BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: Bobby Valentine tells radio host he’d punch him ‘right in the mouth,’ describes year as ‘miserable’

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Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Bobby Valentine tells radio host he’d punch him ‘right in the mouth,’ describes year as ‘miserable’

This could seriously hurt Bobby’s chances of winning Manager of the Year.

Has Valentine “checked out” of the season?

Here’s Valentine’s response to Ordway’s question…:

“What an embarrassing thing to say. If I were there right now, I’d punch you right in the mouth. Ha, ha. How’s that sound? Is that like I checked out? What an embarrassing thing,” said Valentine. “Why would somebody even, that’s stuff that a comic strip person would write. If someone’s here, watching me go out at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, watching me put in the right relief pitchers to get a win, putting on a hit-and-run when it was necessary, talking to the guys after the game in the food room — how could someone in real life say that?”

Guapo Posted: September 05, 2012 at 06:12 PM | 39 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: crazy clown town, ouch, red sox

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1. SteveF Posted: September 05, 2012 at 06:39 PM (#4227653)

There's nothing Bobby Valentine can do to convince me he has a good right hook.

2. mos def panel Posted: September 05, 2012 at 06:39 PM (#4227654)

That's a clown question, bro.

3. JJ1986 Posted: September 05, 2012 at 06:44 PM (#4227658)

If someone’s here, watching me go out at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, watching me put in the right relief pitchers to get a win, putting on a hit-and-run when it was necessary, talking to the guys after the game in the food room — how could someone in real life say that?

Watching him hit Scott Podsednik third by accident.

4. Crispix Attacks 2: Swag Airlines Posted: September 05, 2012 at 06:56 PM (#4227663)

Wow, the last time I saw the name "Glenn Ordway" was in one of Bill Simmons's AOL Digital Cities articles.

Anyway, It's time for Dave McCarty to come back as pinch-hitter/pitcher/manager. Come on!

5. Gamingboy Posted: September 05, 2012 at 07:29 PM (#4227695)

I remember before the season I joked that it would be revealed that Bobby Valentine and/or Buck Showalter would be revealed to be performing a kayfabe script.

Well, I was half-right, I guess.

6. Fenderbelly is a leaf on the wind Posted: September 05, 2012 at 08:19 PM (#4227718)

ouch tag #1, ha!

7. the Hugh Jorgan returns Posted: September 05, 2012 at 09:10 PM (#4227743)

It's like the gift that just keeps on giving....

8. Jose Can Still Seabiscuit Posted: September 05, 2012 at 09:14 PM (#4227746)

At this point I want him back in 2013. The Sox won't be a contender next year and I want this piece of #### to have to suffer every single day for the full two years of his contract.

9. The Mighty Quintana Posted: September 05, 2012 at 09:14 PM (#4227747)

10. villageidiom Posted: September 05, 2012 at 09:25 PM (#4227758)

If he has checked out on anything, I think he has generally checked out on the media.

11. Guapo Posted: September 05, 2012 at 09:26 PM (#4227760)

FYI, "Comic Strip Person" and "Talk To Me In the Food Room" are still available as screen names.

12. the Hugh Jorgan returns Posted: September 05, 2012 at 10:08 PM (#4227776)

In all seriousness, I think Bobby V is showing signs of early-onset dementia. It can happen shortly after 60, I've seen the degeneration happen quite quickly in family members. He really needs to be encouraged to resign ASAP.

You know the funny thing? Because you started with, "in all seriousness", I can't tell if you are really serious or not...

13. AROM Posted: September 05, 2012 at 10:10 PM (#4227778)

"watching me put in the right relief pitchers to get a win,"

Must have missed that. I did see "put the right relief pitcher in to give up the 20th run".

14. The Long Arm of Rudy Law Posted: September 05, 2012 at 10:22 PM (#4227788)

I'd like to see him hire Tommy Lasorda as pitching coach.

15. Walks Clog Up the Bases Posted: September 05, 2012 at 10:48 PM (#4227811)

Valentine could have handled it better (e.g. not threaten the DJ with bodily harm), but it was still a stupid question meant to stir #### up.

