at some point the manager is going to have to be held accountable for the team's poor play, but Omar will never do so because it would force him to be accountable for hiring Willie in the first place. so the Mets will just contniue to stagger through this season reflecting upon how good they were last year. but meanwhile, another team will hoist the WS trophy.
It's not Willie's fault that... -His money player lives in abject fear of ever having to be the go-to guy. Last year he was solid because he knew that if he didn't get it done, Delgado would. Now that Delgado's not producing, Beltran is expected to earn his paycheck and he's peeing himself. -Delgado has aged fast. It's not a slump, it's an opportunity for us to dump him on an American league squad as a DH this offseason and hope we get anything of value in return. -Loduca is slumping horribly. A baseball manager has very little effect on how the players play, particularly the older vets who have had a consistently high level of production in the past. Minaya needs to go out and get a solid on base guy like Brian Roberts, or anyone else that can post a high average and be counted on for hits. Because the Mets can't expect to win with a 5,6,7 that looks like a 1998 All Star team. -X-
Managers absolutely have a great affect on how their players play, whether because of the the attitude and environment they set in the clubhouse or the lineup they set. but if the players are not motivated, than the Manager has failed to motivate them. by your own admittion on Beltran, Willie has failed to manage him properly because he lacks the fundamental ability to do so. LoDuca started off great until he started to get jerked around the lineup -- by Wille. Delgado has sucked, and Willie hasn't figured out what to do with him all season. these are all things Willie has done, not things have have just been done to poor unfortunate Wille.
Delgado has had a crappy year but he has been playing better lately. The main culprits are Beltran, Lo Duca and Green, none of which have hit a lick in the past month and a half +. Once Alou comes back hopefully the Green problem will sort itself out, he still has respectable numbers against righties but shouldn't ever be batting against a LHP. LoDuca just isn't a very good player and should sit alot more for Castro(they mentioned Willie hinting at this during the game last night). Same goes for Valentin hopefully he continues to ride the pine for Gotay. As far as Beltran goes I'm not sure what you can do except hope he starts hitting again like he was at the begining of the year.
LoDuca started off great until the batted balls stopped finding holes. He an old singles hitting catcher with no power. Of course he's going to stuggle, and it doesn't matter where Randolph hits him. What do you expect Willie to do with Delgado? Shoot him? Bench him for Newhan? Witchcraft? Delgado's been declining for a couple of years now. The fact that he sucks...well, it sucks, but it can't be that big of a surprise.
absolutely it matters where you bat someone in a lineup, it dictates what pitches they will see. and Delgado, I don't know what Willie should do, I don't hav ethe 30 some odd years of pro-baseball experience that Willie does. but despite that experience, Willie doesn't seem to know either. that is unacceptable. I may be able to identify that my car is not running well without knowing why, but I expect my mechanic, with all of his experience, should, considering that is what he does for a living. just because I can't solve a problem doesn't mean I do not posses the ability to identify something is wrong. same concept here.
Do you really believe that it's a managers job to be able to indentify and fix problems their players may be having? Doesn't that generally fall under the umbrella of the hitting or pitching coach? You know, the htiting coach that was just fired?
Met fans have become horrible spoiled whining little bitches and take away some of the enjoyment. I used to take pride in being a Met fan, now I am ashamed most of the time.
the coaches are always the first to be thrown under the bus. I will be more than happy to wait and see if a new hitting coach can improve this team, but if not, at some point the responsibility for the team falls on the Manager. it is his job to get them ready to play. that is a Manager's job.
so, voicing disappointment automatically equates to being a whiny bitch? more embarrasing than that are Met fans with low expectations. what have Met fans come to when they are content with being the Cubs? have a great season and then completely regress. but hey, at least we had a great season last year.
