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Quotes from the second-most fireable manager in MLB today (slightly behind Larry Bowa) and updates on his status as our favourite Met scapegoat.
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
Somebody's Gotta Lose and It'll Probably Be Us
"It was a heckuva ballgame, but the wrong team won," Howe said after the Braves beat the Mets AGAIN two nights ago.
Mistakes R Us (not Them)
"We made mistakes and you can't give a team of that caliber extra outs," Howe said after three unearned runs undid his team in a 4-3 loss to the Braves before 32,542 at Shea Stadium.
Boom! We Suck!
"Two outs, nobody on, you think you're out of the woods and boom," Art
Howe said. "That's baseball." After Mets lost to Marlins instead of the Braves, Expos and Phillies, for a change of pace.
Must...Have...More...Discipline
"There wasn't a whole lot of discipline at times," Art Howe said after another loss to the crappiest team in the NL East, Montreal Expos.
"It was a heckuva ballgame, but the wrong team won," Howe said after the Braves beat the Mets AGAIN two nights ago.
Mistakes R Us (not Them)
"We made mistakes and you can't give a team of that caliber extra outs," Howe said after three unearned runs undid his team in a 4-3 loss to the Braves before 32,542 at Shea Stadium.
Boom! We Suck!
"Two outs, nobody on, you think you're out of the woods and boom," Art
Howe said. "That's baseball." After Mets lost to Marlins instead of the Braves, Expos and Phillies, for a change of pace.
Must...Have...More...Discipline
"There wasn't a whole lot of discipline at times," Art Howe said after another loss to the crappiest team in the NL East, Montreal Expos.
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
"In the ninth, every ground ball seemed to find a hole," said New York manager Art Howe after his bullpen blew another, this time against the Marlins. "It's unfortunate, but it happens.
"We post a zero there," Art Howe said, of the failure to hold the lead last night agains the Marlins "and it's a different game." Wow. And if they'd won it'd be a different game and if they'd had a different manager, it'd be a different season.
"It was surprising that he was hurt," Manager Art Howe said about the dubious move to place Parra on the DL with a "strained hip" because he had a little stiffness from the hotel air conditioning behind too high. "It made it a little easier for us.". Indeed it does. What an amazing coincidence, Art.
"He's been a closer before and he's got good stuff," Mets manager Art Howe said in an heroic effort to find something good to say about Mike DeJean. "If he gets back to the way he's shown he can pitch..."
WOW! Then the Mets can win the pennant!
On why he sat Mike Piazza in last Sunday's "sorta must-win" game against the Phillies:
"That's why it's a 25-man team," Howe said. "We can't ride Mike into the ground. That's basically the way I felt."
That's the way I feel too Uncle Artie. Just because you're paying a selfish wanna be catcher millions of dollars a year to lead your team into oblivion, there's no reason at all you should play him in important games. Mikey might hurt his little self. Mikey might get tired.
"I told you, we're resilient," Art Howe said of the subsequent victory over the Phillies that vindicated his decision somewhat. "Before we're dead, they're going to have to pound those nails in the coffin before we quit."
How about if we just pound those nails into your head Uncle Artie?...
"We post a zero there," Art Howe said, of the failure to hold the lead last night agains the Marlins "and it's a different game." Wow. And if they'd won it'd be a different game and if they'd had a different manager, it'd be a different season.
"It was surprising that he was hurt," Manager Art Howe said about the dubious move to place Parra on the DL with a "strained hip" because he had a little stiffness from the hotel air conditioning behind too high. "It made it a little easier for us.". Indeed it does. What an amazing coincidence, Art.
"He's been a closer before and he's got good stuff," Mets manager Art Howe said in an heroic effort to find something good to say about Mike DeJean. "If he gets back to the way he's shown he can pitch..."
WOW! Then the Mets can win the pennant!
On why he sat Mike Piazza in last Sunday's "sorta must-win" game against the Phillies:
"That's why it's a 25-man team," Howe said. "We can't ride Mike into the ground. That's basically the way I felt."
That's the way I feel too Uncle Artie. Just because you're paying a selfish wanna be catcher millions of dollars a year to lead your team into oblivion, there's no reason at all you should play him in important games. Mikey might hurt his little self. Mikey might get tired.
"I told you, we're resilient," Art Howe said of the subsequent victory over the Phillies that vindicated his decision somewhat. "Before we're dead, they're going to have to pound those nails in the coffin before we quit."
