View source for Willie Randolph

{{Short description|American baseball player and coach (born 1954)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Willie Randolph
|image=Willie Randolph 1984.jpg
|caption=Randolph with the New York Yankees in 1984
|position=[[Second baseman]] / [[Manager (baseball)|Manager]]
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1954|7|6}}
|birth_place=[[Holly Hill, South Carolina]], U.S.
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|debutleague=MLB
|debutdate=July 29
|debutyear=1975
|debutteam=Pittsburgh Pirates
|finalleague=MLB
|finaldate=October 4
|finalyear=1992
|finalteam=New York Mets
|statleague=MLB
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value=.276
|stat2label=[[Hit (baseball)|Hits]]
|stat2value=2,210
|stat3label=[[Home run]]s
|stat3value=54
|stat4label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
|stat4value=687
|stat5label=Managerial record
|stat5value=302–253
|stat6label=Winning %
|stat6value=.544
|teams=
'''As player'''
* [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] ({{mlby|1975}})
* [[New York Yankees]] ({{mlby|1976}}–{{mlby|1988}})
* [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] ({{mlby|1989}}–{{mlby|1990}})
* [[Oakland Athletics]] ({{mlby|1990}})
* [[Milwaukee Brewers]] ({{mlby|1991}})
* [[New York Mets]] ({{mlby|1992}})
'''As manager'''
* [[New York Mets]] ({{mlby|2005}}–{{mlby|2008}})
'''As coach'''
* [[New York Yankees]] ({{mlby|1994}}–{{mlby|2004}})
* [[Milwaukee Brewers]] ({{mlby|2009}}–{{mlby|2010}})
* [[Baltimore Orioles]] ({{mlby|2011}})
|highlights=
* 6× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1976 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1976]], [[1977 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1977]], [[1980 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1980]], [[1981 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1981]], [[1987 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1987]], [[1989 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1989]])
* 5× [[World Series champion]] ({{wsy|1977}}, {{wsy|1996}}, {{wsy|1998}}–{{wsy|2000}})
* [[Silver Slugger Award]] (1980)
* [[Monument Park (Yankee Stadium)|Monument Park]] honoree
|medaltemplates=
{{MedalSport|Men's [[baseball]]}}
{{Medal|Country|{{bb|USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[World Baseball Classic]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2017 World Baseball Classic|2017 Los Angeles]]|Team}}
}}

'''William Larry Randolph''' (born July 6, 1954) is an American former professional baseball [[second baseman]], [[Coach (baseball)|coach]], and [[Manager (baseball)|manager]]. During an 18-year career in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB), he played from 1975 to 1992 for six different teams, most notably the [[New York Yankees]] with whom he won back-to-back world titles against the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]]. He has joined [[ESPN]] as a post-season baseball analyst, beginning in September 2013. Mainly, he appeared on ''[[Baseball Tonight (MLB)|Baseball Tonight]]'' and provided updates during Monday and Wednesday night September network telecasts.

At the end of his playing career, he ranked fifth in major league history in games at second base (2,152), ninth in [[putout]]s (4,859), seventh in [[assist (baseball)|assists]] (6,336), eighth in [[total chances]] (11,429), and third in [[double play]]s (1,547). Upon retiring as a player, he joined the Yankees as a coach for 11 years. He later served as manager of the [[New York Mets]] from 2005 to June 2008, leading the Mets to a league-best record and the [[2006 National League Championship Series|National League Championship Series]] in 2006.

==Playing career==
Randolph grew up in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York (state)|New York]], and graduated from [[Samuel J. Tilden High School]], where he was a star athlete and was drafted by the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] in the 7th round of the 1972 draft. He made his major league debut in 1975, and was, at age 21, the sixth-youngest player in the [[National League (baseball)|National League]].

