The Final Score

One of the great things about having a blog is you can get your opinion out there without having to fill some predetermined newspaper column length. When I got to Newsday 10 years ago this Aug. 31 I think the column length was 900 words. Now it's 700.

There are a lot of columnists at Newsday who really lament the loss of those 200 words.

Do the readers lament those 200 words? I'll answer that with a metaphor:

When I was a kid the subway was 50 cents. Now it's $2. And it still gets you where you need to go.

As far as Willie Randolph goes, I think the Mets are not going to go on a hot streak and he is going to get fired at some point this season. He doesn't have the full support of his front office and some Mets execs have an ichy trigger finger. Does he deserve to get fired? If the team doesn't win, yes. All mediocre things must come to an end. Willie's tenure will be judged by history as just OK, nothing special.

Who should replace him? Buck Showalter.

There. That didn't take 900 words. And it didn't cost $2. Welcome to 2008.