Say it ain’t so, Willie

Why wait the weekend? That is the question millions of Mets fans are asking in the wake of John Heyman’s report that Willie Randolph reign at Mets manger is about to come to an embarrassing end. In a hit that rivals any episode of the Sopranos, Willie Randolph is about to bite the bullet for his team’s poor play. And like what happens to our favorite small-screen gambinos, the events leading to the demise of Willie Randolph did not occur during just this season. After blowing a 7-game division lead during the final week of the 2007 season (Willie’s team made Linda Lovelace proud), Willie began this season under enormous pressure. And now, after Billy Wagner’s one-week audition for the ABC’s hit reality show The Mole (three blown saves in a row), the Mets are 33-35 and are 6 ½ games behind the Phillies in the division. Now it seems inevitable that Willie will be fired.

I know I have written numerous blogs calling for Willie’s scalp, but I’m going to reverse course and say that that this is not Willie’s fault. He has no guys in the bullpen, and seemingly half the team is on the DL collecting AARP (I wonder whose brilliant idea it was to count on Mosies Alou playing at least 100 games?). Unlike the heartless souls that own the team and the millions of fans that boo the Mets’ every mistake, I am sensitive to the fact that Willie Randolph was chosen as one of Clint Hurdle’s coaches for the All-Star game at Yankee Stadium, so maybe Freddy Wilpon could keep him off the chopping block until then. Eh, I guess now Willie is going to have to watch the game from home like me. Hopefully, Omar Minaya can join him and make it a party.