Red Sox Drama: Red Sox’s Valentine says 2012 ‘miserable,’ wants to return

(PhatzRadio / USA Today) — A fiery Bobby Valentine summed up his first season as manager with the Boston Red Sox as “miserable.”

Valentine, who joined Glenn Ordway and Michael Holley on a WEEI radio show in Boston (entire audio), was highly animated during his interview, to say the least.

The discussion began with Ordway asking if Valentine had “checked out” on the season, in which the Red Sox are on pace for their worst season since 1992.

“What an embarrassing thing to say,” Valentine said. “If I were there right now, I’d punch you right in the mouth. Ha, ha. How’s that sound? Sound that like I checked out? What an embarrassing thing. 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, working with the young players, 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?”

The heat continued when Valentine was pressed about being late for a game last week in Oakland, part of their six-game road losing streak. Valentine, who was picking up his son from the airport, arrived at approximately 4:19 p.m. for a 7:10 p.m. start.

In defending his perceived late arrival, Valentine also dropped some choice bombs on the Oakland Coliseum and Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon:

“I shouldn’t have to explain that. That pisses me off, ” Valentine said. “Whoever wrote that knew what happened. They knew that my son was coming to see me for the first time in this lousy season and that I got to see him on the road, and that his flight was late, and that I was waiting at the airport in San Francisco for his flight to come in, and that I sent the lineup in and reported to my coaches that I was going to be a little late. For someone to say that I was late is an absolute disgrace to their integrity if they have any.

“When you said what you said, you should apologize to me for saying that I came late,” he added. “I wasn’t late. When you call in and say that you’re delayed in traffic coming from the San Francisco Airport to the stupid Oakland Coliseum and that there’s a traffic jam, then you’re not late, no.

“Four o’clock, like that’s so late for a 7:15 game. Joe Maddon gets there every day at 4 o’clock, just for the record.”

Maddon did not take long to have a chuckle and return fire on Valentine. As he arrived for his pregame media briefing in Tampa, Maddon greeted reporters with this:

“Sorry I’m late. Just got here.”

Maddon then piled on via Twitter:

Apologies to the writers for being late to today’s pregame session. My pedicure appointment ran a little late.

Later, when Valentine met with reporters before the Red Sox’s game in Seattle, he said he was joking when he said he’d punch Ordway in the mouth.

“Didn’t I go, ‘Ha, ha?’” Valentine asked. “I don’t think physical violence is necessary for 60-year-old people.”

On a lighter side during the interview, Valentine had fun with a question regarding a meeting with Red Sox owner John Henry last week. Asked if the meeting, at breakfast, was productive?

“The breakfast itself? Very, very dissapointing,” Valentine said. “The oatmeal was cold and they didn’t even have brown sugar for the oatmeal, of all places Seattle not having brown sugar. John Henry’s ham was overcooked. This is one of the top breakfast places ini the city.”

Valentine signed a two-year deal to manage the Red Sox last November. While his unusual actions of late may suggest he’d prefer parting ways with the club, he says he’d like to return as manager in 2013.

Of course, he sort of has to say that to collect a paycheck if Boston, as expected, fires him.

“Of course,” he said of managing in 2013. “If that’s what I’m asked to do, that’s what I’m going to get paid to do.”

Last week, Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino said Valentine will be evaluated after the season, and that a decision will be made then.

But that goes without saying what a “miserable” season he is having this year.

“This is what I chose to do. I think it’s been miserable, but it’s also been part of my life’s journey,” said Valentine. “You learn from misery.”

Red Sox Drama: Red Sox’s Valentine says 2012 ‘miserable,’ wants to return is a post from: PhatzRadio.com

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