Willie è stato criticato, nonostante la vittoria, anche per non avere sostituito "nonno" Alou con Chavez come pinch-runner nell'ottavo, utilizzandolo comunque il venezuelano ma al posto di Green. Ecco come ha giustificato queste due scelte (alla fine ininfluenti) il coach dei Mets.pelato wrote: Allucinante Burgos contro Howard... da ricovero alla neuro di Willie... che però, fortuna o non foertuna, ha avuto ragione. Maine non si conferma positivissimo come nella prima uscita anche se un paio di volte esce bene da situazioni al limite dell'horror...
Sul fatto di non aver sostituito Burgos [Burrell era on deck quando Howard la spediva sulle tribune]: "Pat Burrell is a Met killer," Randolph said. "I trust Burgos in that spot. He just left one over the plate and he got hurt."
Burgos said he was hoping to get Howard to chase something out of the strike zone, but missed with a splitter that remained up.
"I was trying to make a difficult pitch on him because I had a right-handed hitter next," Burgos said.
Randolph said the fact he did not have Aaron Heilman available - the right-hander pitched 1 1/3 innings Sunday in Atlanta - was a factor. If Heilman were an option, Randolph hinted he would have been summoned to face either Howard or Burrell.
Sulla questione Alou-Chavez: As for the decision in the eighth to have Chavez run for Green at first base and not the potential tying run, Alou at second, Randolph defended it by saying he wasn't as concerned with tying the game as winning it.
"I feel good that Alou can move around the bases," Randolph said.
Still, Chavez was surprised he wasn't asked to pinch run for Alou.
"When they didn't make the move I was like, 'Maybe I'll just go in to play defense,' " Chavez said.
But Green then singled and Chavez was summoned to first base as the go-ahead run. When Jose Valentin bunted into a fielder's choice that nailed Alou at third base, the inning didn't look so promising. But the fun was just beginning for the Mets - letting Randolph off the hook.
