Bobby Valentine Must Be One Lousy Interview
by Jeff Sullivan on Oct 15, 2010 11:51 AM PDT
in Seattle Mariners Regular News
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PrintWay back when, Bobby Valentine was considered the overwhelming favorite to replace Fredi Gonzalez in Florida. Something went wrong, and Valentine was dropped from consideration.
Recently - after his latest rejection by the Marlins - Bobby Valentine became the favorite to replace Daren Brown in Seattle. But Seattle, like Florida, appears to be setting its sights somewhere else.
In a sign the Mariners could be closing in on their managerial decision, Bobby Valentine was informed today that he was not getting the job, according to sources.
This news is interesting, given the poll I just put up. Though it's early, more than 40% of people responded that they'd like to see the M's hire Valentine. Of the names we've heard, his is definitely the most popular.
And I think that was probably his big advantage. Among John Gibbons, Lloyd McClendon, Cecil Cooper, Daren Brown, and Eric Wedge, there isn't a single guy who gets fans excited. Bobby Valentine - for whatever reason - gets fans excited. Very few people have weak opinions of Bobby Valentine. Some people can't stand him, and other people - lots of other people - are in love with him. Bobby Valentine is America's favorite non-manager manager.
So if the Mariners were looking to stir some emotion in an emotionless fan base, Valentine could've worked. At least for a little while. He's a name. A very visible name. He would've gotten people talking about the Mariners again. Cecil Cooper won't get people talking about the Mariners. Lloyd McClendon won't get people talking about the Mariners. They'll come up, but they won't be conversation-starters. Those'll be names mentioned or alluded to in passing. "The Mariners hired some no-name retread." "Sounds about right."
Bobby Valentine would've gotten people more excited than any other candidate whose name we've heard. The Mariners have evidently decided that that isn't enough, and that Valentine's overall package isn't as appealing as somebody else's. Maybe it's about money. Maybe it's about power, or philosophies. I don't know. But it's interesting, as it would've been easy for the team to go with the popular pick, given their situation. That they aren't suggests that they'll believe very strongly in the guy they end up hiring.
This is a lousy break for all the Valentine fanboys out there. As far as the actual team is concerned, I haven't a clue how much this will matter.
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He might have been endorsed by Sean White
Mariners and Senators fan in Miami, covering the team in Ottawa at Silver Seven
by Alexander Calloway on Oct 15, 2010 11:56 AM PDT reply actions
Would your "average fan" know who Bobby Valentine is?
wonder if it was also the “demand for control over personnel decisions” that reportedly scuttled the Florida job
The best part about the vote is that its Bobby Valentine in a landslide.
Followed by “I have no opinion” and “Somebody else”
As far as actual human beings go, nobody was close to Bobby Valentine amongst this group of voters.
by Kenneth Arthur on Oct 15, 2010 12:01 PM PDT reply actions
@Buster_ESPN Buster Olney In case you were wondering, I mostly just throw random crap out on Twitter in the hopes it will stick
by Jeff Nusser on Oct 15, 2010 12:15 PM PDT up reply actions 4 recs
I'm ok with this. I have nothing against Valentine, and voted no opinion on the poll, but I just don't care who manages, honestly.
Though, personality wise I do like Eric Wedge, and according to Olney’s twitter, Wedge did pretty well in his interview; I wonder if these two things are related.
@Buster_ESPN: Heard this: Eric Wedge did very, very well in his interview with Seattle Mariners
Could it be the amount of 'control' he has been said to want over roster decisions?
If he wanted a large say in the player moves made by the team, I could see that conflicting with Z’s philosophy.
I'm fine with Wedge then.
I think he did a really good job with a rebuilding (low budget) Indians team, and we’re in a sinilar situation (although with a higher budget I think).
"Put it this way, polish up your tiara and get your speech ready" Kermit
So Milton Bradley's on the outs then.
"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett Mariners Minors
Truth is a fucking bitch.
I’m not ready to handle this reality yet.
"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett Mariners Minors
Plus the smile......
And then I realize that was the only good thing that happened. Fuck.
"Oh, the usual. I bowl. Drive around. The occasional acid flashback."
by the other side on Oct 15, 2010 12:48 PM PDT up reply actions
Enough so he'll get cut before spring training?
If not, oh, this should be entertaining at some point.
by eponymous_coward on Oct 15, 2010 12:51 PM PDT up reply actions
Something to watch on non - Felix days.
"Oh, the usual. I bowl. Drive around. The occasional acid flashback."
by the other side on Oct 15, 2010 12:56 PM PDT up reply actions
He really does. Such a bummer.
Milton Bradley apologist
by sanford_and_son on Oct 15, 2010 3:01 PM PDT up reply actions
and because of the picture.
“…I got the heart but not the love
I got the stitches but not the glove
but hey, I’m big in Japan.
I’m big in Japan…”
"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett Mariners Minors
by JY on Oct 15, 2010 12:29 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
Bobby needs to stop starting off the interview with the joke about fucking the owner's daughter
Stats are not a euphemism for tits
by Trenchtown on Oct 15, 2010 12:42 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Sounds like Valentine wanted a good amount of control over the way things were run wherever he went
And since they just got through not having a great relationship with Wakamatsu regarding personnel decisions, my crazy theory is that didn’t sit too well.
