Not Valentine's day

Mets skipper gets the ax after his team's complete collapse

Despite being assured his job was safe, Bobby Valentine was fired as Mets manager Tuesday. General manager Steve Phillips remains with the club, which finished in last place in the NL East this season with a 75-86 record. CNNSI.com spoke with Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci about the developments.

CNNSI.com: Mets owner Fred Wilpon gave Bobby Valentine several votes of confidence throughout the season. What happened to change the owner's mind?

Verducci: I think Valentine lost this team down the stretch. I believe Wilpon really meant those votes of confidence at the time he gave them, but clearly the Mets did not respond to Valentine during the last couple of months. I think you find out a lot about a club and how it responds to a manager when the games are essentially meaningless, and New York did not respond. The Mets had an opportunity to finish in second place and they wound up in last. I think whatever grip Bobby had on the team was gone by the end of the season.

CNNSI.com: Does it seem fair that Valentine got the boot while GM Steve Phillips, who was responsible for the player moves, survived?

Verducci: I guess Wilpon doesn't want to pay two people not to work for him next year. Plus, the fact that Wilpon did sign off on the moves Phillips made gave the GM a little bit of rope here. But, clearly, there's a lot of accountability that has to fall on the desk of Steve Phillips. I thought this team was poorly constituted to begin with. They overevaluated some players, such as Roger Cedeno and Mo Vaughn, but even given those failings, this team did not play up to its capabilities and that responsibility rests with the field manager.

CNNSI.com: How much of a role did off-the-field matters play in this?

Verducci: They definitely played a part in it, but a small part because everything begins and ends with the win-loss record. Off the field is a factor and Valentine contributed to some of that himself. When the team went through that terrible losing streak in August, Bobby went through some days of soul-searching and wretched soliloquies that painted the picture of a manager who was adrift -- this at a time when the team needed someone to reign it in and keep it together. I don't think that helped Bobby. Fred Wilpon is very concerned with the image of the New York Mets. He always has been, going back to when they broke up that rabble-rousing bunch of the late '80s. I'm sure the off-the-field distractions were a factor in Valentine's dismissal.

CNNSI.com: Valentine always seemed to be surrounded by controversy, and even tweaked some of his players from time to time. With that in mind, how do you think the players feel about this change?

Verducci: There are certain guys who were "Bobby Valentine players" and they'll be upset. But I think there's also a segment of the team that, to be honest with you, doesn't care either way whether Valentine is there or not. That was the way they played this season, too. I don't think there will be a lot of tears in the Mets clubhouse over this. It's basically a veteran club and they've all had other managers, so they know the firing is part of the business. I don't see this shaking up the players in any way.

CNNSI.com: Who are some managerial candidates for New York?

Verducci: You're going to hear Buck Showalter's name. In this case, I think he's a decent fit. You should hear Willie Randolph's name, as well. He's a born and bred New Yorker, knows the landscape and has a brief history with the club. He deserves a shot.

CNNSI.com: There are a few managerial positions open. Do you think Valentine will get one of them?

Verducci: It's tough to see a fit out there. For instance, I don't see how a job like the Detroit Tigers would be a fit for Valentine. I think he will probably get some interviews, though. He's in a situation where he's getting paid not to manage next year, so I don't think he's going to take a job just to take a job.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Tom Verducci covers baseball for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com. Check out his Insider column Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the postseason.

 

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