How about if we just pound those nails into your head Uncle Artie?...
Sunday, July 11, 2004
My Goal Has Always Been Mediocrity
"I'd be lying to you to say I thought we would be in first place at the All-Star break when we were coming out of spring training," Artless Howe said.
"Whoever told me that, I'd take them out to dinner anyplace in the world," said Hungry Howe on the possibility that the Mets would be two games out of first place on the Fourth of July?
"The leadoff walks, that's what's coming back to haunt us," Art Howe said, adding to the missed-opportunity theme. "We put some heat on them, got the lead, but we couldn't hold it down." following last night's second straight loss to the Marlins that dropped the Mets down to 4th. Ho hum.
Art Howe on Aging
"He's not getting any younger, just like the rest of us," Howe said after resting old man Mike Piazza in a game against the Marlins two days ago.
"We played as hard as we could," Art Howe said the Mets split a 4 game series with the Phillies this week in a matchup of miscalculating managers.
Dealing With Reality
"You deal with reality tonight," Howe said after a Mets loss to the Phillies this week.
Don't Ask Him, He Doesn't Know
...even Mets manager Art Howe struggled to explain it. "I don’t know," he said. ...
"Listen, that's a great team over there, and they showed their mettle again today," Art Howe said, describing his feelings on his permanent residence in Loserville after a game against the Yankees.
The Key
"The key is not to get beyond ourselves right here," Howe said incoherently.
Digestives
"I'm not even going to talk about that until we have a chance to digest everything," Howe said. ...
"I'd be lying to you to say I thought we would be in first place at the All-Star break when we were coming out of spring training," Artless Howe said.
"Whoever told me that, I'd take them out to dinner anyplace in the world," said Hungry Howe on the possibility that the Mets would be two games out of first place on the Fourth of July?
"The leadoff walks, that's what's coming back to haunt us," Art Howe said, adding to the missed-opportunity theme. "We put some heat on them, got the lead, but we couldn't hold it down." following last night's second straight loss to the Marlins that dropped the Mets down to 4th. Ho hum.
Art Howe on Aging
"He's not getting any younger, just like the rest of us," Howe said after resting old man Mike Piazza in a game against the Marlins two days ago.
"We played as hard as we could," Art Howe said the Mets split a 4 game series with the Phillies this week in a matchup of miscalculating managers.
Dealing With Reality
"You deal with reality tonight," Howe said after a Mets loss to the Phillies this week.
Don't Ask Him, He Doesn't Know
...even Mets manager Art Howe struggled to explain it. "I don’t know," he said. ...
"Listen, that's a great team over there, and they showed their mettle again today," Art Howe said, describing his feelings on his permanent residence in Loserville after a game against the Yankees.
The Key
"The key is not to get beyond ourselves right here," Howe said incoherently.
Digestives
"I'm not even going to talk about that until we have a chance to digest everything," Howe said. ...
Sunday, July 04, 2004
Howe No, We Haven't Forgotten About Yea!
Lest one come to believe that the lack of posts on the Fire Art Howe Already website is an indication of a more general malaise, or perhaps even a growing satsifaction with his managing, let it be noted LOUD AND CLEAR, we begin the campaign anew by allowing the ARTLESS Howe machine, speak for itself:
The Art of managing
Howe opens up about baseball, life in N.Y. and Lou Piniella
BY ADAM RUBIN
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Mets manager Art Howe is a man who appreciates his privacy and is not known for blowing his top, like the skipper Mets owner Fred Wilpon wanted in New York, Lou Piniella.
After owner Fred Wilpon couldn't get permission from the Mariners to negotiate with Lou Piniella in October 2002, the Mets turned to Art Howe. And Howe instantly received his share of criticism for being, well, not Piniella.
"I guess this means I'll never get a roast, because I've already had one," Howe noted at his introductory news conference.
Twenty months later, Howe still has his share of detractors. He admits he doesn't have Joe Torre's gift of gab. He doesn't explode like Piniella - not usually, anyway. Bottom line, he says, he's a winner.
He sat down with Mets beat writer Adam Rubin to discuss his stay in New York.
DN: To finally be able to fill out a full lineup card after a year and a half of injuries, how comforting is that? Was there a helpless feeling at times?
AH: It wasn't a helpless feeling, but you always felt like you were missing a few pieces. But the guys who did go out there for us battled, gave me everything they had. It's a good feeling now to be able to put basically the same guys on the field each day. That helps with the consistency up and down the order.
