November 27, 2011

I'm Ready For the Valentine Era

If blogger Murray Chass thinks it's a bad idea, then sign me up!
The Boston Red Sox, trying to replace the Chicago Cubs as modern-day lovable losers [Oh, poor pathetic Murray, stop trying to erase 2004, it can't be done!], may be on the verge of extending their September swoon into a December descent. They may not realize it, but if they hire Bobby Valentine as their manager they could be adding injury to insult. ...

"I have found him to be the most disliked man in baseball," I said. And I added, "He doesn't like me and I don't like him." ...

During the winter meetings several years ago, two veteran managers, whom I will not name because their conversation was private, were talking about Valentine and one said, "I'd burn out my bullpen in a minute to kick his ass."
Wait - an opposing manager would burn out his bullpen trying to beat the Valentine Sox? GREAT! I only wish one of those managers was Joe Girardi.
During the division playoff series against Arizona in 1999, a Sports Illustrated article quoted Valentine as criticizing his players for their September play, which took them from one game out of first to eight games out.

"You're not dealing with real professionals in the clubhouse," he said. "You're not dealing with real intelligent guys for the most part. A lot can swim, but most of them just float along, looking for something to hold on to. That's why, I'm sure, they're having a players-only meeting. Because there's about five guys in there right now who basically are losers, who are seeing if they can recruit."
He was talking about a Mets team from 13 years ago. They probably were losers. So effin what?

14 comments:

allan said...

Heyman tweet: "Perception is, redsox ownership wants valentine. Lamont was on gm's list. Would take quite a set for cherington to buck owners"

Ben will do no bucking.

hrstrat57 said...

I see a train wreck a comin'

Hope I am wrong.......

Your said...

Murray Chass? When was the last time he had a relevant column? I don't know how it will work out but he (Valentine) got the Mets into the World Series.

tim said...

Personality wise, it sounds like he will be a good fit and a stark change from the Francona years. I know very little about the man, but from what I do know, he seems like an asshole. So I'm fine with that.

If he is a "traditionalist" in the stat department, then I'm fine with that, since the F.O. is so saber-focused. It will be an intriguing combination to have. My main concern with Bobby's lack of concern for sabermetrics is how it will affect his in-game decisions - but I will judge him on results when the time comes. If he's even hired.

tim said...

Just read that article. Ignore my above post - did not realize he was aware of things like xFIP.

allan said...

Peter Abraham, Extra Bases:
"The Red Sox have now gone 58 days in their search for a manager. ... Most fans seem to want this over with. ... The question is whether this a case of a team doing the full measure of research and proceeding carefully or whether the Red Sox hierarchy is so dysfunctional that making a timely decision has been impossible ... [A]t some point, this delay-of-game looks pretty silly for the Red Sox."

Take it easy, Pete. We are undefeated since Francona left.

Plus, is anyone out not living his or her life because the Red Sox have no manager? Who the hell cares?

Also, PAbe doesn't care whether the choice of manager is good for the team or makes sense from a baseball perspective. It's only about entertainment:
"Can you really go two months and end up with Gene Lamont? Talk about a buzzkill."

allan said...

BV has also mentioned UZR and WAR on Sunday Night Baseball - and not merely to laugh at them - if I recall.

Jere said...

"It's only about entertainment"

That's all any of these writers care about, and they all love to come right out and admit it. The worst part is, they cause the trouble in the first place. Scumbag Boston media: drives manager out of town, mocks team when they can't come up with new one.

allan said...

Boston media: drives manager out of town, mocks team when they can't come up with new one.

Of course, it's not that they can't find a manager, it's that they are not doing it fast enough for Pabe and the CHB.

The media drove Tito out of town? So the writers got players like Lester and Beckett and whoever else (Yook?) to tune Tito out so Tito would get discouraged and not want to come back in 2012? Did they pay them in chix and suds? Come on...

Jere said...

Writers make up a bunch of shit, people believe it, tell it right back to team, team "shakes things up" by firing a manager who everybody I know (in person) liked and didn't think needed to be fired. Then they mock us all by calling the team a laughing stock and a sinking ship They do it constantly.

allan said...

What did the writers make up that forced Tito out? If anyone could see through any media bullshit about the team, it would be Francona. Was Francona lying when he said he likely did not plan to return in 2012 no matter what happened with the season?

There is a ton of crap to call out the media on. The circumstances of Francona's departure (and Theo's, too) is not one of them.

allan said...

Cafardo, Sunday's Notes column:
"7. John Farrell, manager, Toronto - The Red Sox tried to get him early in the process, couldn't come close to agreeing on compensation, and now are trying again? Farrell may fit what Ben Cherington's staff is looking for in a manager, but Valentine provides far more excitement.

laura k said...

but Valentine provides far more excitement

At least one commenter on this site agrees: BV is "colorful", and the team has gotten too bland.

***

It's very difficult for me to believe that RS ownership would let the media bully them into something this important - manager and GM.

allan said...

John Henry is not a man who will risk hundreds of millions of dollars on something the CHB, Gerry Callahan, or Tony Massarotti types out.

He will re-hire Gump before that happens. (And Henry hates Gump as much as I do.)