Photo of the Day: Wagner

"Splish splash, I was cursing out my team
Long about a Thursday night
A rub-a-dub, just runnin' on the field
Hopin' everything would be all right"
Simmons/News

Subway game set

According to my crosstown blogger in arms, tonight's game will be made up as one of those super special "Subway Games" in June.

The Yankees will play the Mets at Shea at the end of June, but the final date is yet to be nailed down. One game will be played in Shea, as previously scheduled, and the other game of the doubleheader will be played in Yankee Stadium on the same day.

I called it.

As of now, the game looks like it will be made up on June 27th.

No game tonight

It has been postponed. At least they banked the parking and concessions.

Makeup date TBA.

Shaking things up

Here's tonight's lineup, if there is a game:
SS Jose Reyes
DH Marlon Anderson
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
RF Ryan Church
LF Moises Alou
1B Carlos Delgado
C Brian Schneider
2B Luis Castillo
-----
SP Johan Santana

Very interesting. I don't like it, but I find it pretty odd to bat your DH second, and for Anderson to be batting second is so strange. I think it will work though, if they play. Anderson's been pretty hot as of late, which will set up nicely behind Reyes, if he gets on base.

Alou playing in the field on a day like this isn't even something I'm willing to try and wrap my mind around.

Still don't think they'll play though.

Players only meeting planned

From Bart Hubbuch:

David Wright told reporters this afternoon that the Mets New York Mets plan to hold a players-only meeting in the clubhouse at Yankee Stadium to clear the air after Billy Wagner's postgame rant Thursday.

The short article goes on to point out Wagner has already apologized to Carlos Delgado, which is a good sign.

And I find it very telling that this is a "players only" meeting, don't you? And I don't know if Wright is the messenger or the organizer of this meeting, but that seems to be a good sign for him and his captain qualities.

As of 3:25 p.m.

Tonight's game at Yankee Stadium, the first of the Subway Series this year, is still on.

The outlook still does not look good, but maybe they'll actually play a game through some rain for once.

Willie Randolph will coach NL All Star team

From a MLB Press Release:

Clint Hurdle has asked New York Mets manager Willie Randolph and San Diego Padres manager Bud Black to join him as the N.L. coaches. The Colorado coaching staff - pitching coach Bob Apodaca, hitting coach Alan Cockrell, third base/infield coach Mike Gallego, first base coach Glenallen Hill, bullpen coach Rick Mathews and bench coach Jamie Quirk - will serve on the manager's staff.

I have just one question: Is he still allowed to coach the All Star Game if he's no longer the coach of the New York Mets?

Weather at Yankee Stadium tonight

Oh boy. Tonight's outlook does not look conducive to baseball.

I smell a crosstown subway ride at the end of June when the Yankees visit the Mets. I'm calling it now. Sunday, June 29. 1:10 p.m. game at Shea, and then a 8:10 p.m. game at Yankee Stadium to make up for tonight's possible rainout.

That's all assuming the rain doesn't let up.

Willie Randolph should be fired

That's right, everyone, I'm switching sides, defecting, moving to the dark side, if you will.

I believe Willie Larry Randolph (his first name isn't William?) should be fired as the manager of the New York Metropolitans.

This is not a knee jerk reaction.

Don't get me wrong here, I don't think he's a terrible manager, and I think he's been much better this season. He's learned the bullpen, to some degree, and his use of the bench has been pretty good. But he is not the manager for this team. Not now, not in the future.

After Billy Wagner's explosion in the locker room, the notion that Randolph has lost control of his team was finally nailed shut into it's coffin. He does not inspire the team, he does not wrangle the team. He does nothing, and hopes the team does it's job.

Yes, there are professional baseball players getting paid millions of dollars to play a game, but sometimes, to mix and come together and play like a team they need a little direction.

This team, right now, has talent. Lots of it. This is the ideal case of a team being made up of players and not being a team. It's like every movie you've ever seen about a team facing adversity in some way, shape, or form. The team is fragmented, with sects and cliques forming all over the place. Someone, not Wagner because he's already burned his bridges, needs to step up as a player to rally behind and bring this team together as one.

Willie, I like you, but your time is up. You've lost control of this team, and it desperately needs a change of "scenery" in the managers office. They need a fresh face, someone who will crack down and hold the player accountable for things they've done. This team is starting to show fire, though they have no wins to show for it. Players are striking out, or lining out and slamming their bats, cursing, and in Moises Alou's case, getting thrown out of a game in two seconds flat.

This team needs a good, hard nosed, old style baseball guy who can rally the troops and get this players back on the straight and narrow. And no, Bobby Valentine is not coming back.

Wagner's words

"Somebody want to tell me why the closer is being interviewed and I didn't even play," Wagner said in an expletive-laced tirade, "and why they are over there and not being interviewed? I got it; they're gone. (Big) shocker."
-via Jeremy Cothran.

Good for you, Billy Wagner. Maybe you should be the next coach of the Mets.

I actually like this. He doesn't care if he burns bridges, he just wants to win. I don't think the other players would stoop low enough to throw a game or something like that, but I think the Mets now need to close the door to the clubhouse, and sit the entire team down. Players, coaching staff, trainers, and the lot.

Get them all in there, get a good motivational speaker, and let's get this team back on track.