strummer 0 Report post Posted September 13, 2004 "Howe now as good as gone Ax set for Oct.; Mets eye Lou By ADAM RUBIN DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER It looks like Art Howe is on his way out with the Mets. Art Howe's tenure as Mets manager will end Oct. 3. Owner Fred Wilpon, who personally hired Howe after a face-to-face meeting two winters ago, was persuaded to fire the manager during a summit of team brass Friday at Shea, the Daily News has learned. Wilpon, reluctant to eat the $4.7 million owed to Howe through 2006, had been the lone supporter of Howe as front office officials pushed for his dismissal. The Mets' dismal play of late - they've lost 19 of 21, including 4-2 to the Phillies yesterday - finally convinced the owner Howe could not remain, according to team insiders. Mets officials, like the team's fans, view Lou Piniella as the ideal candidate to succeed Howe. But several factors work against the Devil Rays manager relocating to Flushing, and team brass is not optimistic it can land him. Regardless of Howe's successor, Larry Bowa - who is expected to be dismissed as Phillies manager after the season, despite their wild-card push - remains a candidate to become bench coach on a staff that figures only to return pitching coach Rick Peterson. Convinced Wilpon would not relent and fire Howe, Mets officials had planned to pair Howe and Bowa in 2005. Piniella is under contract to the Devil Rays through '06, and Tampa Bay GM Chuck LaMar - notorious for tedious negotiations - may not part with his manager without substantial compensation, if at all, even if Piniella expresses a desire to leave. There's also the sizable contract Piniella would command as Mets manager, which Wilpon might find difficult to stomach while paying Howe. Then there's the fact that Howe and Piniella share the same agent, Alan Nero. Piniella isn't interested in undermining Howe and even went out of his way to compliment his former AL West adversary when New York reporters were in Seattle on Aug. 23 to watch Scott Kazmir's debut. However, with Howe's fate sealed, that obstacle might vanish. The content of Friday's meeting is believed to have seeped back to Howe, so he apparently is aware of his fate. The Mets are compiling a list of candidates to succeed Howe, but so far it's blank beyond Piniella. They want an established manager with a profile similar to Piniella's, who can handle the New York media and be more energetic and visible than Howe. They recognize those managers are in short supply, and no other names jumped out at them. When Tony LaRussa's name was suggested, one Mets insider doubted he would even consider leaving St. Louis for New York, even though his contract is about to expire. Howe, hired to be the anti-Bobby Valentine, went too far in the other direction. He rubbed even mild-mannered players the wrong way because of his lack of communication. His in-game management and hands-off style irked team brass. One insider complained that Howe didn't hold an early batting practice session in Milwaukee after an off-day spent in Chicago last month because the team bus from the hotel to the ballpark had been scheduled to depart later and the mild-mannered manager didn't want to tinker with it. Howe, 57, was named the Mets' 17th manager on Oct. 28, 2002, after leading the A's to back-to-back 100-win seasons. He entered his Mets tenure 41 games over .500 and eight wins shy of 1,000 in a managerial career that included stops in Houston and Oakland, but now has dipped to 1,119-1,127 with yesterday's loss. The Mets finished last season in last place, with a 66-95 record. This year they are trying to hold off the Expos to avoid that fate again, though Howe's lineup has been decimated by injuries, making it difficult for any manager to succeed. Howe's most notable gaffe occurred last year, when his New York naivete caused a firestorm. The manager said on television that he intended for Mike Piazza to begin taking ground balls at first base before he told Piazza, unaware word would get to the All-Star before Howe had a chance to inform him. Howe's mantra after losses - "We battled" - began being derisively used by talk-radio callers to mock him. Former GM Steve Phillips interviewed Howe in Houston on Oct. 12, 2002, and recommended the hire. When negotiations with the Mariners over compensation to land Piniella later went nowhere, Wilpon and son Jeff met with Howe at a Manhattan hotel. "He blew me away," Wilpon said at the news conference to introduce Howe. ". . . A half-hour into this, it struck me. There was no question. This was the guy I wanted. I said, 'Art, this interview is over. You are not being interviewed anymore. You're a New York Met. Now let's talk as partners.' " The divorce is coming soon. " Well, if they can't get Piniella, who is left out there that is "established and can handle New York"? No way LaRussa is coming to New York. I hope for God's sake they don't hire Bowa as manager. He's coming here, but I hope just as a bench coach Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Precious Roy 0 Report post Posted September 13, 2004 How about Zimmer? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DerangedHermit 0 Report post Posted September 13, 2004 http://chatjunky.50megs.com/hi-bye/goodbye.wav Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted September 13, 2004 Dusty Baker could be a great fit with the Mets. Make Mike Piazza feel like a star! Make Kris Benson lose long-term use in his arm! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Man in Blak 0 Report post Posted September 13, 2004 Given the "talent" that the Mets' front office provided him to work with, I think the expectations were more than a little unfair for Howe. Too bad none of the brass will fall on the sword, considering that they were the ones with bright ideas like signing Mo Vaughn to a long-term contract, or trading away their farm system for Nuke Laloosh and Anna Benson. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted September 13, 2004 Oh come on, you know the team is going nowhere fast, be happy with Anna Benson Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted September 14, 2004 One things for sure Art will keep that same look on face he always has. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
