ANAHEIM, Calif. – Willie Randolph’s former players didn’t exactly shed tears today after the Mets manager’s unexpected late-night firing.
Several of the most prominent Mets appeared to welcome Randolph’s departure because it finally meant an end to the constant and feverish speculation about his future.
“It was a huge distraction,” third baseman David Wright said before tonight’s game with the Angels. “It seemed like he was always on the hot seat. Even when we won, we had to answer questions about the manager’s future.”
Center fielder Carlos Beltran said, “It was tough to stay away from the papers and concentrate on baseball, especially when they’re constantly writing ‘Fi-re Will-ie! Fi-re Will-ie!’ That wears on you after a while.”
Other players all but shrugged off Randolph’s axing and replacement with interim boss Jerry Manuel as a business decision and just part of the game.
“As a team, we hadn’t lived up to expectations,” said closer Billy Wagner, whose three blown saves last week had done much to put Randolph on that hot seat. “The bad thing is, the manager gets the blame. That’s the way the game is.”
Wagner demurred when asked if GM Omar Minaya handled Randolph’s firing poorly.
Minaya and the Mets are being roasted by their fans and in the media for dismissing Randolph in the middle of the night, more than 2,000 miles from New York just hours after their third win in four games.
“I don’t know if there’s ever a good time to do something like that,” Wagner said. “I don’t think any general manager likes to fire a coach.”
Jose Reyes, who had a handful of run-ins with Randolph last season before patching things up over the winter, is hoping to reach out to his now ex-manager once the furor dies down.
“I just feel sorry for the guy because we weren’t able to play good baseball for the guy,” Reyes said. “He’s going through a tough time right now, but when I get a chance, I’m going to call him and thank him for everything he’s done for me.”
Wright credited Randolph for helping him blossom into one of the game’s best young players, but appeared eager to move on with Manuel in charge.
“I’ll forever be grateful for Willie for giving me the opportunity to continue my development as a young player,” Wright said. “He took this team to a different level while he was here. But that being said, I’m excited about what Jerry can bring to the table.”
So, it seems, is Beltran.
“Jerry knew the players as the bench coach and communicated with us,” Beltran said. “I think he’ll do a great job. He’s communicates a lot and is always positive.”