Mets Fire Valentine After Last-Place Finish

CNN.com ^ | October 1, 2002 | Sports Illustrated

[stanz]

NEW YORK (AP) -- Manager Bobby Valentine was fired by the New York Mets on Tuesday, two days after they finished last in the National League East and two seasons after the team reached the World Series.

The team put together a $95 million payroll last winter, bringing in Roberto Alomar, Mo Vaughn, Roger Cedeno and others, but it struggled all year and was embarrassed by accusations last month that at least seven players were smoking marijuana this season.

[stanz]

I hope this hasn't been posted already. I did do a search for "Mets" and "Bobby Valentine."

[kellynla]

So bring us up to date. I didn't follow the Mets that closely. Did Valentine deserve to be fired? Didn't the Mets have a bunch of injuries?

[Mo1]

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[NativeNewYorker]

The Mets did NOT suffer unusual injuries this year.

THEY JUST SUCKED.

Wilpon's flip-flop is only notable because it proves, again, that NY real estate people, of which he is one, are utterly unable to ever EVER speak the truth.

[Alberta's Child]

Injuries had nothing to do with it -- the Mets had a bunch of overrated veterans, pot-smoking @ssholes, and players from various trade-wind countries that didn't get along with each other.

In my opinion, the Mets made a decision to reward Valentine by firing him. He had no interest in managing this bunch of losers next year, but if he had resigned he would not have been paid for the last year of the contract.

[Alberta's Child]

See #5. I think Wilpon did Valentine a big favor here.

[NativeNewYorker]

Valentine and Vaughn.

[stanz]

There were lots of problems. Their lousy performance which put them in last place together with the controversy concerning the Mets' use of marijuana and other drugs was too much for player morale ( not to mention the fans.)
Valentine' contract which would have been up next year, still provides for him to receive $2.7 million after his termination.

[stanz]

To finish answering your question, I don't think Valentine was the problem here. As another poster said, the team just
was not playing well despite his efforts and all the other problems that surfaced.

[eeggler1]

The may beve been smoking pot, but it's clear that they weren't taking performance enhancing drugs !!!

[rmmcdaniell]

Manager Bobby Valentine was fired by the New York Mets on Tuesday, two days after they finished last in the National League East and two seasons after the team reached the World Series.

Too bad thier a NY team. If they was from Joisey, they could hire a new manager and ask for repeats of all their lost games.

[dfwgator]

Looks like Chico Escuela better update his book, "Bad Stuff About the Mets."

[kellynla]

2.7 million? It's no wonder these teams are losing money...
The way these baseball teams operate, I wouldn't let them buy groceries!

[stanz]

Jersey has enough problems. I hope Bobby Valentine sticks around. He deserves to find a decent club to manage.

[stanz]

Think the Yankees will make it to the Series? I'm holding my breath.

[dead]

Wilpon should fire Steve Phillips next. Then he should fire himself.

[stanz]

I haven't read it.

[stanz]

Good idea.

[ilgipper]

I don't think he deserved to be fired. I think it was the traditional problem of thinking that simply bringing in high dollar guys is gonna deliver a ring. Yankees used to do it, randomly out bidding for any big name free agent. They later learned that they have to build a solid farm team, strong pitching, and selectively fill the gaps with free agents.

Valentine took them to the Series just two short years ago. While a last place finish doesn't speak well of the job he did this year, I don't think he caused the problems. Valentine is a goofy dude, but he has proven to manage well.

[NativeNewYorker]

I'm almost embarrassed to acknowledge how little I follow the sport and teams that were once the center of my life.

Thinking as a professional trader, all I can say is, betting against the Yankees in the post-season is rarely wise.