He was traded with [[Dock Ellis]] and [[Ken Brett]] from the Pirates to the Yankees for [[Doc Medich]] on December 11, 1975.<ref name="googlenews">{{cite web | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=d3sjAAAAIBAJ&pg=1081,2130255 | title=Yankees wheel, deal at baseball meetings | publisher=The Associated Press (AP) | date=December 12, 1975 | access-date=August 11, 2014}}</ref>

Randolph spent 13 of his 18 seasons as a player with the Yankees and was [[List of New York Yankees captains|co-captain of the Yankees]] with Ron Guidry from 1986 to 1988. He later played for the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] (1989–90), [[Oakland Athletics]] (1990), and [[Milwaukee Brewers]] (1991), finishing his career with the [[New York Mets]] in 1992. He was selected to six [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] teams over his career. As a career number 2 hitter in the order, he made use of his skills as [[bunt (baseball)|bunter]] and a patient hitter who drew more than 80 [[base on balls|walks]] seven times.

Randolph was also an outstanding defensive player, known especially for his ability to turn the [[double play]]. However, he never received the [[Gold Glove Award]], which was perennially awarded to his equally sure-handed and more acrobatic and wide-ranging contemporaries: [[Frank White (baseball)|Frank White]] of the [[Kansas City Royals]] and [[Lou Whitaker]] of the [[Detroit Tigers]]. He was the Yankees' starting second baseman on the [[1977 World Series|1977]] and [[1978 World Series]] Championship teams.

In 1980 Randolph led the league in walks (119) and was second in the [[American League|AL]] in [[on-base percentage]] (.427), eighth in [[stolen base]]s (30) and ninth in [[run (baseball)|runs]] (99), and won the [[Silver Slugger Award]] at second base in the AL. He also batted .332 leading off the inning, and .340 with men in scoring position.

[[File:Willierandolph.jpg|thumb|left|Randolph with the Yankees in 1983]]
Randolph was involved in a controversial play during Game 2 of the [[1980 American League Championship Series]]. He was on second base in the top of the eighth with two outs and the Yankees down by a run. [[Bob Watson]] hit a ball to the left field corner of [[Kauffman Stadium|Royals Stadium]]. Though the ball bounced to [[Willie Wilson (baseball)|Willie Wilson]], third base coach [[Mike Ferraro]] waved Randolph home. Wilson overthrew [[U L Washington]], the [[cut-off man]], but [[George Brett]] was in position behind him to catch the ball, then throw to [[Darrell Porter]], who tagged out Randolph in a slide. TV cameras captured a furious [[George Steinbrenner]] fuming, hollering and swearing immediately after the play resulting in him being restrained by police when he tried to gain access to the field. The Yankees lost the game 3–2, then lost the series in three games.<ref>John and Valenti, pp. 207-08</ref>

In 1987 he batted .305 with a career-high 67 RBIs and led the league in at bats per strikeout (18.0), and was fourth in the AL in OBP (.411) and ninth in walks (82). He also batted .366 in tie games, and .345 in games that were late and close.

In December 1988 he signed as a [[free agent]] with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Randolph led the Dodgers in batting average and hits in 1989, making his sixth All-Star team. In May 1990 he was traded by the Dodgers to the defending-world champion Oakland Athletics for [[Stan Javier]]. Later that year, Randolph and the A's won the American League pennant, but were swept by the NL-champion [[Cincinnati Reds]] in the World Series.

In April 1991 he signed as a free agent with the Milwaukee Brewers. That year, Randolph was second in the AL on-base percentage (.424) and third in batting average (.327). He batted .373 with runners in scoring position.

