Topic: JOHN FRANCO CALLS OUT METS

Well said.  I had a friend who knew several mets when Franco played.  While he had a presense, it was not a positive one.  Heard he had his problems.  In any event, he was not a leader in that clubhouse.  I understand the frustration.  We are not seeing the kind of baseball we expected.  Frustration is what follows.  I agree that heart is not the problem.  As far as Wright, I think he has done plenty to try and provide leadership.  A little time and success would help that along.  The key thing in common with all leaders is they have a record of success to rally around.  How many leaders first emerge when a team is losing?  We asked for heart and fight and we got it.  We asked Wright to step up and he has.  Now, let's give it a chance to develop with a whole team.  I agree we are fortunate that the Phillies stink too.  Regardless, we are still in the thick of it.  If we can win this series, we could be in first place.  Should get Reyes, Perez and Beltran after the all star break.   Hopefully, Maine, Putz, Delgado and Wagner are only a few weeks behind.  THings look bad now, I agree but this is my team.  The only way to enjoy a '69 or '73 type miracle is to suffer through the tough times.  Well the suffereing is here.  Let's hope the miracle follows.  Let's Go Mets !!!!!!!!!

The problem with this team right now is not leadership. It is injuries. When a team misses its all-star SS & CF, Missing its big bat at 1B is missing its 3 & 4 starter, it is missing its 8th inning set-up man, has a 2B playing SS, its RF in CF, an IF playing LF (when they decide to play the DH out there even though the NL doesnt have a DH) not to mention the 2B learning 1B on the job after failing at learning LF on the job it is going to struggle. Besides none of us are in the clubhouse, how do we know what is going on there regarding leadership? A few weeks ago I saw an animated David Wright in the faces of Pelfrey and Schneider when Pelfrey melted down in the 4th or 5th inning of a game, isn't that what some of you are asking for? I beleive that even if Wright were a leader like a Schmidt or Chipper this team right now with all its injuries would still be struggling. Franco played on some pretty bad Mets teams, where was the leadership then?

I have heard the "heart" of this team questioned as well, some teams would have folded tent already with all these injuries yet this team scraps along and is still in the hunt. Look at today's game, they could have quit after Redding melted down and quit even more so when K-Rod blew the save, but no they didn't quit they went out and won this one.

If we had our full team and the team was playing like this then I would be with you on questiong leadership. The thing missing right now is not leasdership, what is missing is Reyes, Beltran, Delgado, Maine, Perez and Putz. 

The following appeared on metsblog.com:

"Later, Franco was asked, 'What kind of player does it take to really step up and push the guys and be a leader,' to which he responded:

“With the Mets, a guy like David Wright is a guy that I’m hoping – you know, I tried talking to him and tell him to come forward and be that guy, but I think David feels that being that he’s such a young player and you have the Delgados and Sheffields and veteran guys like that, he’s afraid that they’ll look at him like, ‘Be quiet and sit down.’  Gary’s here and Gary’s been great.  Gary Sheffield’s been great, so I don’t have a bad thing to say about Gary, but I think you need a guy who the organization is building around and is going to be here for the next five, six years.  David’s been here for five years already, and he’ll probably be here for another five years, him and Jose, so that’s the core of the team.   One of those guys has to step forward and take charge.”

 

David Wright's response:

 

“With all due respect to Johnny, he doesn’t know what’s going on in this clubhouse… I don’t feel the need to have to defend myself as a leader.  If these guys in here respect me and think of me as a leader, that’s what I need… I don’t worry myself about outside people saying what they’re going to say.  It doesn’t matter.  What matters to me are these 24 guys in here and the coaching staff.  Whatever anybody else wants to say, they can say whatever.”

 

Well Dave, something's either not right or happening in the clubhouse.  Where's the motivation, demonstrated on the field, for taking you to the next level?  You don't ned to be defensive.  Right now, I'd rather have Brooks Robinson, Mike Schmidt, or Chipper Jones with their leadership at third than you.  This is not high school baseball.  Stop being a shrinking violet.  Play hard.hold yourself and others accountable, and lead this team onward to victory.  The clock is ticking and fan impateice rising.

JOHNNY FRANCO HAS CALLED OUT THE METS IN A N.Y. POST ARTICLE. HERE ARE SOME OF HIS QUOTES:

 John Franco blasted his struggling former team in a radio interview this week, saying there is no leadership in the clubhouse and "too much individuality

You know, there's still something missing there," Franco said. " I don't know what it is the last couple of years. Watching them almost every day, there's no leadership there. Nobody wants to step forward and be a leader. Something is missing, and it's hard to put your finger on it.

Playing in New York, the pressure cooker here, so I'm sure there's a lot of pressure on them, but they need to relax a little bit and look like they're having fun. It kind of looks like they're not having fun and everybody's on their own page."

 Thank God the Phillies aren't playing as well, otherwise they would be a lot further back than they are right now."

 DAVID WRIGHT REPLIED:

 "With all due respect to Johnny, he doesn't know what's going on in this clubhouse," Wright said. "I don't feel the need to have to defend myself as a leader. If these guys in here respect me and think of me as a leader, then that's what I need. I don't worry myself about outside people saying what they're going to say, because it doesn't matter to me."

I WENT TO ST. JOHN'S WITH FRANCO AND HAD HIM IN MY ENGLISH CLASS. HE IS A TRUE NEW YORKER AND VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS BASEBALL. HE SPEAKS FROM THE HEART AND I KNOW HE MEANS WELL.  HE BASICALLY TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH AND I HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS ALL ALONG ABOUT NO LEADSERSHIP AND SOMETHING IS MISSING IN THE CLUBHOUSE.