Willie: Mets suck because I'm black

From the New York Daily News' writer Bob Raissman

Willie Randolph should spend less time fretting over the media and more time worrying about his team's performance. If he can't find a way to shed that layer of thin skin soon, Randolph could wind up being a collaborator in his own demise.

For reasons known only to him, Randolph, between games of the Subway Series - after a Mets win, no less - decided it was a good idea to vent to a reporter. The Mets manager not only played the race card, but said SportsNet New York was visually slanting its Mets coverage to make him look bad.

Make no mistake, by putting the onus on SNY, Randolph is accusing Fred and Jeff Wilpon, the men he works for, of stacking the deck against him. The Wilpons are the majority owners of SNY. Randolph has every right to express his opinion.

But the timing of what he said and the content of his statements, some of it bizarre, leave the door open to question Randolph's judgment. Forget about the Billy Wagner nonsense and the closer's comments actually being an indictment of Randolph's leadership skills.

The remarks Randolph made to The Record's Ian O'Connor are much more damaging. These are statements that could eventually get Randolph fired - especially when they include a strong rebuke of a network owned by the men who sign his paychecks.

Randolph's words, coming after the clouds of controversy had lifted, again make the Mets "big" news for the wrong reason. As those clouds were passing, Randolph decided to seed them. Then again, the underlying reasons for his SNY commentary could have much to do with the distrust and distaste that some, on the team side, have for the network.

"They are simply a pain in the (butt) to work with," one Mets insider said.

Still, in the interview, Randolph came off as overly sensitive, even paranoid.

"They're (SNY) the artists, I'm the canvas," Randolph told O'Connor. "They paint the picture the way they want to. They want to show me when somebody gives up a home run or somebody makes an error, so they want to see me (using profanity) ...Why (isn't) SNY shooting me when I'm ready to go down the dugout clapping my hands and patting them on the butt, schooling them during the game? I'm at the top step every game.

"...Why don't you show that side of me so people can say, 'Wow, jeez, Willie's fiery," Randolph said.

Randolph's obsession with this is troubling. Is he returning home after every game and reviewing tape of SNY's coverage?

The manager's critique of the network doesn't reflect reality. If any suit ever told veteran director Bill Webb to make Randolph, or any manager or player, look bad he would blow cigarette smoke in his face and tell the guy to "go blow smoke out your ----."

Randolph's complaint about being portrayed in a negative light is nonsense. Tune in to any baseball telecast and it goes something like this: Team A hits home run. Director calls for a shot of Team A manager who is happy. Then director calls for shot of Team B, whose manager looks ticked. Duh, they all work from a similar production blueprint.

Randolph must not have checked out Saturday's telecast when SNY's cameras zoomed in on him patting Billy Wagner on the "butt" after the Mets' 7-4 win over the Yankees.

Randolph complains he's not seen "schooling" his players on TV, well, perhaps the most memorable image SNY has ever presented? Randolph, last July in Houston "schooling" Jose Reyes after he pulled him out of a game with the Astros for not running out of the box because he thought the ball was foul.

Before yesterday's twin bill in Atlanta, Randolph backtracked, saying he was not upset with SNY and understood they are "critical" sometimes. "There's so much perception out there about me that sometimes when you hear it or see it, you shake your head a little bit," Randolph said. "You're kind of like, 'Well, that's not really me.'"

Was Randolph being sincere or did he back off after being advised that he ruffled the wrong feathers? No matter. Randolph put himself back on the hot seat. There was another way to handle this. When Joe Torre was at odds with YES for allowing front-office types to plant postgame questions with reporter Kimberly Jones, he got his message out through back channels.

Not Randolph. He comes off like one of those talk-show callers who are so fond of ripping him. Their rants come with no consequence.

That's not the case for Willie from Brooklyn.

His words come with strings attached. And they could be very costly.

I think that anyone who uses race as an excuse to deflect from what the real problem is really shouldn't have a coaching job. I believe Willie knows he probably won't finish the year out. I don't believe he will finish the year as manager. I think most Met fans believe that as well. He has no control over his waste of talent team. He doesn't handle the media well which is key for managing in New York. I like Willie he was great when he was with the Yankees and he learned from one of the greatest managers of all-time in Joe Torre. I think he is a great manager but when you lose the team it is time to go. Hey Willie, it is time to go.