16. The Yankee Clapper Posted: September 05, 2012 at 11:16 PM (#4227838)

ESPN played the audio. Doesn't sound like a threat as much as manufactured outrage. Bobby does throw Joe Maddon under the bus for arriving everyday at 4, which probably violates an unwritten rule of the managerial fraternity.

17. Mayor Blomberg Posted: September 05, 2012 at 11:19 PM (#4227844)

Maddon may arrive at 4 but he's still awake at 6.

18. Comic Strip Person Posted: September 06, 2012 at 12:14 AM (#4227878)

FYI, "Comic Strip Person" and "Talk To Me In the Food Room" are still available as screen names.

Thanks for the heads up. If I was there, I'd punch you right in the mouth. To say thanks, of course.

19. Swedish Chef Posted: September 06, 2012 at 02:06 AM (#4227922)

Now the Red Sox have the perfect excuse to shred his contract and send him off to a retirement home. What are they waiting for?

20. SandyRiver Posted: September 06, 2012 at 12:05 PM (#4228232)

This could seriously hurt Bobby’s chances of winning Manager of the Year.

Won't hurt them a bit (unless less-than-zero is possible.)

21. Hack Wilson Posted: September 06, 2012 at 12:31 PM (#4228283)

Bobby does throw Joe Maddon under the bus for arriving everyday at 4,

Maybe Bobby should plan on arriving after the game. Couldn't hurt.

If the red Sox called Ryne Sandberg about a soon to be managerial opening he should answer the phone?

22. bunyon Posted: September 06, 2012 at 12:48 PM (#4228307)

No, Hack. No way I want to be involved with the Red Sox right now.

Edit: to explain: the Sox brought in a new manager and, while he has his warts, the players basically never listened to him and upper management/ownership was fine with that. It isn't just that you need to be a better manager than Valentine has been (probably not hard to do), you need the approval of all levels of the team - from the players up. I suppose you always need that approval but it looks here like the type of manager the upper levels pick will not be well received by the players.

It just looks like a toxic job. If I have hopes of a long career managing in MLB, this is not where I want to start.

23. SoSH U at work Posted: September 06, 2012 at 01:05 PM (#4228330)

Edit: to explain: the Sox brought in a new manager and, while he has his warts, the players basically never listened to him and upper management/ownership was fine with that. It isn't just that you need to be a better manager than Valentine has been (probably not hard to do), you need the approval of all levels of the team - from the players up. I suppose you always need that approval but it looks here like the type of manager the upper levels pick will not be well received by the players.

As a Sox fan, I hope to hell that management realizes they did Valentine no favors this time around, and gives the next manager a better opportunity. Now, I have no doubt that Valentine still would have failed on his own, for a variety of reasons, but Cherington-Lucchino have got to see how they helped expedite the process.

24. Ron J2 Posted: September 06, 2012 at 01:09 PM (#4228333)

#15 I don't see Valentine's response as a threat. More along the lines of "You don't have the balls to say that to my face"

I have little use for Valentine -- never have -- but I'm in general sympathy with his response.

25. Jose Can Still Seabiscuit Posted: September 06, 2012 at 01:29 PM (#4228357)

It just looks like a toxic job. If I have hopes of a long career managing in MLB, this is not where I want to start.

I think being the guy who follows Valentine has a good chance to be a great job. The Sox are going to have more talent next year (they'll HAVE to make some kind of off-season move to bring in a player or two) and the injuries should be a bit better. Additionally Valentine is so disliked in RSN that just being Not Bobby Valentine is going to be a winner.

The other thing, and I think this is a bigger deal than gets discussed, these guys are not stupid. Yes, the last year they've badly mismanaged but a year ago the Sox were generally viewed as one of the best run franchises in the game and it's the same people running the show in general. I think there is an excellent chance that we look back at 2011-2012 as a lessons learned period for the organization. I suspect a revisit of 2003-2008 is unlikely because that was a glory period to be sure but I expect in a couple of years for the Sox to be consistently competitive again.

