slip back. There’s urgency every day winning ballgames," he added.
Despite what the media wanted us to think, the purpose of the much ballyhooed meeting was to address comments made by Willie about SNY and to discuss the direction of the team.
It looks like for now Randolph has some time to turn this team around. Whether or not he can do it remains to be seen. Omar Minaya seemed to be bracing Mets fans for disappointment when he said that despite looking good on paper, no team ever won a division title on paper. Gee, thanks Omar… As for Randolph, he looked about as emotionally drained as I have ever seen him.
I don’t know how to feel about this… Should I be happy or should I be upset? How do you feel???
