Howe: Fire Me Sooner Rather Than Later
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If the free-falling Mets have already decided to fire manager Art Howe, he wants to be let go immediately instead of after the season.
“Why put me through this?” Howe said yesterday, after it was reported in the Daily News that Mets owner Fred Wilpon would fire him at the end of this season. “I’d rather have it happen now. There’s no sense in waiting.”
Howe said he hadn’t read the story, but general manager Jim Duquette told him about it when he arrived at Shea Stadium for yesterday’s doubleheader against the Braves.
After the Mets spent all afternoon answering questions about reports that Howe would be fired at season’s end, they came back from a three run deficit in the opener for an uplifting victory.
Mike Piazza and Richard Hidalgo homered, helping the Mets rally for a 9-7 win. Pinch-hitter Craig Brazell came through with a go-ahead double in the seventh, making sure Howe had at least one thing to smile about.
With less than 1,000 fans in the stands at the start, Aaron Heilman (1-1) earned his first major league win in more than a year and Wilson Delgado also homered for New York.
In the second game, J.D. Drew had four hits and three RBI, and Paul Byrd pitched eight strong innings, leading the Braves over the Mets 7-1 for a doubleheader split.
Byrd (7-5), who quickly recovered from Mike Cameron’s leadoff homer in the first, allowed seven hits, struck out four, and walked none to win for the third time in four starts. The right-hander also improved to 8-1 in 13 lifetime appearances against his former team, including 11 starts.
The NL East-leading Braves sent the free-falling Mets to their 20th loss in 23 games. The Mets are only 2 1 /2 games ahead of last-place Montreal in the NL East.
Mets General Manager Jim Duquette said no decision had been made yet on Howe’s future with the team, but he never guaranteed the manager would be back next year, either.
“Obviously, the organization, we’re all frustrated because we haven’t played the way we wanted,” Duquette said. “Obviously, the frustration goes all the way up to the front office.”
If the Mets fire Howe after this season, they would still owe him $4.7 million. He signed a $9.4 million, 4-year contract with the team before the 2003 season.