26. Greg Franklin Posted: September 06, 2012 at 01:45 PM (#4228377)

Curt Schilling has some thoughts. Different hosts, same station:

Can't believe Bobby V. 'still here'

27. jacksone (AKA It's OK...) Posted: September 06, 2012 at 02:12 PM (#4228411)

Edit: to explain: the Sox brought in a new manager and, while he has his warts, the players basically never listened to him and upper management/ownership was fine with that. It isn't just that you need to be a better manager than Valentine has been (probably not hard to do), you need the approval of all levels of the team - from the players up. I suppose you always need that approval but it looks here like the type of manager the upper levels pick will not be well received by the players.

It just looks like a toxic job. If I have hopes of a long career managing in MLB, this is not where I want to start.

Right, management was clearly fine with the players ignoring Valentine, I mean look at the roster, it's virtually unchanged from last year. What more do you want management to do to hold the players accountable? Publicly spank Pedroia?

28. TVerik Posted: September 06, 2012 at 02:31 PM (#4228435)

The other thing, and I think this is a bigger deal than gets discussed, these guys are not stupid. Yes, the last year they've badly mismanaged but a year ago the Sox were generally viewed as one of the best run franchises in the game and it's the same people running the show in general. I think there is an excellent chance that we look back at 2011-2012 as a lessons learned period for the organization. I suspect a revisit of 2003-2008 is unlikely because that was a glory period to be sure but I expect in a couple of years for the Sox to be consistently competitive again.

There's been a lot of noise to the contrary, but I essentially agree with this. A well-managed club with the resources of the Red Sox should be back in contention very soon, not entering a "dark age".

29. Mayor Blomberg Posted: September 06, 2012 at 02:34 PM (#4228441)

Schilling on Valentine: "one of the most miserable human beings in the world."

Well, he does use those words.

30. Swedish Chef Posted: September 06, 2012 at 02:34 PM (#4228442)

I don't see Valentine's response as a threat

But it's a good excuse for firing him.

31. SoSH U at work Posted: September 06, 2012 at 02:37 PM (#4228446)

But it's a good excuse for firing him.

I don't think the FO needs cover for that endeavor, if it's so inclined.

32. bunyon Posted: September 06, 2012 at 02:37 PM (#4228449)

A well-managed club

And I'm saying they haven't been well managed in a while, if we include ownership down to manager. Ownership isn't changing.

33. Joe Bivens, Minor Genius Posted: September 06, 2012 at 02:42 PM (#4228457)

I think someone was advancing the argument that this incident gives them reason to void his contract, not fire him. I have no idea if they can do that.

34. Ron J2 Posted: September 06, 2012 at 02:46 PM (#4228467)

#30 Sort of. But let's face it, they'd only need an excuse if they were planning to fire a popular, successful manager. Current record compared to expectations coming in means that you'd expect most managers to be fired.

35. Nasty Nate Posted: September 06, 2012 at 02:55 PM (#4228478)

I think someone was advancing the argument that this incident gives them reason to void his contract, not fire him. I have no idea if they can do that.

They have made some bad decisions but I don't think they are stupid enough to try to weasel out of paying Bobby V for his second year.

36. bunyon Posted: September 06, 2012 at 03:07 PM (#4228487)

I think someone was advancing the argument that this incident gives them reason to void his contract, not fire him. I have no idea if they can do that.

If they try to do this we won't have to wonder if I'm right that no good candidates will take the job.

37. jmurph Posted: September 06, 2012 at 03:29 PM (#4228514)

I think it's crazy to suggest that this isn't still a top job. These guys have egos, the Red Sox have piles of money, and the team is, at worst, the 2nd most talked about team in the sport. People aren't going to shy away from taking the job.

38. Petunia inquires about ponies Posted: September 06, 2012 at 03:57 PM (#4228544)

DONE. From "Petunia runs this (expletive) clubhouse" to ^ that.

This year, if nothing else, has produced many excellent screen name choices.

39. Nasty Nate Posted: September 06, 2012 at 04:02 PM (#4228551)

This year, if nothing else, has produced many excellent screen name choices.

Will you ever use one?

haharr.

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Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Bobby Valentine tells radio host he’d punch him ‘right in the mouth,’ describes year as ‘miserable’

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