On the Mets beat

Just how slow is it in Mets' camp? Today's post-workout session with manager Willie Randolph involved a few minutes of baseball and way more on the Oscars, the Grammys and corn chowder (don't ask). There was an amusing exchange between Randolph and Jerry Manuel, however, with the manager teasing his bench coach about his age. When the talk turned to Manuel's '63 Impala, Randolph joked about his Gangsta Lean in the driver's seat, and demonstrated it for reporters in the manager's chair -- right elbow leaning on the arm rest, cap tilted to one side and the left hand working the steering wheel.

Anyone who ever wondered if Randolph would loosen up in the manager's role, there's a good example, and it came after him jabbing a few reporters for hyping the Cliff Floyd comments from earlier this week. Randolph can still get testy at times, but today's episode never would have happened in his first season two years ago.