Tag Archives: Bobby Valentine

October 3, 2012 · 5:53 AM

Fire or Sale?

I have made no secret on my love for the new kid in town (well not so new) 98.5 The Sports Hub. With the new job I’ll be starting soon I should get a decent hour with Toucher and Rich in the morning and at least an hour with Felger and Mazz in the afternoon.

Anyways, I bring these guys up again because Felger had a theory that Valentine would be fired before they went to NY. We see now that he was wrong. I personally was hoping he would have been right. I’ve made my feelings on Valentine very clear, I didn’t think he was the right guy for the job and shouldn’t have been hired in the first place. As you look at Buck Showalter in Baltimore and Davy Johnson in Washington hell even Dusty Baker in Cinci you see that the retread manager can work; if it’s the right one.

We knew before the season that Bobby V wasn’t the right one. As the team is now guaranteed to finish in the basement for the first time since 1992, you have to look to sack the manager.

The only way I say this doesn’t happen is if they’re really looking to sell the team. If they’re looking to sell, they want as many insecurities taken away as possible. Valentine would stay the manager so they’re not selling the team while paying Valentine to sit home.

Personally I want to wake up tomorrow morning and read a headline that says “Lucchino Sacked” since all the problems start with that ass clown but Vampire Henry has made it clear his buddy isn’t going anywhere. So I’ll take a small victory of Valentine being sacked. If he’s not, my suspicions that the team is heading for sale are more and more realistic. That would make me even happier since Lucchino would leave when this jackass ownership group leaves. Then can take their bricks with them.

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September 13, 2012 · 6:33 AM

Good Job Rich

“Obviously it’s been a tough year for the fans of the Red Sox and if you had to make your case to those fans as to why you should remain the manager of the Red Sox next year, what would you say to them?”

And like that Rich from 98.5 The Sports Hub, came out swinging. Enough of the poppycock with the sell out streak, bricks, Fenway 100 CD’s. bats etc. Finally a question asked that the fans want an answer to. Bobby didn’t go all Bryce Harper on him…

Instead Bobby answered the question, “I feel bad for those fans I don’t have to make a case to them though, I’ve suffered with them.”

Rich was quick to follow up, “But from the outside looking in what do you want to say to them in order to make them believe that if you were to stay next year would have a different result?”

“I’m the best man for the job.”

Whether I agree with the answer or not isn’t the point of the article. We all know where I stand on Valentine, wrong guy for the job and he and Uncle Larry should both be canned at season’s end. Just my stance.

Where I was going with this is ESPN.com’s slant on it. Gordon Edes, who I follow on Twitter and used to read in the Globe, came out and basically said in not so many words that Rich’s question was just a ploy to get ratings since their competition WEEI got Valentine to threaten their afternoon host, in jest mind you, with a punch in the face.

Bottom line Gordon, if you listened to these guys ever, you’d know it had nothing to do with ratings. It had to do with trying to get answers for the fans. Unlike the Red Sox that Edes covers, Toucher and Rich give a shit. They’ve done the same stuff with the Bruins and Celtics and gotten some really good radio from it. Hell, Brian Scalabrine can probably thank T&R for launching his broadcasting career.

So I encourage it. I encourage everyone and their mother to get a press pass and get in there and start asking real questions. Enough ball washing. Enough with local fans having to wait for the national media to break stories because you don’t want to want to shake up the “boys club”.

Hopefully this is just the start of what should be massive shake ups not just in the Sox but in all of baseball and sports. Like I said, enough ball washing and ego stroking; how about we start asking some tough questions (not implying Rich’s was tough) and get some answers.

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September 6, 2012 · 6:13 AM

Crashing And Burning

The Red Sox just wrapped up a 1-8 road trip out west. They have fallen further and further. They are now 12 games under .500 and sit a comfy 15 games out of first place behind the Yankees, Orioles, and Rays. They’re only 14 games out of the Wild Card.

What a mess.

We’ll thank God the Patriots are starting in a bit, but for now let’s focus on the Sox still.

Bobby Valentine graced the cover of Sports Illustrated in a cover feature about the collapse of the Red Sox. Remember it was just September 1st one year ago that they were the best team in baseball. And they’ve been in a downward spiral since.

Every time you think they’ve sunk lower, they find more ways to sink. After skipping Johnny Pesky’s funeral, they had of have reached bottom, right? Well, as far as the not caring they may have but on the field it’s clear they could get worse. The get swept in Anaheim, lose 20-2 in Oakland before getting swept out of there, take one of three in Seattle and limp home.

