Willie Randolph

[Valadius]

I have a great, great feeling about our chances next season with Willie at the helm. He knows how to handle this team. You can tell the players enjoy playing for him. His instincts have proven to be right in the big spots. I think he'll be here for a long time.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I hope he's here for a long time, because that'll mean that he's been successful.

I was impressed by the way he went about talking to the team during the NL East clinching celebration. I noticed that while everyone was spraying champagne, he went to each player, put his hand on their shoulder, and whispered something to them. It was a rare glimpse of how he manages when he's not in the dugout. We see his in-game decisions, but this gave a hint at how he handles the other aspects of running the team.

[Guest sharpie]

I've been a supporter from the beginning. So much of being a manager of a baseball team or anything else is getting the most of the people you have. A lot of people here have spent a lot of time pining over Bobby Valentine, a gifted x's and o's guy, who maybe didn't create a great atmosphere to play in. From all accounts, Willie does that stuff well and also is good with the media, an important part of being a manager in New York. When he came in with that Yankee no-facial-hair stuff it irked me but maybe a clean break from the Art Howe style was necessary and it is impressive to me that he gave up on that once he had established himself. As an in-game manager he had a bit of a learning curve but it seems pretty clear that learn he did. Plus, he's from Brooklyn, which doesn't hurt.

[MFS62]

When he was hired, I had my doubts about his abilities because he had never managed before, even in the minors or winter ball. And everyone has at one time played "shoulda'/woullda'/coulda'" with a manager's in-game decisions.
The improvement of the team last year was encourging, but I was still unsure. This year's regular season performance moved me more to his side. But you never really know about what a manager does in the clubhouse. They usually use "corporate-speak" (As, I think Edgy called it) in press conferences. And what we read about what goes on in the clubhouse is anecdotal, filtered through the sportswriters.

But a few days ago, Willie won me over. He revealed something about what he must be like in the clubhouse. When asked what he was planning, he said "travel arrangements to Detroit". And for that reason, I picked option #3.

Later