Acta to replace Mets’ Randolph? Don’t bet on it

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - The vultures have started circling over New York Mets manager Willie Randolph.

Randolph presided over one of the great collapses in big league history last fall when the presumptive favorite Mets went 7-13 over the last three weeks of the season (including 1-5 vs. the Nats) and handed the NL East title to the Phillies by a single game. This year they added all-world lefthander Johan Santana to their rotation, and after nearly a third of the schedule find themselves under .500, and just ahead of Washington in the standings. Mets’ General Manager Omar Minaya flew out to Denver last weekend and gave Willie the obligatory “vote of confidence,” but if the fans have anything to say about it — and we all know they don’t — it’s time for a change.

If you can believe what you read on the Internet message boards, or hear on the talk shows, the natural successor to Randolph is — insert trumpet blast here — Manny Acta. Manny was a Mets’ coach before coming here to manage last year; he had previously worked for Minaya with the Expos. A lot of Mets’ fans seem to believe that all they’d really have to do is pick up the phone, and Manny would come running back.

Inasmuch as Minaya’s future with the Mets may also be cloudy, I suspect that given his druthers, Manny would really rather keep his view of the Capitol intact. However, it’s worthwhile pointing out that there’s a little bit of history behind the assumption that when the Mets need a manager, Washington will provide ... and the Mets will then go on to win a world championship.

About 40 years ago the New York Mets were still perennial cellar dwellers. After six seasons as an expansion franchise, they’d never lost fewer than 95 games. When Wes Westrum stepped aside after the 1967 season, ownership looked around for a new skipper and settled on one of the city’s all-time favorites, Gil Hodges. Hodges, the old Brooklyn Dodgers’ first baseman, was ending his playing career with the Mets in 1963 when new Senators’ GM George Selkirk tapped him to replace Mickey Vernon in the dugout. (Washington traded outfielder Jimmy Piersall to New York for Hodges’ contract, then named him manager.) The ballclub improved a smidgen every year under Hodges — who, like Acta, wore No. 14 — and many assumed that Gil would become a long term asset.

Ah, but the Mets — and Gil — had other ideas. Hodges had continued living in Brooklyn after the Dodgers moved west, and never cottoned to the idea of living full-time in the D.C. area. When he asked for permission to leave, Selkirk gave his okay, though the Senators were compensated, acquiring pitcher Bill Denehy and cash.

The rest is history. Hodges took the Mets to a 73-89 record in 1968 (the same record, coincidentally, as Acta’s first year with Washington), then won the whole thing in 1969. The Senators? They dropped to last place under new manager Jim Lemon, Selkirk’s second choice for the job. (His first choice was a minor league manager in the Baltimore system named Earl Weaver, who had been named Orioles’ first base coach.)

Manny Acta once again in a Mets’ uniform? On Halloween, maybe, but not any time soon. Met fans need to cast their desire in another direction.

Hear Phil Wood Saturdays at 10 a.m. on SportsTalk 980 AM. He is a contributor to Nats Xtra on MASN. Contact him at philwood@dcexaminer.com.

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