My crazy theory is the Japanese don’t like him: Clandestine campaign led to Valentine’s demise, Resentment of Valentine’s power factored in downfall. (Articles written by the author of The Meaning of Ichiro, by the way). Apologies if this has already been discussed at length..
Not the Japanese
Most of the people who ousted Bobby from his job in Japan were actually Korean or Zainichi Korean, actually.
Somewhere in the far-off land of yesterday...
Mariners won’t rush to decision on new manager
Despite the number of vacancies still out there, Zduriencik said he would not be rushed into selecting a new skipper, even if the process goes into November.
"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett Mariners Minors
I guess this is better than if say they had tried to hire Valentine and he had turned it down.
Personally, I had kind of written 2011 off in terms of contending, so I was content with hiring Bobby V just because he seemed like the most interesting candidate. But if Jack Z and co don’t think he’s the right fit then so be it.
by FairWeatherFred on Oct 15, 2010 1:15 PM PDT reply actions
I had a stronger opinion on the fake moustache than I did on Valentine himself so I'm not too broken up about this.
I’d be fine with Wedge.
We should totally name Rollie Fingers as pitching coach.
If only to have him make Felix grow a handlebar moustache.
I love Jarrod Washburn's dumbfounded look in this commercial.
Morgan Ensberg for Manager 2011!
AL Scout on Rendon: "I would peg him as a poor man's Jose Lopez."
And by scary I assume you mean awesome.
by FairWeatherFred on Oct 15, 2010 2:19 PM PDT up reply actions
I'll check my list of awesome stuff again
Pretty sure rapestache isn’t on there.
by Drew_D on Oct 15, 2010 2:32 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Wak with less of a tan.
Meh. I guess someone is happy now that enough people have been ritually humiliated for the 2010 debacle.
by eponymous_coward on Oct 15, 2010 2:19 PM PDT up reply actions
Shannon Drayer:
As of now no press conference has been called to announce a new manager but sources tell me it does not appear there will be a second round of interviews as there is a preference within the group that has already interviewed. A new manager could be announced as early as Monday.
"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett Mariners Minors
Don't know if he's right or not, but from Heyman's Twitter:
mariners have settled on eric wedge to be their next manager. story up soon on si.com.
Very likely that he is right..
Heyman is usually the last person to put things on Twitter.
by seattlesundevil on Oct 15, 2010 1:46 PM PDT up reply actions
oh leave me alone you kno
"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett Mariners Minors
by JY on Oct 15, 2010 1:49 PM PDT up reply actions
Not that it is worth anything, but Eduardo Perez was on 710 the other day and love love loves Wedge.
Hmm.
Because we’re rebels. Accurate, intelligent, introspective rebels. And damn proud of it my friend. - CapSea
Guess I should have read the whole thread.
Because we’re rebels. Accurate, intelligent, introspective rebels. And damn proud of it my friend. - CapSea
I personally don't care who manages
But at this point, the Mariners need something, anything to keep the fan base interested…something to be passionate about.
For that reason, I’m sad they don’t go with Valentine. I don’t want to hear any more casual fans (you know, the ones who shell out cash to go to games, buy some gear, and watch games on TV) get frustrated by the hiring of “another no-name ass clown.”
Having a passionate fan base is pretty important to me. Games are much more fun when the stadium is filled, and/or the fans there are excited to be watching baseball.
I am going to come into your house at night and rec up the place.
I agree with you, and I'm sure the M's management understands that too.
I have to think they took that into consideration when interviewing candidates, and Bobby V just didn’t have the same vision or something. We can’t really know for sure though, so who knows, but there had to be a reason they went the direction they did.
by FairWeatherFred on Oct 15, 2010 2:35 PM PDT up reply actions
You know what's going to draw fans? Less no-name assclown players.
Sparky Anderson was a very good manager. The Tigers didn’t draw flies when they were bad. Managers cannot turn collections of bad players into good teams, and the M’s problem is they don’t have enough good players right now, and they made serious mistakes in assessing and assembling the talent on the 2010 roster (along with having a tremendous amount of bad luck).
Realistically, Wedge or Valentine is going to have nearly nothing to do with solving that problem in 2011.
by eponymous_coward on Oct 15, 2010 2:37 PM PDT up reply actions
The fan base is only going to be interested or passionate about winning baseball games.
by Matthew on Oct 15, 2010 3:30 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
While clearly true
I am still grasping for something, anything that indicates the Mariners might be fun to watch next year.
Bobby V. was at least a small step towards that aim.
I am going to come into your house at night and rec up the place.
I get that the team was bad this season, but I hope you aren't blind to the other exciting aspects of this team going into 2011.
Like Thunda stated, there are going to be some exciting players to watch next year. How are the young guys going to develop? Will Ichiro get 200 hits again (Uh, fuck yeah, he will!)? Can Franklin turn in another stellar defensive year? How badly will the team cockpunch the Angels? These are all things you should be excited about.
Because we’re rebels. Accurate, intelligent, introspective rebels. And damn proud of it my friend. - CapSea
This might be worth watching/reading
http://www.letsgotribe.com/2009/10/24/1098670/valentines-sit-down-with-the-media
Adam Miller is healthier than Stephen Strasburg.
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