Mets need a human resources course

Human resources professionals say it sometimes takes delicate maneuvering to let somebody go with dignity. And on all fronts, it's just about unanimous that the New York Mets are guilty of some poor execution when it comes to Willie Randolph, the first manager to be fired this season.

Randolph might have deserved to be fired for the Mets' lackluster start to the season (on top of last September's collapse), but firing him 3,000 miles away a day after the team starts on a West Coast trip, after a win, and announcing it with a 3:14 a.m. press release - that appears classless.

According to the New York Times, Randolph said he asked Minaya to fire him on Sunday if that's what was going to happen. “I actually asked him,” Randolph said, “I said: ‘Omar, do this now. If you’re going to do this, do this now. I know you’ve got a lot of pressure on you, but if I’m not the guy to lead this team, then don’t let me get on this plane.’ I did say that to him.”

Firing after a win over a good team (the AL West-leading Angels) on the road was especially bad, said one expert. "It's bad form," said Bill Heather, senior vice president and head of the Melville office of Right Management, a human resources consulting firm that also offers outplacement services, to Newsday. It appears that the organization is saying, "it looks like you're coming back right now, so we're firing you."

The New York media had a lot of fun with this story on Tuesday. The New York Times even found the infamous Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth from "The Apprentice" to chime in.

“I’m the only person who’s ever been fired twice by Donald Trump” on “The Apprentice,” she said, adding, “as if once wasn’t enough”— called Mr. Randolph’s dismissal “cold-blooded.” Her advice? “Take lemons and make a glass of lemonade,” she said. “He needs to serve it up icy cold, because that’s exactly what they did to him when they fired him at 3 in the morning.”

More commentary from the Randolph saga:

• Wallace Matthews of Newsday: Thank Wilpon's kid for another mess
• N.Y. Daily News: Randolph knew he was "dead man walking"
• N.Y. Daily News: Fans quick to condemn Mets
• Ken Davidoff of Newsday: Amid angst, Mets end up with better manager
• Mike Lupica of N.Y. Daily News: Next nightmare with be Omar Minaya's
• Mike Vaccaro of N.Y. Post: Amazin' act of cowardice
• Bill Rhoden of N.Y. Times: It's the saddest show in town
• Joe Sheehan of SI.com: Randolph was improving as a tactician