WEDNESDAY’S WEEKLY WILLIE (randolph) WATCH

The Mets are 17–0 when leading after the seventh inning, they are just 1–16 when trailing after the seventh inning.

hmm...does this tell us that once the Mets are down and out they are done and they don't have much fight left in them, or is that the norm around baseball? Sure they are years where a team will have one of those seasons and have 40 come from behind wins (this year the Mets have 5)but this team is not one of those teams so far this year. Is that the manager's fault? Or do we give Willie credit that he has managed the bullpen and the team so well in the 17 games we are ahead and hasn't blown any of those games?

I don't have the answer, I do know Brian Schneider said yesterday on Mike and the Mad Dog with regards to the clubhouse;

“I’ve been in a few and this is a great one. Everyone is loose. We had a great road trip, faced some top teams. Everyone enjoys each other. This is one of the best clubhouses I’ve been a part of.”

Now I know alot of what these guys say on the radio has to be taken with a grain of salt and I am sure Schneider isn't giving us all the facts, but in truth the one thing over the years we have not heard about Willie's clubhouse is any back stabbing or bickering. While he may not be the best in game manager in the league, and again we've said it 1,000 times, he gives his vets way to much rope, he seems to have a good control over the guys.

Still, this teams needs to win, they need to fight and they need to battle. That's Willie's job, to put the best players he has in situations that yield positive results.

Alot has been said about Castillo and Delgado, and while Castillo is banged up all the time he really is the best option at 2B. Easley can hit, but he is an awful, awful fielder. Castillo is fine as a number 8 hitter giving us solid defense, and Delgado has started to come around and I think will be fine in the number 6 hole.

I fully understand that Willie likes to give all his players some ABs, but I really don't want to see Marlon Anderson in LF, there is no reason to give both Church and Alou the same game off (game 2 on Saturday). But again these are nit picks and after a respectable west coast trip (3-3 vs. Ariz and LA) and a 2-1 series win over Cincy they are only 2 games out and showing some life.

He's finally moved Heilman out of the 8th inning role, but Heilman has always been a strong 2nd half pitcher


Pre-All Star 202.2 4.66 1.28 .252
Post-All Star 193.0 3.45 1.29 .232

so I believe he will have an important role with this team. Barring any total collapse by this team over the next month, Willie's job is safe and the evaluations will continue.

Courtesy of Matthew Cerrone:

Last season at this time, the Mets had nine come-from-behind wins and were 17–1 when leading after the seventh inning, and 3–11 when trailing after seven.

In 2006, at this time of the season, the Mets had eight come-from-behind wins and were 18–1 when leading after seven, and 1–10 when trailing after the seventh.


WILLIES WEEKLY SCORE - 61