Much to the chagrin of fans and players alike, Bobby Valentine was introduced as the new manager of the Red Sox this past Thursday. Most only remember "Bobby V" for his dugout tomfoolery as manager of the New York Mets, when — after being ejected in the 12th inning of a game against the Blue Jays — Valentine returned to the bench wearing a fake mustache.
Recently, however, Valentine has reemerged as an insightful baseball analyst for ESPN. Valentine was considered a dark horse in the race to replace Terry Francona as the manager of the Red Sox, but he might turn out to be the steed the Sox need.
Despite his shenanigans and boyish looks, Valentine is an alpha dog. He is an intellectual micromanager, dead−set on controlling every facet of his team without interference from other personnel. In 1999, this bullheadedness put Valentine at odds with former Mets general manager Steve Phillips, who unilaterally axed three assistant coaches in a ploy to coerce Valentine to resign. Phillips then hired three replacements without Valentine's consent or consultation. Yet Valentine was steadfast in performing his managerial duties, and he led the Mets to the World Series the following season.
Taking your team to the World Series with a general manager who hates your guts is no easy feat, especially when one considers the caliber of the 2000 Mets roster. The Mets' starting outfield for the majority of the 2000 season was comprised of Jay Payton, Derek Bell and Benny Agbayani. The only people who might recognize even one of those names are diehard Mets fans or Hawaiian baseball aficionados.
Now, let's backtrack for a moment to see how the Red Sox managerial spot came to be vacant in the first place. The Red Sox collapsed in September and missed the playoffs by one game. Then, reports surfaced claiming Sox players had a propensity to drink beer, eat fried chicken and play video games in the clubhouse. In the midst of more public uproar and incriminating findings, Boston's front office pressured Francona to resign as manager.
During his tenure, Francona resurrected the perennially second−best AL East franchise and led the Sox to two World Series championships, including the 2004 sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals that broke Boston's 86−year title drought. Forcing Francona's resignation seemed rash and unwarranted, but baseball is a cutthroat business. Fans lamented "Tito's" departure, but looked forward to a brighter future.
Currently, fans are frenzied once again, irked by the impulsive hiring of Valentine. Former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling even admitted that he thought the Valentine hiring was a joke! Yet I see things differently: I never thought the Red Sox should have bullied Francona into abdicating. Until now.
The past few years have seen fans, media and personnel coddling Sox players, who now require the stern but emotional presence of Valentine to return to playoff form. Whereas Francona was noted for his stoicism and deadpan style of coaching, Bobby V brims with baseball passion.
The main concern for the Sox during their September skid was the lack of leadership in the locker room. Teammates were isolated and their play reflected lack of heart. Bobby V has the capacity to reinvigorate a team and gain the support of his players with his resonant, competitive mantra. As soon as Sox Nation starts to open up to Valentine's radically different coaching approach, fans will begin to see results in the win column. Expect the Sox to make a deep playoff run next season, since Valentine has succeeded with less talented squads in the past.
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