In December 1991 he signed as a free agent with the New York Mets. In 1992, at 37 years old he was the eighth-oldest player in the NL. In his last career game with the Mets, the team's second baseman of the future [[Jeff Kent]] moved to make his start at [[shortstop]] to allow Randolph to play his final game at second base.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Briskin |first=Shale |title=New York Mets: Top 10 Second Basemen in Team History |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/736774-new-york-mets-top-10-second-basemen-in-team-history |access-date=2022-03-18 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref>

[[Tommy John]], Randolph's teammate with the Yankees, called him the "stabilizing influence" and "the club's quiet leader".<ref name="John 205">John and Valenti, p. 205</ref> "You couldn't believe how good Willie was until you were on the same team and saw him play every day," John said.<ref name="John 205"/>

==Coaching and managing career==
Randolph was a Yankees base and [[bench coach]] for 11 seasons, interviewing intermittently for managing jobs with other teams.

In 2004, Randolph was named Mets manager for the [[2005 Major League Baseball season|2005 season]]. He became the eighth person to play for and later manage the Mets, joining [[Gil Hodges]], [[Yogi Berra]], [[Joe Torre]], [[Bud Harrelson]], [[Roy McMillan]], [[Dallas Green (baseball)|Dallas Green]], and [[Bobby Valentine]] (as well as [[interim management|interim manager]] [[Mike Cubbage]]).{{ref|a}} <ref>{{Cite web |title=New York Mets Team History & Encyclopedia |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/index.shtml |access-date=2025-12-24 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Randolph earned his first win as a manager on April 10, 2005, defeating the [[Atlanta Braves]] 2–1.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/2005_sched.shtml|title=2005 New York Mets Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> The win halted a five-game losing streak to start the 2005 season. He then guided the Mets to five straight additional victories, giving the Mets their first six-game winning streak since August 2003.
Randolph ended his first season as manager of the 2005 Mets with an 83–79 record, the first time the franchise had finished above .500 since 2001, and 12 games better than the prior season. That record got them a tie for third place in the [[National League East]].

[[File:Willie Randolph.jpg|thumb|right|Randolph with the Mets in 2007]]
In 2006, Randolph managed the Mets to a league-best 97–65 record (which also tied for the best record in the majors with the crosstown Yankees) and the NL East Division title (the team's first division championship since 1988). The Mets came within one game of reaching the World Series, losing the seventh game of the [[2006 National League Championship Series|NL Championship Series]] to the eventual world champion [[St. Louis Cardinals]]. Randolph was the first manager in major league history to have his team's record improve by at least 12 games in each of his first two seasons (excluding seasons following strike-shortened seasons). He came in second place in the 2006 NL [[Major League Baseball Manager of the Year Award|Manager of the Year]] voting, losing to [[Florida Marlins]] manager [[Joe Girardi]]. On January 24, 2007, Randolph signed a three-year, $5.65 million contract extension with the Mets. He had a club option for 2010 worth an additional $2.5 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2741732 |title=Randolph agrees to $5.65 million, three-year deal |access-date=October 1, 2008 |publisher=ESPN |date=February 15, 2007}}</ref>

In 2007, Randolph was managing the Mets when they had one of the worst collapses in major league history. Holding a seven-game first-place lead in the NL East with only 17 games to play, the Mets finished 5–12 and lost the division to the [[Philadelphia Phillies]], who went 13–4 in the same timespan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/01/sports/baseball/01mets.html |title=Mets Complete Stunning Collapse |access-date=October 1, 2008 |date=October 1, 2007 |work=The New York Times |first=Ben |last=Shpigel}}</ref>

In 2008, Randolph's job security steadily decreased after a disappointing start to the season and inconsistent performance through mid-June. On June 17, 2008, less than two hours after the Mets' 9–6 road victory over the [[Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim]], Randolph was fired, along with pitching coach [[Rick Peterson]] and first base coach [[Tom Nieto]]. He and his coaches were replaced by interim manager [[Jerry Manuel]] and coaches [[Ken Oberkfell]], [[Dan Warthen]], and [[Luis Aguayo]].<ref name="WillieFired">{{cite news |first=Ken |last=Peters |title=New York Mets Fire Willie Randolph In Midnight Bloodbath |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/17/new-york-mets-fire-willie_n_107493.html |work=The Huffington Post |date=June 17, 2007 |access-date=October 1, 2008 }}</ref> The team's record at the time of the firing was 34–35, which was 6½ games behind the Phillies in the National League East. After 2008, the Mets did not have another winning season until 2015.