DN: Everyone is being judged. You're being judged. To be judged while being undermanned, I imagine it was a little unfair before?
AH: It comes with the territory. Injuries are part of the game. It's been unfortunate here that we've had so many since I've been here. I mean, it's been uncanny. But you have to go out and still do your job and do the best you can. I'm proud of what we've been able to achieve to be honest with you. Now it's nice. Things are starting to round into shape as far as the health issues and we're holding our own.
DN: Teams take on the personality of their manager sometimes. Do you feel like this team has your personality or is that overstating it?
AH: I don't know if that's true or not. I've heard people say that. Who knows if that's true or not? If they do, I like it, because there's no quit in me. I know that. I think they've shown that. They don't quit. They keep fighting until the end.
DN: Obviously you use the term "battle" a lot and they've picked it up in the clubhouse. It's used so often that fans tend to mock it a little. Are you aware?
AH: No. … That's basically what we do with everybody. It's a war out there. It's little skirmishes every night and you try to win as many as you can.
DN: Does your personality suit this team? People suggested, fairly or unfairly, you're best suited for a young team?
AH: I've had veterans, too, everywhere I've been. We've rebuilt in the two places I've been and developed a nice club each time. But I've also had veterans play for me almost every year. If you ask the veterans, they've enjoyed playing for me. And I've gotten the most out of them, too.
DN: And the managerial style is delegation and hands-off? You know that's different from Lou Piniella, who had been talked about a lot for the job, who is a little more …
AH: Gregarious. Is that a good word? Outgoing. Emotional.
DN: Well, you know, you got credit in some places for throwing the garbage can in Kansas City after the game, even though it was David Weathers. But that doesn't seem to be your style.
AH: I've been known to kick something every once in a while. I'm a private kind of guy. I don't like people to know what I do behind closed doors. But I think these guys know I want to win as badly as they do. I don't have to come out and throw tantrums to show that to them, because they know. They're around me. They know how much I want to win.
DN: Is the "privacy thing" a mismatch for New York, because everybody wants to know …
AH: Everybody wants to know everything. That's where I have my problems with it, because I like to deal with players in private. And if there are issues to be dealt with, I think it should be kept out of the papers. You never want anything to get out in the papers as far as I'm concerned, whether it's a private issue between you and a player or you're trying to help somebody. No one else has to know that. It's not everyone else's business. When I was a player, that's the way I felt. I think it's important for a manager to keep some things under wraps.
DN: Are you sick of hearing the name "Lou Piniella," because people are still suggesting he might come?
AH: Lou is a friend of mine. We respect each other. We've battled against each other. We were in the same division for years. It was either us or them, except maybe one year Anaheim snuck in.
DN: There was a lot more to you getting hired than a brief meeting with Fred Wilpon. You, Lou Piniella and Ken Macha all have the same agent, Alan Nero, and when Fred couldn't get Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln to deal with him and Lou wanted to take the sure thing in Tampa Bay, this was the best of all worlds for all three of you. Wasn't there a lot more behind the scenes than people realize?
AH: Actually, I took my name out of the running for the Mets job for a while, because I wasn't going to let anybody use me as leverage. I had accomplished too much to be treated that way. I wasn't going to accept that. Once Lou decided to go to Tampa Bay, then I thought the Mets were serious about talking with me. It was just me.
DN: I think it was in Houston when you said, "The stolen base does have some value," which was a little shot that went over some heads, referring to the "Moneyball" theories in Oakland. You took a lot of flak with the book, was that one small way to finally shoot back?
AH: At heart, I'm a National League guy. That's where I played my career and started off managing there. It's a different game in the National League. Totally different. Stolen bases are important when you get them at the right time, when the percentages are good. You don't have to sit back and wait for a big inning. The American League you tend to do that.
DN: Is it hard, though, at least public-perception-wise to have not gotten more credit for the success in Oakland, particularly because of the book?
AH: As far as I'm concerned, I know I deserved a lot of credit and I think I got a lot of credit. Everybody out there knows who ran that team. It was me.
DN: Did you get told horror stories about the New York media before you arrived?
AH: No. I've been in the big leagues. I know what New York is all about. I've been in the postseason against the Yankees. I enjoy you guys, talking to you about baseball or whatever.
DN: We heard a lot over the years about people thinking lesser of Armando Benitez because of Mariano Rivera's presence in the city. Is the bar set so high with Joe Torre, because he is so at ease with the media and good filling reporters' notebooks?
