The Mets are now a dismal 3-7 in day games. They are a less than mediocre 4-6 on the road and 9-9 in the month of April. It’s still too early to press the panic button but there are some familiar trends I do not like. Now I hate to bash Willie but I have to.

They say one of the things that define insanity is when you repeat the same behavior over and over yet expect different results. Again the starting pitcher, in this case Nelson Figueroa, was pulled after 5 innings. At the time the Mets were losing 3-0. Figueroa hadn’t pitched that badly. His fate was sealed by Delgado’s vapor lock covering first base on a bunt play. Figueroa started the sixth and gave up a lead off single. But again, instead of letting the starting pitcher try and get out of trouble, Willie went right to the pen bringing in Schoeneweis. Before the end of the inning, Joe Smith came in. So through 6 innings 3 pitchers were used.

Another two pitchers would finish out the game. Pedro Feliciano was followed by Jorge Sosa who surrendered a grand slam home run putting the game away. Five pitchers used after four pitchers used the night before and four the night before that. This is no formula for success. In fact this is what ultimately led to the Mets demise last September. Randolph has said that he wants his starting pitchers to go deeper into games. He’s the only one who can enforce that by leaving his starters in the game. Behind 3-0 in the sixth surrendering a lead off hit should not always be a signal to change pitchers. Randolph has to be willing to take the heat if his starter implodes after he leaves them in. How else are these starters ever going to get the hint that they need to go at least 7?

Another disturbing thing I’m seeing with Randolph is his lack of blame toward his veteran players. Clearly the biggest error of the game, although a mental one, was Delgado’s lack of focus at first base when he did not cover the bag. But Randolph chose to be critical of Reyes in the eighth inning when the shortstop should have started a 6-4-3 double play instead of throwing home. Now Willie was correct in his assessment but the message he’s sending to his young players is that he will openly be critical of them while protecting the older guys who are doing nothing to help this team win. When pressed on the matter Willie admitted Delgado messed up but he should have done so without prompting.

Willie has some tough decisions on top of having to change his approach to his starters. Number one on the list is what to do about Carlos Delgado. Right now, he’s awful and shows no sign of improvement. I don’t care if he’s having “good at bats” or not. He is not getting any hits. Yesterday with the bases loaded and one out, Delgado hit a meager pop up. He couldn’t even hit a fly ball to sacrifice the runner from third. Easley did the same thing following Delgado but the first baseman is making a habit out of this. This guy has not been the slugger we remember from 2006. Delgado’s skills are slipping. Many scouts have commented that Delgado’s bat speed is not nearly as fast as it was when he was a feared slugger just two seasons ago.  

Another problem is the number 2 hitter. Luis Castillo is just not cutting it. Defensively Castillo is just fine but his bat is brutal. On Sunday evening in Philadelphia, Castillo could not even get a bunt down to move the runners to third and second. And bunting is one of his specialties. Castillo should be batting eighth not second. The Mets record with Church or Pagan batting second is something like 8-1. The number two guy should be able to make contact and drive the ball. Lately Castillo has been able to do neither. I still question Minaya’s decision to give Castillo a four year deal when he could have had David Eckstein for most likely 3 years.

Willie is on the hot seat, make no mistake about it. If the Mets continue to flounder and not play more focused fundamentally sound baseball, Randolph will not last the season. And if aging players do not start producing, Omar will be right behind him.