After the 2008 season, Randolph was interviewed by the Milwaukee Brewers for their managerial position. Although he was one of the three finalists, the job went to [[Ken Macha]], and Randolph was given the [[bench coach]] position, which he held until November 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/34144474.html |title=Randolph named bench coach |access-date=November 8, 2008 |publisher=Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel |date=November 8, 2008}}</ref> According to Brewers [[General manager (baseball)|GM]] [[Doug Melvin]], Randolph was asked to be Macha's bench coach because Randolph had experience managing against National League teams, versus Macha's American League experience.

On November 23, 2010, Randolph was named as the final piece to [[Buck Showalter]]'s coaching staff for the 2011 [[Baltimore Orioles]]. Randolph assumed the position of bench coach replacing [[Jeff Datz]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Dan |last=Connolly |title=Randolph's hiring as bench coach completes Orioles' 2011 coaching staff |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2010/11/23/randolphs-hiring-as-bench-coach-completes-orioles-2011-coaching-staff/ |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=November 23, 2010 |access-date=March 14, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |title=Mariners announce all members of current Major League coaching staff returning in 2012 |url=http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20111026&content_id=25799756&vkey=pr_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027050553/http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20111026&content_id=25799756&vkey=pr_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 27, 2011 |publisher=Seattle Mariners |date=October 26, 2011 |access-date=March 14, 2012}}</ref> In June 2011, Randolph switched places with [[John Russell (catcher)|John Russell]], becoming Baltimore's third-base coach. Randolph and the Orioles parted ways after the 2011 season.

On November 26, 2012, it was announced Randolph would be the third base coach in the [[World Baseball Classic]] for [[United States national baseball team|Team USA]].<ref name="Team USA">{{cite web|title=2013 World Baseball Classic coaching staff named|url=http://web.usabaseball.com/article.jsp?ymd=20121126&content_id=40422464&vkey=news_usab&gid=|access-date=January 28, 2013}}</ref>

On February 16, 2015, the Yankees announced that they would honor Randolph with a plaque in [[Monument Park (Yankee Stadium)|Monument Park]] on June 20, 2015.<ref>{{cite web|title=Yankees to retire numbers of Pettitte, Posada and Williams|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/ap-source-pettittes-number-retired-yankees-032351186--mlb.html|publisher=[[Yahoo!]]|date=February 16, 2015|access-date=February 16, 2015}}</ref>

On October 21, 2015, Randolph was named as the manager of [[United States national baseball team|Team USA]] for the inaugural [[2015 WBSC Premier12]].<ref name=usunveils>{{cite news|last1=Manuel|first1=John|title=U.S. Unveils Premier 12 Roster As Start Of Event Nears|url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/u-s-unveils-premier-12-roster-event-looming/|access-date=5 November 2015|work=[[Baseball America]]|date=October 21, 2015}}</ref>

In August 2019, he became a [[United States national baseball team]] coach for the [[2019 WBSC Premier12]] tournament.<ref>{{ cite web | url=https://www.usabaseball.com/news/gritty-film-productions-acquire-rights-to-sydney-2000-olympic-gold-story-miracle-on-grass/c-310907214/?tid=216632610 | title=USA Baseball Finalizes Premier12 Coaching Staff | work=USA Baseball | date=August 13, 2019 | access-date=October 13, 2019 }}</ref> The team finished fourth in the tournament, and failed to qualify for the [[Baseball at the 2020 Summer Olympics|2020 Olympics]] as it finished behind [[Mexico national baseball team|Mexico]], but will have another opportunity to qualify.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://premier12.wbsc.org/en/2019/news/navarro-singles-in-extras-brins-mexico-to-the-2020-olympics|title = Navarro singles in extras, brings Mexico to the 2020 Olympics}}</ref>