AH: Joe is a great guy. He's had a ton of success. He's a New Yorker. Some people have a better gift of gab than others. I try to watch what I say because I don't want to say something that's going to be misconstrued or come out wrong. So I try to limit what I say. That's why guys probably feel I'm kind of guarded. And that's the reason I am. Already some things I've said didn't come out the way I intended them to come out.
DN: Even before with Oakland, you had that incident in the playoffs where you said, "It's going to take a great series from the Yankees to have a shot to beat us" and it turned into a back-page story.
AH: I'm supposed to come in there with a team and say we're going to lose? No. It just gets crazy in New York sometimes.
DN: Steve Phillips was on the radio a few days ago and was contrasting you with Bobby Valentine. He said Bobby can get a lot out of a team in a shorter term. And that you're built for sustained winning, that his style can grate on players and make it a shorter window of success. You agree?
AH: Yeah. I think that's the way it's always been for me. We've always slowly but surely progressed and gotten better and better wherever I've been.
DN: People were bashing you before you came. Do you think you have enemies for no good reason?
AH: Yeah. That's what has surprised me. There are enough people out there. Everybody is not going to like you for whatever reason. But I'd just like to know why.
DN: Are you suited to manage in New York?
AH: I'm suited to win. If that's New York, that's great. If it's not, then I'll win someplace else, because I really consider myself a winner. I know what it takes to win. The difference I have, that doesn't seem to exist in New York, is patience.
Originally published on July 3, 2004
Lest one come to believe that the lack of posts on the Fire Art Howe Already website is an indication of a more general malaise, or perhaps even a growing satsifaction with his managing, let it be noted LOUD AND CLEAR, we begin the campaign anew by allowing the ARTLESS Howe machine, speak for itself:
The Art of managing
Howe opens up about baseball, life in N.Y. and Lou Piniella
BY ADAM RUBIN
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Mets manager Art Howe is a man who appreciates his privacy and is not known for blowing his top, like the skipper Mets owner Fred Wilpon wanted in New York, Lou Piniella.
After owner Fred Wilpon couldn't get permission from the Mariners to negotiate with Lou Piniella in October 2002, the Mets turned to Art Howe. And Howe instantly received his share of criticism for being, well, not Piniella.
"I guess this means I'll never get a roast, because I've already had one," Howe noted at his introductory news conference.
Twenty months later, Howe still has his share of detractors. He admits he doesn't have Joe Torre's gift of gab. He doesn't explode like Piniella - not usually, anyway. Bottom line, he says, he's a winner.
He sat down with Mets beat writer Adam Rubin to discuss his stay in New York.
DN: To finally be able to fill out a full lineup card after a year and a half of injuries, how comforting is that? Was there a helpless feeling at times?
AH: It wasn't a helpless feeling, but you always felt like you were missing a few pieces. But the guys who did go out there for us battled, gave me everything they had. It's a good feeling now to be able to put basically the same guys on the field each day. That helps with the consistency up and down the order.
DN: Everyone is being judged. You're being judged. To be judged while being undermanned, I imagine it was a little unfair before?
AH: It comes with the territory. Injuries are part of the game. It's been unfortunate here that we've had so many since I've been here. I mean, it's been uncanny. But you have to go out and still do your job and do the best you can. I'm proud of what we've been able to achieve to be honest with you. Now it's nice. Things are starting to round into shape as far as the health issues and we're holding our own.
DN: Teams take on the personality of their manager sometimes. Do you feel like this team has your personality or is that overstating it?
AH: I don't know if that's true or not. I've heard people say that. Who knows if that's true or not? If they do, I like it, because there's no quit in me. I know that. I think they've shown that. They don't quit. They keep fighting until the end.
DN: Obviously you use the term "battle" a lot and they've picked it up in the clubhouse. It's used so often that fans tend to mock it a little. Are you aware?
AH: No. … That's basically what we do with everybody. It's a war out there. It's little skirmishes every night and you try to win as many as you can.
DN: Does your personality suit this team? People suggested, fairly or unfairly, you're best suited for a young team?
AH: I've had veterans, too, everywhere I've been. We've rebuilt in the two places I've been and developed a nice club each time. But I've also had veterans play for me almost every year. If you ask the veterans, they've enjoyed playing for me. And I've gotten the most out of them, too.
DN: And the managerial style is delegation and hands-off? You know that's different from Lou Piniella, who had been talked about a lot for the job, who is a little more …
AH: Gregarious. Is that a good word? Outgoing. Emotional.