But yesterday I think the manager finally snapped. If you have time, click the link below and check out Bobby going off on WEEI yesterday. I haven’t listened to a talk show on that station in about 3 years since 98.5 The Sports Hub has been on the air, but this was great.

http://audio.weei.com/a/62126258/bobby-valentine-this-job-is-not-who-i-am-it-s-just-what-i-am.htm

Since I’m going to wear the Orioles hat I bought at Camden Yards when I saw the Sox down there a couple years ago for the rest of the baseball season, this is likely one of the last Sox columns you’re going to get.

But here’s my hope. They fire this guy sooner than later. They bring in a manager that can not only balance the veteran egos still here (Pedroia, Lackey, Ortiz if they re-sign him) but will also serve as a mentor and help the younger guys blossom into legit major league talent. I know we have to wait to see it happen but it’s clear this guy has checked out and is just waiting for the axe.

Back tomorrow with my week one NFL picks. I’ll admit right off the bat, I had the Giants last night. So 0-1 to start the season. And away we go.

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August 15, 2012 · 6:01 AM

Ready to Explode

Remember when I posted that photo at the trade deadline? Well, it’s getting ready to blow.

Sure Beckett had another crappy start against an opponent ahead of them in the stands. Really at this point do you expect anything else?

John Lackey was spotted double fisting in the clubhouse after another Sox loss. Are you shocked?

Adrian Gonzalez texted ownership requesting a meeting after Bobby Valentine left Jon Lester in a game in July where he ended up giving up 11 runs. Was granted said meeting, attended by 17 players, where he and Dustin Pedroia were calling for Valentine’s job only to have John Henry put his support behind Valentine a few short weeks later.

I’ve never been a Valentine fan (even though he invented baseball, the wrap, can walk on water, and turn said water into wine). But at this point the writing is on the wall that he’s gone after this season. So why not just manage the way you want. If someone sucks, just say as much in the post game press conference. The pitching coach doesn’t talk to you, tell everyone in the media after the starter gets lit up again.

The bottom line is this ownership group is so inept and their finger is so far from the pulse they’ll likely just fire Valentine at the end of the year and keep the same shitty team. It’s their plan from last off-season why would they deviate.

At this point, the true fans are a little happier as they can get good seats, on game day for $5. That’s about all they can celebrate. They can see a team they hate for dirt money. I’d prefer a likable team, but you can get it all.

We can only hope that the ownership group plans to sell at this point because with all the mismanagement going on in the front office, it’s not going to get better with Uncle Larry at the helm. John Henry won’t fire his buddy, so barring a team sale, this hierarchy is in place for the long haul.

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August 8, 2012 · 6:34 AM

Stupid Excuses

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Red Sox management came out and gave Bobby Valentine a vote of confidence Monday.

Sweet.

So Vampire John Henry will fire his soccer coach when his players underperform, but when his baseball has done the same, he’ll give the manager a vote of confidence. In fact he’ll make excuses.

I’ll give you Henry’s entire email because you know he won’t be seen anywhere near Fenway for fear he’ll get beaten up.

Here you go. Just more spin and damage control. It’s disgusting:

To blame Bobby Valentine for the Red Sox being .500 at this point in the season is simply wrong. A lot has been written about injuries to key players this year. The impact of that on the Sox this year should not be discounted.

In baseball, managers often get too much credit and too much blame for what happens on the field. That seems to be a constant. There is often the thought in organizations, “This isn’t working so the manager needs to go.” But an organization is much more than the field manager. We all share responsibility for the success and failure of the Boston Red Sox. We are not making a change in manager.

There has been no lack of effort from our players and we have had a number of them playing hurt. I watch every game and the effort our players put in night after night is very clear to see.

In regard to the notion that we have somehow not empowered Bobby, you should ask him directly about that. We have been nothing but supportive of him inside and outside of the clubhouse. Stories that imply otherwise are due to speculation that is not warranted at all by the facts.

And the notion that we are not present and not attending games is misleading to the public. Tom, Larry and I seldom miss home games. This year is no different. We seldom miss a telecast when on the road if we aren’t there. This is a 365-day-a-year sport for us – as it is for Ben and for Bobby. Even when we are away we discuss issues daily. Just because we aren’t answering all media questions doesn’t mean we aren’t on the job. We are.

Our commitment to winning is unabated. That is our focus. We continue to have the 2nd highest payroll among the 30 clubs. We have been at this for more than 10 years in Boston, and winning is just as much our focus today as it was when we took over.

Back tomorrow with some Pats.

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