Coffee, gasoline and real estate cost a small fortune in New York. And now, the Mets have learned, so does a manager with two years of experience.
In the days leading up to Willie Randolph signing a new three-year, US$5.65 million contract on Thursday, General Manager Omar Minaya surveyed the salaries of the 29 other managers in baseball.
He kept coming back to Terry Francona of the Red Sox and Ozzie Guillen of the White Sox, managers who work (and have won the World Series) in intense baseball towns with passionate fans and constant scrutiny. New York certainly fits that description, and then some, and Randolph's contract reflects the premium of winning in such a demanding environment.
Randolph's deal, which takes effect immediately, doubles his salary to US$1.4 million next season, placing him between Francona (US$1.65 million) and Guillen (US$1.1 million). Randolph becomes the 10th highest-paid manager overall, behind a longtime manager, Houston's Phil Garner (US$1.5 million), and ahead of another longtime manager, Seattle's Mike Hargrove (US$1.3 million). Randolph will make US$2 million next year and US$2.2 million in 2009, and the Mets hold a US$2.5 million option for 2010.
"Respect to me isn't dollars and cents," Randolph said. "They feel that I'm going to move this organization forward. That's respect to me."
At Thursday's news conference at the SportsNet New York studios in Manhattan Randolph glowed as he described how pleased he was to be on board through what should be the opening of the Mets' new stadium in 2009.
"We've made the transition so quickly," Randolph said of his first two seasons in charge. "We came together a lot quicker than I thought. Everyone wants to win, but I'm excited to be with players who really want to win. These guys feel it."
Extending Randolph's contract was always on Minaya's off-season agenda, and Minaya often said he expected to complete a new deal before spring training. Still, with Randolph having another year remaining on his original three-year, US$1.875 million deal, Minaya concentrated on roster issues instead of negotiating a new deal for Randolph. The two sides finally reached an agreement last Friday, according to the Mets' senior executive vice president, Jeff Wilpon, and spent the first part of this week completing the pact.
In two seasons as manager, Randolph has invigorated the Mets, earning the respect of the players with his winning background, calmness and confidence.
"He changed it from a country club to a working environment," Wilpon said of the clubhouse mood with Randolph in charge.
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