04/18/24
November 30, 2011
Red Sox Hire Bobby Valentine as Manager: The Boston Red Sox have hired Bobby Valentine to succeed Terry Francona as manager. Valentine, 61, managed the Texas Rangers, New York Mets and Chiba Lotte Marines. In 15 years as a Major League manager his teams never finished higher in the division than second, but his 2000 Mets team reached the World Series. Tommy Lasorda's take: "They won't be drinking beer and eating chicken in clubhouse again, I guarantee you that."
Not thrilled.
Wish 'em well, and hope I'm proven wrong.
posted by beaverboard at 10:10 AM on November 30, 2011
Appears there wasn't a lot of interest in managing the Red Sox
posted by cixelsyd at 10:49 AM on November 30, 2011
Appears there wasn't a lot of interest in managing the Red Sox
Would you want the job?
posted by lil_brown_bat at 10:52 AM on November 30, 2011
Only if I could change the menu - the beer can stay, but greasy fried chicken doesn't float my boat.
posted by cixelsyd at 11:23 AM on November 30, 2011
"May you live during interesting times."
posted by yerfatma at 11:44 AM on November 30, 2011
Valentine's one of my favorite Rangers managers because he had four winning records in eight seasons. That was a bigger deal than it should have been, but Texas fans knew how to celebrate the small victories. He was even above .500 (45-41) when fired in 1992.
I wonder if he'll keep working in Stamford city government.
posted by rcade at 11:55 AM on November 30, 2011
This will add another layer of intrigue to the annual Yankees - Sox lovefest.
But the Sox don't need help in that area.
posted by beaverboard at 12:22 PM on November 30, 2011
I have the feeling that Bobby Valentine is getting the bus warmed up in preparation for throwing people under it. He will probably pick on a few players (he's already on record as wanting to change Carl Crawford's swing, and if Crawford starts poorly, look for tire tracks on his uniform), but my bet is that the GM, Ben Cherington, is the candidate for human speed bump. Cherington is tasked with finding some starting pitching, bullpen help in the form of a closer - or setup man should Bard become the closer, a reliable right fielder or 4th outfielder, and if Ortiz moves on, a DH. Should any of those that Cherington acquires fail to perform, Valentine will begin to lay the blame on Cherington. Larry Lucchino, being Bobby V's good buddy, will not do anything to stop this. The media in Boston are putting on their clown noses and makeup in anticipation of the circus. Bring on the elephants, but don't expect the emphasis to be on baseball.
posted by Howard_T at 01:43 PM on November 30, 2011
The only thing I ever liked about Bobby Valentine was his porn 'stache. If that comes to Boston with him, I can live with this decision.
posted by Joey Michaels at 01:52 PM on November 30, 2011
This will add another layer of intrigue to the annual Yankees - Sox lovefest.
I'm more interested in cantankerous Buck Showalter (Orioles) vs volatile Bobby Valentine (Red Sox).
Beanball wars, commence!
The only thing I ever liked about Bobby Valentine was his porn 'stache.
It wasn't real. It was a disguise.
posted by grum@work at 02:58 PM on November 30, 2011
You're not watching the right movies, grum.
posted by yerfatma at 03:20 PM on November 30, 2011
Tommy Lasorda's take: "They won't be drinking beer and eating chicken in clubhouse again, I guarantee you that."
Comical statement.