The Fall Guy* *(and I’m Not Referring to a Bad ‘80s TV Show Starring Lee Majors, Either)

By Taryn "The Coop" Cooper
Posted Tuesday, July 17, 2007

So most of you know two things about The Coop – okay, THREE if you are counting her obsession with Oliver Perez. Those two are: she is not a fan of Willie Randolph, and she also called for the ousting of now-ex hitting coach Rick Down in her debut F.U. column, Down on Rick.

But if there’s something that leaves a bitter taste in her mouth, it’s “the fall guy.”

The fall guy meaning – well, look no further than Rick Down last week. True, I called for his head months ago, but he was the proverbial odd-man out. Who’s going to go, seriously? Rick Peterson? Not with how well the pitchers are doing this year. Jerry Manuel? If not for him, we’re pretty sure the team would have fallen apart a long time ago. And certainly not Willie -- didn’t he just sign an extension a few months back?

But Rick Down was at the wrong place, wrong time, period. And in a few months with 20-20 hindsight, we’ll see that it turned out to be a good move. Maybe.

Initially over at My Summer Family, I was happy about these changes. If there is anything I learned in my MBA studies and in business it’s that change is not only good, it’s great! On top of Rick Down going fishing, Julio Franco is let go, Rickey Henderson becomes a new coach, fan favorite HoJo is promoted to hitting coach, Lastings Milledge is recalled and Oliver Perez is off the DL!

But now I think after a four-game series against the Reds, where the Mets won three out of four, sure, but only scored ONE measly run over one of the worst, if not THE worst, scoring teams in the NL in a four-game series….it makes The Coop say hmmmmmm…

Wonder if something else is amiss in Metsville.

The whole point to that preamble is that there is still fat to be cut in the Mets organization. The Coop has put her asbestos suit on now and expects the flames to come, so here goes….

Where does Willie Randolph fit into the picture now?

(As fire and brimstone envelops Coop...)

We Mets fans have been waxing intellectually about certain things that may be happening in the clubhouse as far as divisiveness or even lack of motivation. Nothing shows these potential problems, I think, more than Willie calling Omar out in an interview after his “brother” Rick Down was fired.

The answer is simple to us fans. Rick Down was the odd-man out. Rick Down had to go. Omar had to shake things up because they certainly weren’t changing on their own.

Omar, most importantly, is The Boss. Willie’s boss. And Willie has to do what the boss says.

This is not the only time Willie has used the press to voice his displeasure. And in my not-so-objective and sort-of informed opinion, uses it in rather, shall we say, in non-productive ways.

Back in early 2006, Willie "called out" a particularly weak Victor Zambrano performance by saying, "I'm not concerned at all." Of course, Willie shouldn't be throwing the dude under a bus, but say something like, we're counting on him to come up huge in his next start. Be productive, and not like the wool is over your eyes.

Kaz Matsui swung at a bad third strike in a close game. According to Willie, "That was ball four." Yes, had he not swung maybe he would have taken a base, but by the same token, Kaz Matsui was the least loved Met for a while here. He was buying furling that proverbial fire.

Willie trusted Julio Franco in way too many important opportunities in pinch hitting situations this season. Carlos Delgado has not been benched for his lackluster play yet, nor has he been hitting in the bottom of the order (I guess he won’t employ Joe Torre's "A-Rod-esque” move, huh?).

Yet it’s a running joke that if you are a “young guy” (perhaps defined by being in the majors for less than two years), you are going to be undermined by Willie one way or another. From batting David Wright low in the order his first year as manager, when the team obviously needed his bat higher in the order(Willie’s excuse? “I’m a show me, guy”) to the benching of Mets superstar Jose Reyes in the Houston Astros series a few weeks back….what is going on in Willie’s head?

Does he even watch the games we watch?

Look, I know that like Lastings Milledge, Mets fans are particularly divisive about Willie Randolph’s tenure as manager. The Coop freely admits to being on the side of being not-so-pro-Willie. Many others are pro-Willie. That’s okay. It makes the world go ‘round.

But here’s my theory. It may be far out there, but hey, that’s why it’s a theory.

Willie Randolph calling Omar out on canning Rick Down may be a loyalty thing yes. But there’s more to it.

Willie knows that if the team doesn’t get its collective act together, this firing of Rick Down will mean nothing. It’s just aesthetics, a smoke screen if you will, to hide the real issue.

Poor management. His coaching staff is a reflection of him. With the firing one of his own, that’s almost like cutting off one of Willie’s arms.

Was that a proverbial warning shot from Omar? I doubt it. But it’s definitely got to put the pressure on Willie, something he really has not felt in his two-plus years as head nut for the Mets.

Willie is no Unknown Stuntman. In fact, Omar has made him look like Eastwood (if you don’t remember the show, Google the lyrics to the theme song) by assembling this team.

Willie is not dumb. He knows what Rick Down getting “whacked” means for him.

It means – move up…Or move out.

And I’ve heard that more than I like in the business world.

And come October, who knows. Colt Seavers may be played by Willie Randolph himself.