Willie Randolph
From BR Bullpen
Willie Larry Randolph
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 11", Weight 166 lb.
Contents |
[edit] Biographical Information
Willie Randolph, the New York Yankees captain from 1986 to 1988, played 18 seasons in the majors, getting over 8,000 at-bats and being named six times to the All-Star team. After over a decade as a coach with the Yankees, the former second baseman went across town and became manager of the New York Mets in 2005. He managed the team for 3+ years with a winning percentage of .544 but was fired on June 17, 2008 along with pitching coach Rick Peterson and first base coach Tom Nieto, with the team in fourth place at 34-35.
[edit] Minors
Willie was a seventh-round draft pick in 1972, and spent 1972 to 1975 in the minors in the Pittsburgh Pirates' organization. In 1975 he hit .339 in 75 games with Charleston and got his first chance at the majors.
[edit] Majors
Randolph appeared in 30 games with the 1975 Pirates, making his debut shortly after he turned 21 years old. The Pirates won the division and Willie appeared in the 1975 NLCS. The Pirates, though, were happy with Rennie Stennett at second base and Randolph was traded in the off-season to the Yankees along with Ken Brett and Dock Ellis in return for Doc Medich.
Willie was with the Yankees from 1976 until 1988, playing as a regular the whole time and appearing in three World Series with the Yanks (he missed the 1978 World Series because of an injury, giving Brian Doyle a chance to shine in his stead). He was a star from the get-go, being named to the All-Star team his first season in pinstripes. In 1980 he hit .294 with 119 walks and 30 stolen bases, while in 1987 he hit .305 with 82 walks. He was usually the Yankees' second hitter during those years, hitting behind very fast players such as Mickey Rivers, Dave Collins and Rickey Henderson.
As a free agent, Randolph signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1989 and was their regular second baseman that year. The next May he was traded to the Oakland Athletics and was their regular second baseman for the remainder of the 1990 season, appearing in the 1990 World Series. A free agent again in 1991, he signed for the Milwaukee Brewers and hit his career high .327, which was third-best in the 1991 American League. A free agent once more, he spent his last season in the majors as the regular second baseman for the New York Mets in 1992, hitting a decent .252 in the last year before expansion (the team hit .235 as a whole).
[edit] Coach and Manager
After coaching with the Yankees for years, Randolph became the Mets manager in 2005. The Mets had not finished higher than fourth in the previous three years, and Willie took them to third in his first season at the helm. In 2006 he became a big favorite as the Mets won the division with 97 victories and won the NLDS three games to none over the 2006 Dodgers. They then pushed the St. Louis Cardinals to a seventh game ion the NLCS, but lost the decisive game on a late home run by catcher Yadier Molina. In 2007, Randolph took the team to a second-place finish, only one game away from the Philadelphia Phillies, who out-distanced the Mets on the last day of the season after trailing them all year and benefitting from a late-season swoon by the New Yorkers.
New York is a fickle town, though, and while Willie had had three successful years with a win/loss record around .550, nevertheless he lost his job when the team was 34-35 early in the 2008 season. The Mets played over .500 in April but slipped under for May and June, and while the team ended up winning 89 games on the season, it was Jerry Manuel who took them through the second half of the season when they again fell tantalizingly close of the postseason.
After the 2008 season he interviewed for the job as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers. Although he didn't get it, he was hired as bench coach for 2009. He was also in consideration as manager of the Seattle Mariners and may yet manage again the majors.
His managerial winning percentage of .544 with the Mets puts him second-highest among Met managers.
[edit] Family
Randolph's brother Terry was a defensive back in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers and his son Andre played professionally from 2003 to 2004.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 1976 Topps All-Star Rookie Team
- 6-time All-Star (1976, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1987 & 1989)
- AL Silver Slugger Award (1980)
- AL Bases on Balls Leader (1980)
- Won two World Series with the New York Yankees (1977 & 1978; he did not play in the 1978 World Series)
- Division Titles: 1 (2006)
| Preceded by Art Howe | New York Mets Manager 2005-2008 | Succeeded by Jerry Manuel |
[edit] Year-By-Year Managerial Record
| Year | Team | League | Record | Finish | Organization | Playoffs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | New York Mets | National League | 83-79 | 3rd | New York Mets | ||
| 2006 | New York Mets | National League | 97-65 | 1st | New York Mets | Lost NLCS | |
| 2007 | New York Mets | National League | 88-74 | 2nd | New York Mets | ||
| 2008 | New York Mets | National League | 34-35 | -- | New York Mets | replaced by Jerry Manuel on June 17 |
