Randolph, Peterson, Nieto all fired
Ken Oberkfell, Dan Warthen, and Luis Aguayo Join Mets Coaching Staff
ANAHEIM, Calif., June 17, 2008 – The New York Mets today named Jerry Manuel interim manager, replacing Willie Randolph. Manuel, in his fourth season with the Mets, had been bench coach since 2006. The Mets also named Ken Oberkfell, Luis Aguayo and Dan Warthen to the coaching staff. Rick Peterson and Tom Nieto have been relieved of their coaching duties.
Mets General Manager Omar Minaya will hold a briefing with the media Tuesday, June 17 at 2:00 P.M. PT (5:00 P.M. ET) in the media room at Angel Stadium. Mets Manager Jerry Manuel will meet with the media immediately thereafter.
The 54-year-old Manuel served as Mets first base and outfield coach in 2005. He was Manager of the Chicago White Sox (1998-2003) and led them to an American League best record of 95-67 in 2000. He was named 2000 Major League Manager of the Year by Associated Press and American League Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America and the Sporting News. He previously was bench coach for the 2007 World Champion Florida Marlins following six seasons as third base coach for the Montreal Expos.
Oberkfell was the Manager of New Orleans Zephyrs of the Pacific Coast League, his fourth year managing the Mets Triple-A affiliate. He previously managed the Binghamton Mets (AA) of the Eastern League after leading the St. Lucie Mets (A) to the 2003 Florida State League championship in his second season in the Mets minor league system.
Warthen returned to the organization this year joining Oberkfell as pitching coach in New Orleans following two seasons as the bullpen coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was a coach in the Mets minor league system from 2003-2005. Warthen was pitching coach for the Detroit Tigers (1999-2002), San Diego Padres (1996-97), and Seattle Mariners (1992).
Aguayo, as Mets Field Coordinator, oversaw spring training for the minor league teams, extended spring training, and the Mets’ fall instructional league team. A ten-year Major League veteran, he played with the Cleveland Indians (1989), New York Yankees (1988), and Philadelphia Phillies (1980-88).
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Comments (7)
If the reports are true then at least Minaya finally put an end to a fiasco that has been eatin g away at this team. No matter how many wins or how many losses the question was always asked when will Willie be fired. Although, Minaya did all he could to support Willie perhapes maybe he should have done him the favor back last October and fired him then. Although the makup of this team is fragile and not much support fro the farm team in New Orleans, the Mets still have what it takes to win, just since one person claimed that Willie was very indesive during the 2006 NCLS the rest of New York and the players all began to second Guess Willie`s authority and game management.
Very classy. Geesh.
Come back to the Bronx, Willie! I'm sure Bobby Meacham is a lovely man, but I would welcome you back to third base.
Think about it Hank, Hal and Cash.
I'm sure there will be a lot of happy Mets fans this morning...but you had a good man and a winner for a manager...and now you're left with one Wright and a whole bunch of wrongs.
This is ridiculous. You torture the man for weeks and then you fly him out to California, have him manage a game that they actually win...and then you fire him in the middle of the night! Willy was a good manager and a better man. The real people who should be out are the Wilpons... classless.
I know managers and coaches are hired to be eventually fired but this entire situation REEKS. The Wilpons and O. Minaya are a unprofessional MLB franchise. To have this man and most of his coaching staff travel three thousand miles from Shea to have him manage only one game is one of the most embarrassingly done firings a epically mess done by GM Minaya and the Wilpons. You can talk about the epic collapse of 2007 season, you can squirm about the racial questioning that Willie placed on NY Met management earlier this season but at the end of the day this entire firing of Randolph leaves a bitter taste as to just how this whole Met season has been ran from Minaya signing aging players with dimishng skills and often injured to the now one game road trip firing of Willie Randolph.
If ever a employee was abused by his employer Willie Randolph and most of his coaching staff need to let all the dirt in the mud run out and blast this classless MLB franchise. The stench of this season may it be buried in that rat whole of a stadium soon to be demolished Shea. The Wilpons and Minaya and the players should now be "on the clock" you had your sacrifical lambs fired now go out and bring your fans a competitive, winning ballclub this season no excuses.
Well you all know his blunders, and now him and the Wilpons embarass the organization yet again. Omar you and the Wi;lpons are CLASSLESS MORONS !
Good luck to you Willy. You have ALWAYS been a winner in everything you do. Omar can NEVER say that. You will land on your feet.
METS mess up yet again on the p.r front.
When will they stop embarassing us fans ????????
LOSERVILLE !
willie should have smacked the sh*t out of Omar.
You bring your foriegn imports here and then yo uis the one firing me and acting like you have nothing to do with this?
Remember Willie is the 2nd best winniest Met Coach
Willie needed to go, but to do it this way was classless...clearly Minaya and the Wilpons have no clue how to handle people. Good luck recruiting, no one is going to want to coach for them
Willie might not have been the best coach, but he at least treated people with respect and handled himself with class