(Corrects Randolph's record in 15th paragraph.)

June 17 (Bloomberg) -- Willie Randolph was fired as manager of the New York Mets and replaced by bench coach Jerry Manuel.

The move came after the Mets opened a six-game road trip with a 9-6 win against the Los Angeles Angels and three weeks after Randolph apologized to ownership about his remarks that race played a role in coverage of his job on the club-owned television network.

The Mets also fired pitching coach Rick Peterson and first- base coach Tom Nieto, the Major League Baseball team said in a statement posted on its Web site. Mets General Manager Omar Minaya will hold a news conference today at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, to address the shakeup.

The Mets have the second-highest player payroll in baseball at $138 million behind only the cross-town Yankees and are tied for third place in the five-team National League East. They have a 34-35 record and are 6 1/2 games behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies.

The team has lost seven of its last 11 games, with closer Billy Wagner blowing three straight saves during that stretch. The clubhouse has shown signs of division, with Wagner criticizing some teammates for not standing up to questioning by reporters after losses.

New York's First Black Manager

A native of New York who played and coached most of his career there, Randolph was the first black manager of one of the city's major-league teams. After rejuvenating the franchise and getting within a game of the World Series in 2006, he was dismissed amid turmoil on the field, in the clubhouse and in the corporate suite.

This year's problems came after the Mets blew a seven-game lead with 17 games remaining last season to miss the playoffs, the largest margin lost so late in a campaign in MLB history.

Fans remained bitter this season about the September collapse and booed the club for losing its first home game. They also booed Johan Santana, a two-time Cy Young award winner whom the Mets signed to a record $136 million contract in the offseason, after he gave up three home runs during his first start at Shea Stadium.

Owners Fred and Jeff Wilpon and Minaya decided to retain Randolph on May 26 after meeting with him over his comments in the Record newspaper of New Jersey the previous week that the Mets' SportsNet New York casts him in a negative light and that his race plays a part in criticism of him.

``Willie's job was never in danger going into this meeting,'' Minaya told reporters at the time. ``It was really more about the issue of last week's comments and how we are going to find a way to play better baseball.''

The Mets are preparing to move into a new $800 million stadium next year.

Manuel Takes Over

Manuel, 54, was named the American League Manager of the Year in 2000 after leading the Chicago White Sox to a 95-67 record and the AL Central Division title. He was the first full- time black manager in that city, and joined the Mets coaching staff in 2005.

Manuel will meet with the media today in Anaheim, where the Mets will play two more games before traveling to Denver for a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies.

Ken Oberkfell, Dan Warthen and Luis Aguayo will join Manuel's staff from the Mets' minor-league system. Oberkfell was manager of the Mets' Triple-A affiliate in New Orleans. Warthen was the team's pitching coach under Oberkfell, while Aguayo helped oversee spring training for the organization's minor- league clubs.

Randolph's Record

Randolph, 53, compiled a 302-253 record in his four seasons as Mets manager. The Brooklyn native was a coach for the Yankees for 11 seasons and played second base for the team for 13 of his 18 major-league seasons. He interviewed for 11 different managerial positions before getting the Mets job in 2004.

He was part of six championship teams with the Yankees, four as a coach and two as a player.

Randolph, along with Minaya, helped turn around the Mets franchise that had sunk to next-to-last place in the NL East when they were hired before the 2005 season.

With new acquisitions Pedro Martinez and Carlos Beltran, Randolph led the Mets to a 83-79 record in his first year. In 2006, the Mets captured the NL East title for the first time in 18 years and came within one win of advancing to the World Series. The Mets lost the seventh and deciding game of the 2006 N.L. Championship Series to the St. Louis Cardinals when Yadier Molina broke a tie with a two-run homer in the ninth inning.

Last year, New York moved into first place in May and stayed there until they dropped 12 of their final 17 games to lose the division to the Phillies. The Mets were criticized for unmotivated and sloppy play -- complaints that followed the club into this season.

To contact the reporter on this story: Danielle Sessa in New York at dsessa@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: June 17, 2008 08:18 EDT