Fred Wilpon is getting defensive about the decision to let Willie Randolph go. He insists that it was very simply a numbers a game—not enough wins.

An article today in the New York Post by Mark Hale paraphrases Wilpon saying, “the former manager was well aware of what the winning standard was going to be when he was hired.” Wilpon suggests that although Randolph did a good job, when they looked at the numbers, he wasn’t meeting their winning expectation.

Apparently Wilpon was also very defensive of General Manager, Omar Minaya, suggesting that he’s “done a great job.” He outlines how the firing transpired. Minaya called Wilpon on the 15th saying that he wanted to have a meeting the next day, that he wanted to fire Randolph and two coaches, that he wanted to do it quickly and in person. He also said that he wanted to sleep on it. Which he did. The meeting was then held the next morning at 9 am where the decision was finally made.

What still isn’t answered is why the Minaya disregarded his own resolve and made the move through an email in the middle of the night.

This will no doubt be a famous moment for Mets fans to relieve for years—the night Willie Randolph got the axe by email. Maybe if the Mets can turn around a mediocre season, it will be a decision that one sort of smirks at, rather than disgusts in.

Omar Minaya, the Mets GM who issued the infamous canning, claims that he warned Willie Randolph several days before that the firing was on its way. Randolph claims that he got a totally different message, thinking that he was speaking of coaches that were going to be let go.

Additionally, Randolph feels that his ousting happened to early. He felt like he had a team that he could work with, a team that would find it’s groove this season and end strong.

It seems agreed in the press that Randolph’s middle of the night email firing was done in bad form. But now that it’s been done, what is in the future for Mr. Randolph?

In the New York Post today they quote Randolph as saying:

“Once you get a taste of managing, it’s pretty cool, and I want to get back into it. Depending on who is calling, I want to do it again. I’m not ready to retire. I’m going to enjoy myself for now. But if the phone rings, I’m going to answer.”

With Randolph gone, do Mets ticket holders have something exciting to look forward to in the coming months? There’s no question that the Mets have talent. Will the new Interim Manager Jerry Manuel, save this season? Time will tell.