Aside from maybe Bobbie Cox and Tony LaRussa, no baseball manager is safe when their team performs below expectations for a prolonged period.  The Mets have been underperforming for roughly 3 months now spanning back to last season. 

The blame for the Mets poor performance is of course mostly attributable to the players -- Delgado's rapid descent, persistent mediocrity at 2B, the usually awful middle relief, the unreliability of the Mets 3-5 starters, two and a half outfielders the norm, Beltran's continued vulnerability to NY pressure, Wright and Reyes pressing when the rest of the team falters, etc.  Nonetheless, I do believe that Randolph has done a poor job of bullpen management as well as putting together the best possible lineup each game.  Another failing of Randolph in my opinion is that he's not adept at postively influencing team morale and individual attitudes.

Unless Pedro miracuously comes back and gives the Mets a solid half-season or so, I don't see the Mets making the playoffs without the attitude and positional adjustments from a new and more competent manager.  Even with a healthy Pedro and a new manager, the Mets may not make the playoffs.  Who on this team is likely to play better for the rest of the season?  Maybe Wright and Reyes.  The right side of infield looks hopeless.  Sadly, I increasingly believe that Beltran will usually underachieve as long as he remains in NY.  Heilman is another big disappointment to me.  I was of the opinion that he should have been given more of an opportunity to prove himself as a starter, but now I have my doubts about whether he will ever resume being just a relibable middle reliever.  I've had enough of Perez.  Pelfrey?  I dunno. Santana and Maine and then pray for rain?

With Rollins back I think the Phils will overtake the Marlins shortly.  Unlike Delgado, you know Howard is not going to continue struggling for long.  Without a new and improved manager and a relatively strong Pedro, I think the Mets will finish third, ten or more games behind the division winning Phils.

Kudos to Boston, the managment and the fans:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJeD62glbyM

That long, warm ovation and the sight of so many players (to include former Bruins) sincerely cheering Buckner and the obvious affect it had on him brought tears to my eyes.

Like any Mets fan old enough to have witnessed that fatefull ground ball to first off Mookie's bat, that play and the exultation that followed is a distinct part of what keeps me coming back for more even during the bad times (such as now, or during and after the Collapse). 

Nevertheless, Buckner was too good a player to deserve being branded forever with E3.