Willie Randolph lost the game for them today. His managing was very questionable.

I have to agree with Plaw here. What is it about today's starting pitchers that they can only go 6 or 7 innings, only throw 100 - 110 pitches which is considered high, and have to sometimes get as much as 5 days rest in between starts?

Pedro was pitching a gem today and gets pulled. OK, I'll give in to the managers decision to take him out. Don't agree with this strategy all the time, but I'll concede here and give it to Randolph.

So now he puts Sanchez in the game, who pitches a beautiful inning. Then, for reasons that I cannot understand, he takes him out in the ninth and goes to Billy Wagner. Granted that Wagner is being paid all this money and he's the Mets go to guy in the clutch, but due to the current situation that the Mets pitching staff is in, it is not a dire need to get Wagner some more work. The guy came in on Friday night and did a good job and closed out the Yankees.

But now you have Sanchez who's well rested and pitches a really good inning. So why take him out?

Ok, so Randolph does take him out. Now Wagner is looking like shit after a few batters, and then walks in a run. But does Randolph go out to the mound and take him out? No, he lets him attempt to pitch to Bernie Williams, but Wagner hits him with the first pitch and bases loaded! Now Willie Randolph decides enough is enough? A little to late there Willie, the damage has already been done. A 4 - 0 lead has just been blown, due to several poor managing decisions that you have made with your pitchers over the last 2 and maybe even 3 innings!

I always have said that when it comes to baseball, a manager can win or lose about 10 to 15 games a year for the team by the late inning decisions that he makes.

Willie just lost one for the Mets.


Don Cardi