Let's hope Valentine replaces Steve Phillips on Sunday night.

I hope he joins Phillips somewhere.

Wonder what the buy-out in that contract is, because something tells me he’ll use it.

I suspect there is an opt-out clause that allows Valentine to leave to take a MLB manager job. ESPN gains by having a buzz about Valentine being a leading candidate for managerial vacancies, and maybe they pay him a bit less than they'd otherwise have to.

I had hoped this would be about Ellis.

Dammit. Fire Manuel.

I hope he joins kicks Phillips somewhere.

Fixed.

As long as he brings his mustache with him.

Leaving my distaste for the man personally aside, every time Bobby's name comes up, people assume that he'll be a hot commodity as a potential manager. This is the 7th full season since he managed in the bigs, people. Be it because of personality (he did run away in a landslide in that Sporting News poll of MLB players in 2001, on the question "Which manager would you least like to play for?") or whatever else, at this point this is not something to be ignored. There's a reason he's been out of MLB for that long, and it ain't because the man prefers Japan, trust me.

Except the man who fired Valentine was Steve Phillips.

There's a reason he's been out of MLB for that long, and it ain't because the man prefers Japan, trust me.

Somewhat presumptuous, considering how revered he's been over there - I believe he really HAS preferred it.

Somewhat presumptuous, considering how revered he's been over there - I believe he really HAS preferred it.

It's not presumption. Unless his opinion has changed dramatically since the last time I heard him talk about Japan, he has not. The adulation is one thing in its favor, and it's not like I ever heard him say he hated the place, but there is very close to zero doubt in my mind that he would greatly prefer to have been managing in MLB instead of NPB.

One of the more amusing random days was in the '00-'01 offseason when a Japanese TV crew showed up to interview Bobby, presumably about the Series just past, though I was more interested in getting off work than paying too much attention to the conversation. Joint was virtually empty, more so than your average day at that time, the barfly regulars there at the time weren't any of the idolators, and the (criminally hot) hostess had less than zero interest. So court was held, opinions were bloviated, but the interviewer and camera guy didn't much care what he said, and I sure didn't, and the three of us were the only ones in earshot.

I remember him being pretty good on ESPN...he'll be a vast improvement over Steve Phillips.