DN: Well, you know, you got credit in some places for throwing the garbage can in Kansas City after the game, even though it was David Weathers. But that doesn't seem to be your style.
AH: I've been known to kick something every once in a while. I'm a private kind of guy. I don't like people to know what I do behind closed doors. But I think these guys know I want to win as badly as they do. I don't have to come out and throw tantrums to show that to them, because they know. They're around me. They know how much I want to win.
DN: Is the "privacy thing" a mismatch for New York, because everybody wants to know …
AH: Everybody wants to know everything. That's where I have my problems with it, because I like to deal with players in private. And if there are issues to be dealt with, I think it should be kept out of the papers. You never want anything to get out in the papers as far as I'm concerned, whether it's a private issue between you and a player or you're trying to help somebody. No one else has to know that. It's not everyone else's business. When I was a player, that's the way I felt. I think it's important for a manager to keep some things under wraps.
DN: Are you sick of hearing the name "Lou Piniella," because people are still suggesting he might come?
AH: Lou is a friend of mine. We respect each other. We've battled against each other. We were in the same division for years. It was either us or them, except maybe one year Anaheim snuck in.
DN: There was a lot more to you getting hired than a brief meeting with Fred Wilpon. You, Lou Piniella and Ken Macha all have the same agent, Alan Nero, and when Fred couldn't get Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln to deal with him and Lou wanted to take the sure thing in Tampa Bay, this was the best of all worlds for all three of you. Wasn't there a lot more behind the scenes than people realize?
AH: Actually, I took my name out of the running for the Mets job for a while, because I wasn't going to let anybody use me as leverage. I had accomplished too much to be treated that way. I wasn't going to accept that. Once Lou decided to go to Tampa Bay, then I thought the Mets were serious about talking with me. It was just me.
DN: I think it was in Houston when you said, "The stolen base does have some value," which was a little shot that went over some heads, referring to the "Moneyball" theories in Oakland. You took a lot of flak with the book, was that one small way to finally shoot back?
AH: At heart, I'm a National League guy. That's where I played my career and started off managing there. It's a different game in the National League. Totally different. Stolen bases are important when you get them at the right time, when the percentages are good. You don't have to sit back and wait for a big inning. The American League you tend to do that.
DN: Is it hard, though, at least public-perception-wise to have not gotten more credit for the success in Oakland, particularly because of the book?
AH: As far as I'm concerned, I know I deserved a lot of credit and I think I got a lot of credit. Everybody out there knows who ran that team. It was me.
DN: Did you get told horror stories about the New York media before you arrived?
AH: No. I've been in the big leagues. I know what New York is all about. I've been in the postseason against the Yankees. I enjoy you guys, talking to you about baseball or whatever.
DN: We heard a lot over the years about people thinking lesser of Armando Benitez because of Mariano Rivera's presence in the city. Is the bar set so high with Joe Torre, because he is so at ease with the media and good filling reporters' notebooks?
AH: Joe is a great guy. He's had a ton of success. He's a New Yorker. Some people have a better gift of gab than others. I try to watch what I say because I don't want to say something that's going to be misconstrued or come out wrong. So I try to limit what I say. That's why guys probably feel I'm kind of guarded. And that's the reason I am. Already some things I've said didn't come out the way I intended them to come out.
DN: Even before with Oakland, you had that incident in the playoffs where you said, "It's going to take a great series from the Yankees to have a shot to beat us" and it turned into a back-page story.
AH: I'm supposed to come in there with a team and say we're going to lose? No. It just gets crazy in New York sometimes.
DN: Steve Phillips was on the radio a few days ago and was contrasting you with Bobby Valentine. He said Bobby can get a lot out of a team in a shorter term. And that you're built for sustained winning, that his style can grate on players and make it a shorter window of success. You agree?
AH: Yeah. I think that's the way it's always been for me. We've always slowly but surely progressed and gotten better and better wherever I've been.
DN: People were bashing you before you came. Do you think you have enemies for no good reason?
AH: Yeah. That's what has surprised me. There are enough people out there. Everybody is not going to like you for whatever reason. But I'd just like to know why.
DN: Are you suited to manage in New York?
AH: I'm suited to win. If that's New York, that's great. If it's not, then I'll win someplace else, because I really consider myself a winner. I know what it takes to win. The difference I have, that doesn't seem to exist in New York, is patience.
Originally published on July 3, 2004
