Willie Randolph facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Willie Randolph
Randolph with the New York Yankees in 1984
Second baseman / Manager
Born: (1954-07-06) July 6, 1954 (age 71) Holly Hill, South Carolina, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
July 29, 1975, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Last appearance
October 4, 1992, for the New York Mets
MLB statistics
Batting average	.276
Hits	2,210
Home runs	54
Runs batted in	687
Managerial record	302–253
Winning %	.544
Teams
As player Pittsburgh Pirates (1975) New York Yankees (1976–1988) Los Angeles Dodgers (1989–1990) Oakland Athletics (1990) Milwaukee Brewers (1991) New York Mets (1992) As manager New York Mets (2005–2008) As coach New York Yankees (1994–2004) Milwaukee Brewers (2009–2010) Baltimore Orioles (2011)
Career highlights and awards
6× All-Star (1976, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1987, 1989) 5× World Series champion (1977, 1996, 1998–2000) Silver Slugger Award (1980) Monument Park honoree
Medals Men's baseball Representing USA World Baseball Classic Gold 2017 Los Angeles Team

William "Willie" Larry Randolph (born July 6, 1954) is a famous American baseball player. He was a professional second baseman, a coach, and a manager. Willie played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 18 years, from 1975 to 1992. He played for six different teams. He is best known for his time with the New York Yankees. With the Yankees, he won two World Series titles in a row against the Los Angeles Dodgers. After his playing career, he became a baseball analyst for ESPN in 2013. He appeared on Baseball Tonight and gave updates during games.

Willie Randolph was a great player. He ranked high in baseball history for games played at second base. He was also known for his many putouts (when a fielder gets an out) and assists (when a fielder helps get an out). After he stopped playing, he coached for the Yankees for 11 years. Later, he managed the New York Mets from 2005 to 2008. In 2006, he led the Mets to a great season. They almost reached the World Series.

Willie Randolph's Playing Career

Willie Randolph grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He went to Samuel J. Tilden High School. There, he was a star athlete. The Pittsburgh Pirates chose him in the 1972 draft. He started playing in the major leagues in 1975. At 21, he was one of the youngest players in the National League.

In December 1975, the Pirates traded Willie to the Yankees. He played for the Yankees for 13 of his 18 seasons. From 1986 to 1988, he was a co-captain of the Yankees with Ron Guidry. After the Yankees, he played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1989–90) and the Oakland Athletics (1990). He also played for the Milwaukee Brewers (1991). He finished his career with the New York Mets in 1992.

All-Star Selections and Batting Skills

Willie was chosen for six All-Star teams during his career. He usually batted second in the lineup. He was good at bunting and was a patient hitter. He often got many walks (when a pitcher throws four balls). Seven times in his career, he got over 80 walks in a season.

Defensive Excellence at Second Base

Randolph was also an amazing defensive player. He was especially good at turning the double play (when two players are out on one play). Even though he was great, he never won the Gold Glove Award. This award often went to other skilled second basemen like Frank White and Lou Whitaker. Willie was the starting second baseman for the Yankees when they won the World Series in 1977 and 1978.

In 1980, Randolph led the league in walks with 119. He was also second in the American League in on-base percentage (.427). He won the Silver Slugger Award for being the best offensive second baseman in the AL that year. He was very good at batting when the inning started or when there were runners in scoring position.

Willie Randolph playing for the Yankees in 1983

Key Moments in His Playing Career

Willie Randolph was part of a memorable play in the 1980 American League Championship Series. In Game 2, he was on second base. The Yankees were losing by one run. His coach waved him home on a hit. The ball was thrown to the catcher, and Willie was tagged out at home plate. The Yankees lost that game and the series.

In 1987, he batted .305, which was a great average. He also had a career-high 67 RBIs. He was excellent at getting on base and getting walks. He batted very well in close games and tie games.

In 1988, he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 1989, he led the Dodgers in batting average and hits. He also made his sixth All-Star team that year. In 1990, the Dodgers traded him to the Oakland Athletics. With the A's, he won the American League pennant. However, they lost the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds.

In 1991, he joined the Milwaukee Brewers. That year, he had a high on-base percentage (.424) and batting average (.327). He was especially good at batting when runners were in scoring position.

In 1991, he signed with the New York Mets. In 1992, at 37 years old, he was one of the older players in the National League. In his last game, the Mets' future second baseman, Jeff Kent, moved to shortstop. This allowed Willie to play his final game at his favorite position, second base.

Tommy John, who played with Randolph, called him a "stabilizing influence" and a "quiet leader." John said, "You couldn't believe how good Willie was until you were on the same team and saw him play every day."

Willie Randolph's Coaching and Managing Career

After his playing days, Willie Randolph became a coach for the Yankees. He was a base and bench coach for 11 seasons. During this time, he also interviewed for managing jobs with other teams.

Managing the New York Mets

In 2004, Willie Randolph was chosen to be the manager of the New York Mets for the 2005 season. He was the eighth person to play for the Mets and then manage them. He got his first win as a manager on April 10, 2005. The Mets won 2–1 against the Atlanta Braves. This win stopped a five-game losing streak. He then led the Mets to five more wins in a row. This was the Mets' first six-game winning streak since 2003.

In his first season, Randolph led the 2005 Mets to an 83–79 record. This was the first time the team had a winning record since 2001. It was also 12 games better than the season before.

Willie Randolph managing the Mets in 2007

In 2006, Randolph managed the Mets to a fantastic season. They had a 97–65 record, which was the best in their league. They won the NL East Division title, their first since 1988. The Mets came very close to reaching the World Series. They lost the seventh game of the NL Championship Series to the St. Louis Cardinals. Randolph was the first manager in baseball history to improve his team's record by at least 12 games in his first two seasons. He finished second in the voting for the 2006 NL Manager of the Year. In 2007, he signed a new contract with the Mets.

Challenges and Later Coaching Roles

In 2007, Randolph was managing the Mets during a tough time. They had a seven-game lead in their division with only 17 games left. But they lost many games and ended up losing the division title to the Philadelphia Phillies.

In 2008, the Mets had a disappointing start to the season. On June 17, 2008, after a win, Randolph was fired as manager. The team's record was 34–35 at that time. After 2008, the Mets did not have another winning season until 2015.

After leaving the Mets, Randolph interviewed for the Milwaukee Brewers' managerial job. He became their bench coach instead, a position he held until 2010. In 2010, he joined the Baltimore Orioles as their bench coach. In 2011, he became their third-base coach. He left the Orioles after the 2011 season.

In 2012, Randolph was named the third base coach for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. In 2015, the Yankees honored him with a plaque in Monument Park. Also in 2015, Randolph managed Team USA in the first 2015 WBSC Premier12 tournament. In 2019, he coached Team USA again for the 2019 WBSC Premier12 tournament.

Managerial Record Overview

Willie Randolph's Personal Life

As of 2008, Willie Randolph lived in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey. He lived there with his wife, Gretchen. They have four children: Taniesha, Chantre, Andre, and Ciara. Tommy John, his former teammate, said Willie was a "devoted family man."

In 2007, Randolph gave the graduation speech at Fordham University. His daughter Ciara was graduating from there that same day. After the speech, he managed a baseball game against the Yankees.

See also

• 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