Two months after flinging themselves from the playoff picture in favor of beer and fried chicken, the Boston Red Sox have found that "new voice" they've been searching for.
Bobby Valentine, whose brash personality is pretty much the complete opposite of long-time former skipper Terry Francona, was hired this week to manage the club. There are no immediate details for the contract, considering its anonymous sources, but whatever the length, we are sure we'll be highly entertained.
Before managing the New York Mets from 1996-2002, the 61-year-old spent five years as manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan, where he won a series title. With the Mets, he butted heads with general manager Steve Phillips, players, and the media on several occasions. If he wasn't criticizing the front office, he was talking crap about Bobby Bonilla or Rickey Henderson. Basically, he was just saying what everyone else was thinking. We like people like that.
Valentine's most famous bout of shenanigans came in 1999 when he was tossed out of a game, only to return to the dugout wearing a fake mustache and sunglasses. Major League Baseball and its usual lack of a sense of humor fined him $5,000 and suspended him for three games.
Before Japan and Flushing, Valentine had a job as the skipper of the Texas Rangers from 1985-1992. All in all he owns a 1,117-1,072 managerial record, but never finished first in 15 seasons at the helm. He played 10 seasons of big league ball from 1969-79, retiring at the age of 29 after zero major accomplishments. Good luck, buddy!
In other Red Sox news, the team is reportedly looking at Bill Buckner (who will forever be known as the idiot who lost the 1986 World Series) as their new hitting coach. Yes, really.
[ABC News]
1 comment:
Look at those teeth.
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