Willie Randolph will be a part of Tuesday night's celebration after all.
Removed from the NL coaching staff after he was fired as Mets manager following their June 16 game in Los Angeles, Randolph will attend the All-Star Game as a personal guest of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.
Accompanied by his wife Gretchen, Randolph arrived just before 6 p.m., but steamed past a cluster of reporters waiting outside the Press Gate without commenting. He gave no response to questions from the Daily News asking if he was glad to be back at the Stadium.
The Boss also arrived about 20 minutes later, but he was surrounded by about a dozen NYPD officers. He put his weight on one of them as he also entered the Stadium without commenting to the media. Steinbrenner, who was slated to be honored by MLB and the Yankees before Tuesday night's game, smiled when someone in the crowd yelled out "We love you George."
Randolph played 13 seasons for the Yanks, making five All-Star teams and helping win back-to-back championships in 1977 and 1978, before earning four more rings as a third-base coach under Joe Torre.
"(Steinbrenner) has deep affection for him," Yanks spokesman Howard Rubenstein said. "They're still very good friends. George was delighted that he agreed to come and help celebrate the great moments in the history of Yankee Stadium."
Randolph will not be seated in Steinbrenner's personal box, but he is expected to be situated in a luxury suite on the Club level.
“That’s good. He should be here,” Mets closer Billy Wagner said. “Everyone knows he’s always going to be a Yankee. It’s good. He should be represented and honored for what he’s done. He’s a great Yankee.”
Fellow All-Star David Wright said he hasn’t spoken to Randolph since he was fired, but has exchanged several phone messages, including a “Good luck” wish from his former skipper Tuesday afternoon.
"He actually just left me a message just today,” Wright said. “It’s good for Willie. He’s obviously earned the right to come and participate in the last All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium.
“I consider Willie a very close friend of mine. He’s done tremendous things for my career. I’ll be forever grateful. I’ll keep in touch with him for as long as he wants to keep in touch with me.”
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