If you are a MLB manager in New York, you are involved in some risky business. No matter how much you do for your team over the years, one false move could end up with you not having a job.
It began last fall with Yankees manager Joe Torre. He was the manager for 12 years, led the Yankees to the playoffs every year, and won 4 World Series. He is one of the greatest managers in my opinion and just because the Yankees lost in the first round of the playoffs last year, he had an ultimatum. He is a very classy guy who does not tolerate disrespect so he walked away from the Yankees and found a job out on the west coast.
Now this summer, the latest victim was Willie Randolph. He was only the manager for 3 years and did not win any World Series. He did lead the Mets to win the NL East in 2006, the same year they were 1 game away from the big dance. The following year staged the biggest collapse in MLB history. This year the pressure was on for Willie. If he didn’t have the Mets in first place from the jump, everyone knew his job was on the line. He had a confrontation with Minaya and the other uppers in the organization and came out fine. He thought he was safe and could continue the year trying to lead the Mets to victory; but he was wrong and lost his job in the middle of the night 2 weeks later after the Mets won a few games.
This just goes to show you that in New York, if you can’t be in first place, you can’t be any place. The fans dictate what happens to the jobs of good men. If you get booed, it’s usually because you are losing. If you are losing, even by the slightest margin, your job is on the line. What the fans and upper authorities in New York’s baseball organizations don’t realize is that only 2 teams will make it to the World Series every year, and only one will win. It cannot be New York every year and as long as the teams are not in last place and have major problems; managers should be able to have a chance to prove themselves. Unfortunately in New York, managing baseball is risky business.
