Going to the Chapel

The consensus reports suggest the Mets Lineup to be the following.
1. Reyes S
2. Lo Duca R
3. Beltran S
4. Delgado L
5. Floyd L
6. Wright R
7. Diaz/ Nady/ Chaves
8. Matsui/ Anderson/ whoever

I think Willie made his decision before spring training started.

Wait, one last formality:

Father Mazzilli: "Ladies and Gentlemen: We gather here today to witness the uniting of players to the Line-up. As you all know Willie is a devout JoeTorrean so this ceremony is binding for the complete season, with out exception. Let us begin."
"Do you, Willie Randolph, take this shortstop, to be your leadoff hitter, despite on base percentage as long as you manage the Mets?"

Willie: "I do"

Father Maz: "Do you, Willie, take this catcher to be your number 2 hitter, in slumps and streaks, despite all logic as both as you both shall be Mets?"

Willie: "I do"

Father Maz: "Do you Willie take this Centerfielder, to be your third hitter regardless of past performance in the 2 no matter how much he struggles in the 3 hole?"

Willie: "I do"

Father Maz: "Did you not watch the 2004 playoffs?"
Willie: "I did and I do"

Ok cleanup is a gimmie...

Father Maz: "Do you Willie take this Leftfielder to be your number 5 Hitter?"

Willie: "I do"

Father Maz: "Do you take this third baseman phenom, budding superstar to be your 6th hitter despite being the best hitter on the team, offering him no protection, single handedly guaranteeing him see bad pitches?"

Willie:" I Do"

(Skipping ahead as the concept is wearing thin)

Father Maz: "Do you Willie Randolph take this lineup to be your sole lineup, in injury and in health, through All-Star Break and trading deadline, for winning and for losing, never wavering from it as long as you manage the Mets?"

Willie: "I do"

Father Maz: "Now by the power invested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you Willie Randolph, Married to this lineup. As you have vowed here today by the religious laws of JoeTorreism you must never consider altering this lineup as long as you manage the Mets. You have now married your lineup"

Sniff, beautiful ceremony, don’t you just love weddings?

Marrying your lineup before training camp. Vintage Willie. I can speculate the honeymoon will be short and sweet before all the good will is gone.
Beltran in the 3 hole again, huh? The only thing I can think of besides JoeTorrean philosophy is that Willie’s “gut” tells him that the Beltran-Delgado relationship will strengthen both players. First of all lets, I think Willie “going with his gut” means “I don’t understand the numbers or even the logic of my line up and with this answer you can’t prove it”

For the sake of argument let’s stipulate that Willie’s gut is correct and Beltran returns to that player we saw in the 2004 NLCS. Delgado hits a little better than last year.

That being said, the lineup is still flawed. Every team in the league except the Mets have a LOOGy (Lefty one out guy). If we had a LOOGy Willie would use him incorrectly at the wrong time. A Delgado, Floyd, Wright lineup is an invitation to the other manager to use his LOOGy in the key situation of a close or tied game. Consider this:

Tie game, start of the eighth.

Righty long relief pitcher in the game.

Lo Duca pops out to start the inning

One out

Beltran singles to left.

One out, one on.

Dusty Baker, Tony Larusa, Bobby Cox, whoever (just a manger that has a clue how to manage a bullpen) looks at the potential of his righty facing Delgado and Floyd OR his LOOGy facing two guys who's number against Lefties: OBP SLG AVG

Delgado .308/.461/.234
Floyd .284/.427/.224

With this lineup

1. Reyes

2. LoDuca

3. Beltran

4. Delgado

5. Wright

6. Floyd

7. Right field

8. Punching Judy 2B

If Wright had the 5 hole the LOOGY would not be brought in or brought in to face Delgado as David Wright against Lefties is .415/.602/.336

Between two lefties power hitters is a supurb place for Wright to power this offense.

That's right POWER the offense. He can and deserves the oportunity. I don't think Floyd would have a problem with 6th behind Wright.

I know Willie does.

Why?

Maybe Floyd is a veteran and afforded more responsibility in Willie’s eyes.

Didn’t David Wright report to camp months early to get ready for the season? Yeah Willie,

the guy obviously handle the reponsibilty

I don’t care if Floyd is a 13 year veteran; seniority dictating strategy is not what wins championships.

Maybe Floyd in Willie’s mind is a “5 hole Guy.”

I don’t know what that means.

I don’t think this will ever change with Willie. “Willie’s way” is the only way to explain it.

Imagine what Bobby Valentine could do with this team. I remember the 99 Mets. I can’t recite their lineup because it was always changing. Valentine had a lesser team and found a way to beat the other guys. Bobby exploited mismatches rather that creating mismatches in the other guys favor. Willie may be a good “clubhouse guy” and created an attitude of winning in the Locker room. I believe he did a good job motivating guys to want to win (if they needed motivation in the first place, I don’t think anybody had to motivate Wright.)

It is time to show Willie the door. He will never learn. The sooner the better. For the Mets to win this season they will have to do so in spite of Willie's actions rather than because of them.