Home » 11-12 Offseason » Red Sox Hire Bobby Valentine
7
November 30, 2011 11-12 Offseason Joe Janish

Red Sox Hire Bobby Valentine

In case you haven’t heard, former Mets utilityman Bobby Valentine has been chosen by the Boston Red Sox to be their manager in 2012.

Valentine also managed the Mets at one point — if memory serves correctly, he was in the dugout the last time the Mets went to the World Series.

Personally, I’m thrilled to see Bobby V. back in MLB as a skipper, and believe he’s a good fit for Boston right now. His love for the spotlight will take pressure off the Red Sox players, and his hands-on, disciplinarian approach is the right contrast to follow the laid-back Terry Francona. The question is how long before Bobby rubs the Boston media the wrong way — a few months? a year? He’ll surely butt heads with a few of the current Bosox players; I’m betting on John Lackey to be the first to lock horns with Bobby V. But jeez louise, if Valentine could lead a team like the 2000 Mets to 94 wins and a World Series, what will he do with REAL talent? If nothing else, it will be interesting to watch.

What say you? Will you be following Bobby Valentine’s exploits in Boston? Rooting for, or against? Do you wish he was back in Flushing? Why or why not?

Tags: , ,

Joe Janish began MetsToday in 2005 to provide the unique perspective of a high-level player and coach -- he earned NCAA D-1 All-American honors as a catcher and coached several players who went on to play pro ball. As a result his posts often include mechanical evaluations, scout-like analysis, and opinions that go beyond the numbers. Follow Joe's baseball tips on Twitter at @onbaseball and at the On Baseball Google Plus page.
Related Articles
  1. NormE November 30, 2011 at 9:10 am
    I don’t know what went on in the clubhouse, but Bobby V. was the best game manager I ever saw.
    Also he stepped up big time after 9/11. I wish him well.
  2. izzy November 30, 2011 at 9:26 am
    Boston made a great move. He’ll go at it with the press in no time at all, but bottom line is look at the numbers guys put up for him. Piazza and Ventura were great for him but he also got great contributions from average players like Agbayani and Mora and Pratt. Boston is going to be one exciting place. He’s like the Dykstra/Victorino of managers. Everyone hates him supposedly but you want him on your side.
  3. Joe November 30, 2011 at 11:47 am
    BV, and I agree with the first two comments (well, don’t know about “best,” but the spirit is right), to Boston so the Yanks have to face off against him around twenty or so times, while Papelpon faces off against the Mets a lot.

    Life is interesting.

  4. MikeT November 30, 2011 at 12:40 pm
    I will always maintain that Bobby got a bad rap in NY because of Steve Phillips. Bobby was blamed for everything, and his personality made it so it became about him. I think Valentine will win a World Series in Boston and be considered on the same tier as Joe Maddon with his ability to get the most out of his players and strategize (how is “strategize” not a word, WordPress??).

    In fact I was listening to Phillips on his radio show on XM this morning and he was talking about how much he likes Bobby V now and how much of an ass he was back then. He even admitted to blaming Valentine for everything because Valentine was good at handling it and he was easy to blame! Steve Phillips, still ruining my day a decade later…

  5. BklynCowpoke November 30, 2011 at 6:33 pm
    I know Bobby V is a great baseball strategist, and knows the rule book backwards and forwards; but I can’t help remembering Tom Glavine’s comment when he signed with the Mets, that if Bobby V was still there, he wouldn’t have considered signing with the Mets. I have great regard for Tom Glavine’s opinion; and as I remember, he wasn’t the only player with the same opinion of Bobby V. I am wondering why?
    • MikeT December 1, 2011 at 10:29 am
      Two words: Steve Phillips!

      Bobby also gets a bad rap because he stands up to huge egos. He is most beloved by the middling and fringe good players. He tends to bring them up a notch, raising them above their natural ability would dictate. The stars don’t get as much out of him. Honestly, that is completely overrated anyway. They are stars because they don’t need a coach to coach them up. I think it just draws the true nature of the player out: Mike Piazza loved Bobby, while Glavine apparently did not. I’d much rather have a guy like Piazza on my team from a personality stand point. And Glavine never played for Bobby, he was speaking strictly about the antics he perceived from across the field. Pretty silly statement.

  6. Joe December 3, 2011 at 11:31 am
    John Lackey won’t be around much for awhile.