Enough is Enough

Earlier today Red Sox manager had a testy exchange with WEEI radio hosts Glenn Ordway and Michael Holley, during which (beginning at the 2:55 mark) Valentine said to Ordway, “If I was there I would punch you right in the mouth.”

Bobby Valentine deserves his share of the blame for the Red Sox performance but let’s not forget - he did not assemble the team. It wasn’t his idea to let Papelbon go and replace him with the injured Bailey and the flammable Melancon. Furthermore, when Valentine said that he wanted Bard to anchor the bullpen, management insisted that Bard’s place was in the rotation. And it was Red Sox president Larry Lucchino who pushed to hire Valentine in the first place. Valentine was never the right guy for this job, but I can’t blame him for taking it.

I have been as critical of Valentine as anyone, but enough is enough. Unless Red Sox management intends to retain him as manager next season for the final year of his contract, then it serves no good to make him finish this season with the team. As Peter Gammons tweeted, “… staying is demeaning to him and unproductive.”

Valentine should not have to explain an alleged (and mistaken) tardiness to a radio host, just as Tito Francona should not have had to field questions about his separation from his wife or his pain medication last year.

Let the man keep his dignity.

Read more great articles and hear the clip at baseballsdeep

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