The Willow & Cash Tango

From the Star-Ledger:

Willie Randolph said before last night’s loss to the Yankees that he believes his old team misses him. But the Mets manager was quick to point out that he doesn’t think his absence has anything to do with the team’s won-lost record.

Randolph said he made subtle contributions to the Yankees’ success over the years, contributions he said that went largely unnoticed by the team’s upper management during his 11 seasons as a coach.

“My contribution to a lot of teams is not something you see,” Randolph said. “It’s behind the scenes. It’s one-on-one, very subtle. … Teaching players how to win and how to play day-to-day baseball is hard work, but it’s very much between the ears.

“Let me say that my relationship with those guys over there is special. Like I miss them, I think they miss me. Let’s leave it like that. That’s all. I don’t think I’m the direct result of wins and losses. I’m not going to say that. But what I bring to a team is not the tangible stuff that goes unnoticed and people don’t really think about.”

Asked if he felt underappreciated by the team’s upper management when he was with the Yankees, Randolph nodded.

“I do,” he said, later adding that he was not talking about Joe Torre. “I do.”

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, who visited with Randolph by the batting cage before the game, didn’t appreciate Randolph’s remarks when they were relayed to him.

“I’d have to ask Willie what he meant by that,” he said. “I know a lot of upper-management people worked hard to get him that job at Shea.

“It’s a problem when you begin painting with a broad brush like that because you include people that weren’t involved. He should name names. When you start something like that, you need to finish it.”

Aw, com’on fellas. Don’t phunk with each other’s heart, huh?

June 28, 2005 | Filed Under Off The Field News

Comments

5 Responses to “The Willow & Cash Tango”

Jason O. on June 28th, 2005 2:55 pm

So much for the “Willie gets managerial exprience elsewhere and returns to Yankee stadium in a few years” hypothesis.
Steve Lombardi on June 28th, 2005 3:42 pm

I think this is about dollars. I know a guy whose father runs into Willie sometimes. I recall a couple of years ago, this guy telling me that his dad saw Willie at a 7-11 in NJ and Randolph was lamenting then about possible pay cuts for the coaches.

Willie probably figures he should have been paid more, and that’s why he was “underappreciated.”

Just a guess.
Raf on June 28th, 2005 5:01 pm

I think that because Randolph was reliable, always there, did what was asked of him, etc, he may have felt that he was taken for granted. And that could be where the “underappreciated” comments come in.
Cliff on June 28th, 2005 5:20 pm

Willie’s talking about George. Cash should stop being so touchy.
Brad on June 29th, 2005 12:44 am

Well, with the current state of the Yankees, it’s hard not to read those comments and put a little substance into them.
The abscence is as good an explanation as any other, no?