===Managerial record===
{{updated|games played on October 7, 2008.}}
{| class="wikitable" Style="text-align: center;font-size:100%"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Team
! rowspan="2"| From
! rowspan="2"| To
! colspan="3"| Regular season record
! colspan="3"| Post–season record
|-
! {{Tooltip|W|Games won}}
! {{Tooltip|L|Games lost}}
! {{Tooltip|Win %|Winning percentage}}
! {{Tooltip|W|Games won}}
! {{Tooltip|L|Games lost}}
! {{Tooltip|Win %|Winning percentage}}
|-
| [[New York Mets]]
| 2005
| 2008
| {{WinLossPct|302|253}}
| {{WinLossPct|6|4}}
|-
! colspan="3"| Total
! {{WinLossPct|302|253}}
! {{WinLossPct|6|4}}
|-
! colspan="9"| Reference:<ref name="managerial record">{{cite web|title=Terry Collins|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/collite99.shtml|website=Baseball Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=December 23, 2014}}</ref>
|}

==Personal life==
As of 2008, Randolph resided in [[Franklin Lakes, New Jersey]] with his wife Gretchen.<ref>{{cite news |title=Randolph: Move Was 'Too Early' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/19/sports/baseball/19willie.html |work=The New York Times |date=June 19, 2008 |access-date=October 1, 2008 |quote="I thought he was talking about whacking a couple of my coaches", Randolph said of General Manager [[Omar Minaya]] while talking to reporters outside his home in [[Franklin Lakes, New Jersey]] }}</ref> He has four children named Taniesha, Chantre, Andre, and Ciara. Tommy John has called him "a devoted family man, a man interested in the community."<ref name="John 205"/>

Randolph delivered the commencement address to [[Fordham University]]'s 2007 graduating class, of which his daughter Ciara was a member. That same day, he managed the second game in a three-game series against the Yankees.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20070501&content_id=1940481&vkey=pr_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym|title=Willie Randolph to deliver commencement address at Fordham University on Saturday, May 19|work=New York Mets|access-date=June 20, 2015}}</ref>

== Notes ==
:1.{{note|a}}[[Carlos Beltrán]] was also technically manager of the Mets after having played for them from 2005-2011, but stepped down from the position before managing a game.

==See also==
{{Portal|Baseball}}
*[[List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{cite book|last1=John|first1=Tommy|last2=Valenti|first2=Dan|title=TJ: My Twenty-Six Years in Baseball|publisher=Bantam|location=New York|year=1991|isbn=0-553-07184-X}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Willie Randolph}}
{{baseballstats|mlb=120927|espn=236|br=r/randowi01|fangraphs=1010694|brm=randol003wil|retro=R/Prandw001}}
{{baseball-reference manager|randowi01}}
:

{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sports}}}}
{{succession box | before = [[Graig Nettles]] | title = [[New York Yankees#Team captains|New York Yankees team captain]]<br>(with [[Ron Guidry]] until July 12, 1989) | years = March 4, 1986 to October 2, 1989
| after = [[Don Mattingly]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[New York Yankees]] third base coach|before=[[Clete Boyer]] | years=|after=[[Luis Sojo]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[New York Yankees]] bench coach|before=[[Don Zimmer]] |years=2004|after=[[Joe Girardi]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[Milwaukee Brewers]] bench coach|before=[[Robin Yount]] |years=2009–2010|after=[[Jerry Narron]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Navboxes
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{{1977 New York Yankees}}
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{{New York Yankees team captains}}
{{Monument Park honorees}}
{{AL 2B Silver Slugger Award}}
{{New York Mets managers}}
{{United States roster 2013 World Baseball Classic}}
{{United States roster 2015 WBSC Premier12}}
{{United States roster 2017 World Baseball Classic}}
{{United States roster 2019 WBSC Premier12}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Randolph, Willie}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
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