In a most expected move, given all the “anonymous” chatter recently, the Red Sox will be meeting with Bobby Valentine to interview him for the open manager position today.
Currently an on-air analyst on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball, Valentine spent 10 years playing in the Majors and has managed the Texas Rangers and the New York Mets as well as having six years managerial experience in Japan with the Chiba Lotte Marines. Â He hasn’t managed in Major League Baseball since 2002 when, then Mets General Manager, Steve Phillips fired him.
While with the Mets, he helmed a team that went to the NLCS in 1999 (losing to the Atlanta Braves in six games) and the World Series in 2000 (only to lose to the New York Yankees in five games). Â He’s widely remembered for, after being thrown out of a game while managing the Mets, returning to the dugout wearing sunglasses and a fake moustache (which led to a $5000 fine and three-game suspension).
Valentine is certainly a controversial choice. He’s not afraid to be outspoken and Boston fans and media alike aren’t used to such a strong personality being in charge of the Red Sox. Â It’s also rumored that he wouldn’t be solely Ben Cherington’s choice because Valentine wouldn’t fit in with the new General Manager’s vision, but that the ownership would rather have someone they see as having more experience and who is better able to handle a clubhouse that got away from Terry Francona in 2011.
The Red Sox have already told Pete Mackanin that he’s not in the running and they didn’t offer the position to Dale Sveum who followed up his second interview with them by accepting the manager’s position for the Chicago Cubs. Â This leaves Gene Lamont, Sandy Alomar, Jr., and Torey Lovullo as the remaining candidates who have been interviewed at least once and are, apparently, still being considered for the position.
While Cherington has publicly speculated that the manager search could be over by Thanksgiving, it’s possible now that it could linger into early December. Â Unless the interviewing of Valentine is only a formality and the Red Sox have already decided who their new Skipper will be, this is a task that might take more time than anyone was hoping.
(Originally published on Examiner.com)