Turnpike Series

The Anatomy of a Loser: The New York Mets

Good teams have good leadership. In baseball more than most sports, good leadership is essential to winning championships. 162 games is a long grind and team chemistry and an unwavering belief in yourself and your teammates is needed to win a division championship. Much of this leadership needs to be fostered by the manager.

The New York Mets just do not have that type of leadership and have once again watched the Philadelphia Phillies pass them by in the standings. True it is early in the season and I am sure we will see the standings in the National League East change hands at least a few more times, but what happened in last nights game shows what ails the Mets worse then their lack of bench, true corner outfielders, depth in pitching, or in their minor league system. They have a lack of leadership.

Ryan Church made a giant base running gaffe. It was ugly, but hey it happens. It is what happened after that shows why the Mets are in trouble. Jerry Manuel turned his back on Church giving him the cold shoulder. He then said, “A guy missed third base. That’s unbelievable! I can’t explain why, how or anything. But he actually missed the base. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone miss third base like that.” What kind of leadership is that? What happened to dealing with a situation head on then moving on? What happened to keeping it behind closed doors and dealing with it as a team? When a manager ignores a player for poor play, it condones holding a grudge, a lack of trust, and a situation that can fester.

Players will also follow the lead of their manager. This was evident in Carlos Beltran's quote after the game. “I never seen anything like that. I don’t know what happened. I didn’t ask Church what happened. It’s bad.” I didn't ask Church what happened? Beltran is supposed to be a leader on this team! Leaders hold teammates accountable. They don't ignore them or give them the cold shoulder. They question and make it known that on their team this type of play is unacceptable.

What does this type of leadership (or lack there of) foster? Tight play with contention in the clubhouse. Is there a question of why the Mets makes so many boneheaded mistakes? No. They are afraid to make an error lest their manager get angry with them and they get shunned in the clubhouse.

The New York Mets have a lot of talent, but with leadership like this, they are destined to come up short in the big game. Need another example, just look at 2007 and 2008!

Whimpering Willie Looking for the Unemployment Line

Whimpering Willie Randolph may be looking for the unemployment line by weeks end if the Mets do not go on a run. Randolph has lost his team, they do not respect him, and it won't be long before he is gone. But where does this leave New Yorks inferior team? They have no depth, an aging team, and no farm system. Their bullpen is suspect, they have no bench, and are going no where.

Not to laugh in the Mets fans faces, but I will, this team needs a major overhaul to get back into contention. Free agency will not do it. They need to restock their farm system and start from the beginning.

I know you rotten apples are not the sharpest knives in the drawer, but your problem is not Whimpering Willie, it is Omar Minaya. He is a crappy GM that has been given a large budget and still can not put a winning team in the field. So he brought in Johan Santana. He spent way too much for him and signed him for way too many years. Wait until he has an injury and they are paying for him for five years that he does not pitch. And what was he thinking giving an old second baseman with bad knees and hamstrings a four year contract? Castillo owes Minaya big time!

Maybe you can bring Steve Phillips and Bobby Valentine back! They would be better than what you have!

Willie's On His Way Out!

The Mets have not won a game this week and the heat is on Willie Randolph. In addition, Willie tried to blame race as being an issue for his treatment. Hey Einstein, no one cares about your race, color, creed, or religion, they care about winning. I don't remember them being any better to Bobby Valentine. The controversy and speculation of his tenure adds another nail in the coffin of the overpaid, under performing 2008 New York Mets.

The team seems to not care about anything while guys like Billy Wagner and David Wright try to stir the pot only to alienate themselves more. Face it you two, the rest of the team does not care. Moises Alou is back on the disabled list. Pedro Martinez announced he will retire at the end of the season, and he is riding out the year enjoying his paycheck. These guys clearly do not care about winning.

The even better news is that this team really has no prospects moving forward. They can get rid of some of their older washed up players like Alou and Carlos Delgado, but who are they going to replace them with? They all but emptied their minor league system to land Johan Santana who they overpaid and gave way too many years to. They can sign free agents but that does not always seems to work out, especially for the Mets, and they will sacrifice draft picks in doing so. That will put their farm system even farther behind.

I would say this is all sad, but I am a Phillies fan and am completely enjoying the collapse in Flushing. Hey Mets fans, maybe you can bring back Keith Hernandez. He can probably play better than Delgado and it would stop his pointless comments in the television booth!