It appears that New York Mets manager Willie Randolph doesn’t know the meaning of the word “shutout.”

On Wednesday night, Mike Pelfrey, a young kid finally pitching with confidence, held the Arizona Diamondbacks scoreless for eight innings.  He gave up one hit in the ninth and was immediately pulled.  Pelfrey’s pitch count was 112.

On Thursday night, Johan Santana, the ace, the stopper, held the Diamondbacks scoreless for seven innings.  He was pulled.  Santana’s pitch count was 116.

Randolph, in his effervescent wisdom, doesn’t seem to realize one basic truth: A tired Johan Santana is ten times better than any fresh arm that is coming out of his bullpen, including Billy Wagner.

The lucky weasel was saved on Wednesday by Carlos Beltran’s 13th-inning home run, but nothing could save Randolph from pulling the same stunt again on his ace the next night.  At 116, he pulled Santana out of a marvelous pitching performance.  What is he saving him for? He’s the ace, he’s the one guy that should (and can) be able to pitch a game from start to finish.  Especially with the bullpen the Mets happen to have.

Decisions like these are why Randolph will never win a World Series.  Remember when John Maine took a no-hitter into the eighth against the Marlins last year? Maine gave up one hit, a ball that went about thirty feet from the plate that no one could make a play on, and Randolph pulled him.

See, you don’t do that to a pitcher.  He didn’t let Maine finish what he started and Maine had every right to finish that game.  Who cares if he’s at 115 pitches? It was his game.  His team was up 13-0, I’m sure Maine could have stuck around and if he gave up a couple runs, then you can take him out.

Poor Mike Pelfrey, who aside from being only a decent pitcher at best also happens to be a very unlucky person.  The kid had everything going that night and was about to pick up his first career complete game, boosting the confidence that so desperately needs boosting.

Then his manager got in the way.