The "New Mets," redux

[Fman99]

A quote from Jayson Stark's recent column on ESPN's site.

� The new Mets: If you get the impression the Mets are a more relaxed outfit under Jerry Manuel than they were under Willie Randolph, you're catching on.

"I don't want to bash Willie, because I liked him," Billy Wagner said. "But before, it was more of The Yankee Way. It wasn't The Mets Way. There was no facial hair. You could never have music in the clubhouse. You couldn't have kids around. Believe it or not, some of us in here actually like kids."

Manuel, on the other hand, has loosened all those reins and told his players to "play hard, play fearless and have fun," Wagner said, and to stop worrying about results.

"You know what?" Wagner said. "We've found out it's pretty easy to play when you stop playing for stats and just go out and play hard and play to have fun."

[HahnSolo]

Fman99 wrote: "I don't want to bash Willie, because I liked him," Billy Wagner said."

But I'll go ahead and do so anyway. Billy's got a future in sports radio.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

STFU Billy

[Centerfield]

WAGNER: RANDOLPH HATED KIDS

Details p. 55

[metirish]

One of these days the Wilpon's will be having a mustache day at the park such is the looseness now.

[Guest AG/DC]

Fman99 wrote: "You know what?" Wagner said. "We've found out it's pretty easy to play when you stop playing for stats and just go out and play hard and play to have fun."

OK, I'll say it:

Billy Wagner, 2008, under Randolph: 29 Innings pitched, 7 ER, 34 SO, 2.17 ERA

Billy Wagner, 2008, under Manuel: 7 Innings pitched, 3 ER, 8 SO, 3.86 ERA

Thing is that I agree with Wagner, mostly. But it's guys like Wagner that can drive a manager to institute draconian policies.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Ninth-inning closers play for stats more than anyone else. They generally only get called into games when it's a cherished "save situation."

And we know that Wagner has his sites on Cooperstown. And he won't get there unless he piles up enough saves.

[G-Fafif]

Someday, some player (quite possibly Billy Wagner) will praise Jerry Manuel's successor for tightening up the ship, instilling a professional attitude and getting those bleeping kids out of the clubhouse.

[Guest themetfairy]

Fman99 wrote: "I don't want to bash Willie, because I liked him," Billy Wagner said. "But before, it was more of The Yankee Way. It wasn't The Mets Way.

Billy is outright pandering to us now

[Theoldmole]

Greg -- no manager stays effective forever, and probably both guys will be right -- Billy and the future discipline-praising Met.

Still, I'm glad to see a manager doing it the Met way rather than the Yankee way.

[Guest themetfairy]

Jerry may not be A Winner, but he's A Met.