7
2010
Welcome Back Bobby Valentine?
An article by Joe Spector
In an exclusive to www.metsmerizedonline.com, Bobby Valentine, former manager of the New York Mets from 1996 to 2002, will be named the team’s next General Manager. I’m a tease what can I say. Perhaps I should have saved this for April 1st but I just couldn’t help myself.
No, Bobby V is still at ESPN as an analyst, for now. But he is laying in wait, like a lion in the Serengeti tracking its prey no doubt. Sharpening his baseball acumen by dissecting each game bit by gnarled bit. All while wearing a fake mustache of course.
Now I know you’re asking yourself why would Bobby V envision himself coming back at all let alone coming back as the GM of the New York Mets. Well I have a feeling he wouldn’t but it’s probably where he should be. I’m sure he sees himself in the dugout at CitiField, leading the charge. He was successful in that role, guiding the Mets to the 2000 World Series. He was also one of the most entertaining managers in recent history no doubt. But in spite of his many faults, all of which stem from the man’s gigantic ego, he is in my opinion a brilliant baseball mind.
Let’s face it if you had a documentary made about your life as Bobby does, “The Zen of Bobby V” , you too would have a high opinion of yourself.
The man is a virtual demi-god in Japan, having spent six years managing the Chibe Lotte Marines. There are bronze statues in Japan made in his honor. Maybe I’m off base but doesn’t that usually require one to be six feet under to achieve?
So knowing all of that can Bobby V sit in an office in a suit, on the phone, talking to guys who never put on a pair of cleats without having a golf club with them? That would be a challenge worthy of Sun-Tzu himself. Bobby V loves challenges.
Is it really a runaway ego or is it just a pure testosterone enhanced single mindedness that sets Bobby V apart from so many other ex-managers out there? I think it’s a blend of both. Something very yin-yang wouldn’t you agree? How would his style differ from Omar’s? Would there be similarities? Would he be able to contain himself and let his manager run the team on the field? I think it would be the most frustrating job he’s ever had and I think he would ultimately excel in it. Who wants to see that…and the “stache” again?
About the Author: Joe Spector
I'm just your regular Joe. Staff writer @ Metsmerizedonline.com. Happily married and a father to a baby girl. I attended my first Met game at the ripe old age of 3 where my father scored a foul ball and had it signed by Lee Mazzilli, Joe Torre and Joe Pignataro. It was my Holy Grail - 'till I buried it in the backyard.
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I would love to see Bobby V as manager again, not that I hope we get off to a bad start but if we do I don’t see why he can’t be the guy. It can’t be Wally Backman right now because the Cyclones season doesn’t start till middle of June and I don’t know much about Bob Melvin. But I do know about Bobby V.
It’s not a matter of been there done that, it’s because Bobby V just happens to be the type of personality and baseball mind this team needs right now.
Laughing Jerry may be a nice guy, good w/younger players and fun at a party but I cannot stand his laid back style of leadership and I think he would take his firing with a grain of salt and that’s the problem. Jerry is not the type of person to lead this team right now.
The single most imperative thing this team could do to improve it’s image even with the current inept ownership group, would be to make Valentine a GM and manager. It’s been done before. Valentine is an underrated evaluator of talent in addition to a brilliant baseball mind. he’s a great field manager, but knows so much more about the game from a business standpoint that he would also be an excellent GM. The man is a genius, despite his big ego. It’s okay to have a big ego when you have the resume to back it up.
Well, on Daily News Live the other day they said that Bobby V is a favorite of Fred Wilpon. That’s a good enough source for me.
Bayonne u just proved what I’ve been saying all along, Jeff is obviously using his ability to sign SNY appearance checks to further influence his anti-Omar canmpaign. Everyuone wgho’s followed this team knows Fred would have to die before Bobby V. ever gets another NYM check. Bobby certaibnly is the smartest nman in baseball, if u don’t beluieve it just ask him. The only thing worse than BobbyV as GM is an unretrained Jeff in the frontoffice. One of the most important traits of a successful GM is likeability & too many knowledgable baseball people hate Bobby. I wouldn’t be suprised if most blocked his number in their phones. Does anybody else realize Bobby, for all his socalled success has NEVER brought a div CHAMPIONSHIP TO ANY TEAM HE’S RUN? SECOND PLACE IS HIS SPECIALTY. IN BOTH HIS NY POSTSAEASON APPEARANCES IT WAS AS THE WILDCARD(SLOPPY SECONDS, AGAIN!)BTW NOTICE HOW HE WORE OUT HIS SECOND WELCOME IN JAPAN, CERTAINLY FANS LOVE HIM, HE’S A CLOWNPRINCE, EMPHASIS ON CLOWN. MOST OWNERSHIP GROUPS GROW TO DISPISE HIM!
Not a bad idea.. anybody except 5 gm in baseball right now are more inept than our stupid as-s gm, so is not that far fetched. But honestly I don’t see it happening, I see melvin being the interim manager if manuel is fired due to a bad start (knock on wood it doesn’t happen), then next year if that’s the case then backman is the manager and john ricco the gm (wilpon loves ricco, specially coz he can control him)
Oh, and another news, oliver perez is pitching today, one day after our projected #2 got bombed.. god help this team this year, we’re gonna need all the help and prayers we can get, specially wit this garbage pitching.. I couldn’t believe our idiot gm paid this guy that much money, in 66 innings he allowed 69 hits and walked 58 batters.. ugh.
Is anybody watching the game!!????
Oliver perez is getting bombed!!!!
In 1 inning he’s allowed a home run, 2 hits, a walk and 1 k.. oh is gonna be a looong season if we’re gonna depend in this bum.. ugh. U know, we still on time to trade for someone omar minaya, put a bandaid in the cut plz. If these guys don’t step up we’re gonna be in trouble
Where is the game at? SNY?
Again, like the upcoming stars, lets not predict an entire season on ONE friggen inning.
COME ON, what are you new?
The game is on channel 11 pix.. trust me ur not missing much
It seems u have forgotten how horrendous this guy is, lemme refresh ur memory
14 games pitched last season:
3-4 6.82 66 ip 69 hits 58 walks 62 k’s.. need I say more??
JUST THIS…………..SAY IT WITH ME
FIRST APPEARANCE OF SPRING TRAINING
SPRING TRAINING – FIRST TIME ON THE MOUND
Biggest bust since we signed kevin appier in 2001..
Bobby Valentine as GM?
You’re taking perhaps the smartest “between the white lines” manager and putting him behind a desk. The man who exposed LaRussa and Dusty and being average managers in the playoffs? Who took a team to the World Series which didn’t have an outfield to speak of?
I don’t think so.
However, You make Davey Johnson GM and Bobby as manager and now you’re talking.
Hey Alex 68
You are such a downer. I can just imagine how suicidal you would be if we had signed Marquis – did you see his line today? 2 IP, 5 runs, 3 hits, 3 walks.
How about saying something positive – like what a great signing that Takahashi is. If you’re going to nail guys to the wall for one bad outing, you should also praise the ones that do well.
Danny, had we signed marquis i’d be happier to know marquis would give us 200 innings and maybe 13 wins, can u say that about perez?? But of course, coming from a guy who praises nelson figueroa I’m sure you’d say perez will win 18 games with 250 k’s this year.. so.. I’m taking the high road
I dont know what’s worse, the bring back Bobby Valentine whining or the bring back Steve Phillips tirades.