Mets Skipper Willie Randolph Twists in the Wind

Most observers have scoffed at the possibility that Mets manager Willie Randolph will be fired when he returns to New York from the team's current road trip, but former Blue Jays manager Buck Martinez has not ruled out the possibility -- at least by inference.

"I know what he's going through," Martinez said during a recent broadcast of XM Radio's morning baseball show, which Martinez co-hosts with Mark Patrick. "I went through the same thing."

Martinez -- who was 20-33 during his brief tenure as Blue Jays skipper in 2000 -- noted that he found himself in Randolph's position eight years ago when rumors swirled about Martinez's pending dismissal and Martinez received no reassurances from ownership while the team traveled. Warned that he would be called into the front office upon his return, Martinez was fired shortly after arriving.

Randolph has watched the Mets -- in fourth place at 23-23 -- struggle with a mediocre .500 record since last year's All Star break, with managing partner Fred Wilpon reportedly refusing to return Randolph's telephone calls while the team travels.

Wilpon's silence has led to MLB rumors that Randolph will be dismissed during a meeting with Wilpon scheduled next week in New York.