Despite yet another tepid vote of confidence from Mets GM Omar Minaya, Willie Randolph’s hold on his manager’s job is in such jeopardy that he may have no longer than this weekend series against the Rangers to save it.
Minaya, the last strong ally Randolph has in the team’s front office, publicly said, “Willie has my support and he has ownership’s support.”
However, sources tell The Post that even Minaya’s backing has all but eroded with the Mets continuing to underachieve. Minaya hoped to give Randolph until at least the All-Star Game to exact a turnaround, particularly because Randolph is scheduled to be an NL coach in the Midsummer Classic at Yankee Stadium. Minaya badly did not want to embarrass Randolph with a dismissal before then or now on Father’s Day weekend.
But, feeling pressure from above, Minaya may not be able to wait any longer. Ownership has left the decision on Randolph to Minaya. However, the Wilpons, Fred and Jeff, have let Minaya know they prioritize winning in 2008 above all else and if the GM feels a managerial change would trigger an upswing they would authorize eating the approximately $3.4 million left on Randolph’s contract through next year.
There also has been growing disenchantment with pitching coach Rick Peterson, and he and hitting coach Howard Johnson also have their employment in peril.
Because of the financial commitment to Randolph, the Mets would be more economical with a successor and plan to elevate bench coach Jerry Manuel for the rest of the season if Randolph is removed.
Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon was in Kansas City meeting with the architectural firm that is building Citi Field and is not due back until Sunday. Sources say the Mets would not make as drastic a change as removing the manager without Wilpon in New York. Thus, the feeling among team officials is Randolph probably has this weekend series against the Rangers to save his job.
But, at this point, the sources say they think Randolph’s removal has moved from “if” to “when,” unless this weekend begins a long hot streak that moves the Mets, 31-34 entering play tonight, significantly over .500.
Thursday, before leaving for Kansas City, Wilpon met with Minaya and the team’s other main decision-makers. He reiterated his fury at how the club has performed this season. The Mets already have failed to meet the edict from the Wilpons: get off to a strong start to help erase the lingering taste from last September’s collapse.
The Wilpons have again made their case to Minaya – change players, change the manager, change coaches – but the club needs to start winning. Ownership’s investment in a $140 million roster, SNY, and a new stadium makes it obsessed to win in 2008.
For now Minaya says he is sticking with the manager, but he only responded in the present tense when pressed repeatedly on Randolph’s status. He never assured how long Randolph will be in the job.
“The reality, at the end of the day, is that he’s our manager,” Minaya said. “We believe he’ll turn our team around.”
Asked if it would be better to resolve Randolph’s situation more clearly, Minaya said, “It’s resolved; it’s resolved that he’s our manager.”
Minaya demurred when asked to respond to reports that Randolph has the weekend to save his job.
“I can’t answer every report out there,” Minaya said.
For his part, Randolph was surprisingly jovial with reporters before the game against the Rangers, saying, “You want to touch me? Yeah, I’m still here.”
Randolph said he had not spoken with the Wilpons since a charity function in Connecticut on Monday.
“I can’t control the other stuff,” he said. “All the other stuff is totally out of my hands.”
Randolph said his players aren’t caught up in the discussions about his future, either.
“I’m in the clubhouse, and I don’t sense it’s bothering them,” he said. “We just need to think about how we can win a game. That’s the only thing we should be thinking about. [The 2-5 West Coast trip] last week was embarrassing, and these guys don’t want to be embarrassed. That’s their main concern.”
Carlos Delgado agreed, saying Randolph’s job security isn’t a topic of clubhouse discussion.
“There are no `if’ questions,” Delgado said when asked if firing Randolph would give the team a much-needed shakeup. “I don’t deal in `if’ questions.”