Monday, June 16, 2008

Are We Headed For A Bobby V 2000, Redux?

There is a rumor out there, reported on various forums and on Mets Blog, that the Mets coaches jobs are actually in trouble, moreso than Willie's job.

So I ask you, is it the Mets hope that deja vu will occur, all over again, circa the Big Firing Of Bobby V's coaches in 2000? Remember, right after that occurred, the team went on a 40-19 run, I think it was, or something close to that, eventually won the Wild Card and went on to defeat the Giants and the Cardinals to make it to the World Series that year, which was ultimately lost to Joe Torre and the Yankees.

I guess we can dream, can't we?

And I hate to say this coming off a series win this weekend, against the truly less-than-impressive Texas Rangers, who, true to rumored form, have offense but not much in the way of pitching (so little, in fact, that the erstwhile Met names of Jose Lima, Jorge Sosa, Nelson Figueroa and the likes of them might actually be greeted as saviors of a sort), but I truly don't think replacing coaches or even a manager or even a general manager at this point in the season would make much sense or would have any real affect.

Because, my friends, it's on the players. It truly is on the players at this point. It's obvious that over the last year their .500 brand of baseball has become the benchmark for this group, and short of any real substantial change of the type which it is almost impossible to effectuate during the playing year, not much will change.

So let's see if these guys can turn it around. Let's give them the chance. It's what we've been waiting for; what we've hoped for since even before The Collapse. Do they have it in them? Are they capable of it? Do they want it badly enough? Do they still have the talent to compete at the highest levels?

Stay tuned, because as the season plays out, we will no doubt get our answer.

And then, we will have to face it and move forward, with or without some of the present management, coaches, and players.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

As you know Deb I have been a HUGE pro-ponent of firing the coaching staff - depending on my mood, sometimes Willie too (LOL) but that's just b/c he was not my choice but whatever, I'm not paid to think that. Anyway, the fact remains, whether it's on Omar or Willie, that this team has an over .500 since 2005, and its going to be tough to fire a mgr who has a winning record. I think that because these guys were never "Willie's guys," he may benefit and look a bit better with some housecleaning. Don't fire Willie as I've said - fire everyone else! I think THAT will make this team wake up and smell what they are shovelin' more than firing Wills.

Deb said...

I just wouldn't do anything at this point, Coop. My feeling is that wholesale changes have to be made, an unless I have the right guy (Buck) in there to do the overseeing, and to put his own plan and people into place, anything at this point would be simply window dressing.

I understand the point about the coaches having been pre-Willie, and maybe it makes sense from that way of thinking to fire them, it only makes sense if you let Willie pick their replacements. This accomplishes two things: (1) it makes Willie even more accountable, but more importantly, it (2) gives him a vote of confidence, an air of power and authority, and a chance to work with people of his own choosing.