Red Sox Players Upset With Bobby Valentine Hiring?
December 1, 2011 - 12:54 am by Ryan Phillips
Since Bobby Valentine was hired as the new manager of the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday numerous sources have surfaced saying the hiring was not popular among the team’s players.
Valentine was always known as a no-nonsense manager during his 15 years with the Texas Rangers and the New York Mets, and is certainly not what would be termed a players’ manager. When Valentine was still just a candidate for the Red Sox job one source was asked what would happen if he was hired. The response was blunt: “They’re going to have a mess on their hands.”
ESPN’s Buster Olney claims to have heard similar rumblings citing sources that claim some Red Sox players were upset that Valentine was even a candidate and that they have been “grumbling to each other, through texts and emails.”
Valentine will be introduced at a press conference on Thursday.
An additional reason for some discontent among the players is the fact that Valentine openly questioned some Red Sox players while working as an analyst for ESPN. One example came during a Sunday night game in August when Valentine ripped Josh Beckett for taking too much time (between 30-35 seconds) between pitches. The manager’s displeasure with Beckett can clearly be detected in the following quote from that night after the pitcher was removed from the game in the sixth inning:
“This is a two hour and 40 minute game so far. That’s a half-hour added to this game of him standing around and us sitting around watching him do nothing.”
Valentine is not one to mince words and while that might not sit well with some Red Sox players, it may be exactly what a team that just suffered a historic collapse needs.
22 Responses to “Red Sox Players Upset With Bobby Valentine Hiring?”
Oh too bad….
The players are making a good amount of money to play the game as PROFecionals and to get behind ur manager….not like children,,,,Time to move on…get on the wagon and play to win…be in shape….this is what you are paid for…It will be much more rewarding to all….TO WIN
By Bill Burke on Dec 1, 2011
Bet Beckett is scared to death right now and already asking to be traded to a team that has a milquetoast as a manager!
By stenilin on Dec 1, 2011
Grumblings from players? Tell us who your talking about. Bet I know: Crappi papi, Fat beckett, and loopy lester the follower.
By stenilin on Dec 1, 2011
No wonder he’s not considered a “player’s manager” and that there is grumbling on the roster: Valentine is an IDIOT who couldn’t manage his way out of an open door…unless he was being shown the exit after being canned, of course. Terrible move. Red Sox will go further down hill from here. No doubt about it.
By 4th and forever on Dec 1, 2011
THE RED SOX TEAM IS GOING TO GET WHAT
DESERVE. WIN NO PROBLEM LOSE YOU HAVE
PROBLEM.
THE RED SOX WILL BE WINNER’S
UNDER BOBBY…………MR VALENTINE GIVE
THEM HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By DICK BAILEY on Dec 1, 2011
enough already just get ready for baseball valentine is there choice and not bens. so u got to live with it whether u like it or not. do u really think that esptein really spent all that money whitout there ok i doubt it so lets play ball and hope they get what they need to complete with the spankies go sox
By kjw on Dec 1, 2011
I am a former Red Sox player. I player in the MLB six years which all four were with the Red Sox. (97 - 03′) And as soon as I heard that Valentine was the guy, I wasn’t happy. I have had my fair shore of issues with Valentine from back in the day. So to hear that current players aren’t cool with it, I m not surprised. Valentine isn’t made to be a manager in Boston.
By David Johnson on Dec 1, 2011
I just thankful he got a job ….maybe hire orel to give us a break from their over analyzing a pitcher and his release point inning after inning after inning……….
By E thomas on Dec 1, 2011
Valentine once said “fake it till you make it” regarding his relationship with his players….It doen’t take long to find out he always fakes it because he never makes it…
By C Jarney on Dec 1, 2011
BFD (big deal) if the players aren’t happy with Valentine. It’s their damn job to WIN. After hearing the stories from Francona cc. last year, the Red Sox are totally UNPROFESSIONAL. And while that may have worked for Millar and his “cowboy-up” schtick, that is not the way champions comport themselves. Say what you want about the Steinbrenners. (Yankees) In fact, I’ll say it for you : “YANKEES SUCK!” But there is a reason for their success - and it’s the opposite of players grumbling and crying like a bunch of spoiled children. RED SOX AE PAID TO WIN. (period) That’s why Francona couldn’t take the BS any more and Valentine is not-so-chummy with his players. Good luck, Bobby.
By McYo on Dec 1, 2011
I did already….Stop being RICH crybabies…Play ball , be in shape for the whole season, and be the best u can be
By Bill Burke on Dec 2, 2011
fuck the red sox bunch of pussies fuck them all bobby v will be good for this team fuckin bunch of drunk fucks
By poopyourself on Dec 2, 2011
Considering the swan dive last season, I would be in depair over the coming season if the players were happy with Valentine. The players need a fire under them, and you get that by creating friction. Good luck, Bobby!
By Harry on Dec 2, 2011
Awwwww, there are those players who are upset with the hire of Bobby V!!! Tough!! you upset players should have thought of that last year before you caused Tito’s departure, which incidently is totally your fault. I suspect the emails and texts were between Fatty Arbuckle (Beckett) and the ultimate follower yes man (Lester) as well as the most cancerous of the whole bunch (Papelbum) and a close second to him (Cappi Papi). Get rid of them and you will have a winning team.
By stenilin on Dec 2, 2011
First off we don’t know if it’s even true - my bet is it’s just a media BS story designed to stir the pot to have material to write and print over the Winter.
The story serves no purpose but to incite…!
By Zorro on Dec 2, 2011
Agreed, BV will have his hands full with some players, but he will also get rid of the deadwood that should have been clipped years ago Drew, Varitek, Wakefield just to name a few…
By Zorro on Dec 2, 2011
As Bobby stated this is not a popularity contest i am here to win you think he cares what players think about him as long as he produces which he will.
By tony socci on Dec 2, 2011
As many have stated previous to my 2 cents…. if the players are upset - too friggin’ bad. Imagine being a die hard Sox fan and having to sit through the last month of the season. Yup, there are millions of us who are “pretty upset”. We (the fans) didn’t deserve what you (the players) did last year. You failed in an epic way…. now, you get exactly what you deserve - Bobby V. Never been a fan of his…. until now. I am on board 100% and am happy if the players are upset. You blew a 10 game lead, ate chicken, got fat, didn’t work out, whined, cried, pointed your finger and worst of all - you ran the one guy who was a positive for this team out of town (Tito). Now you are “epset” with this hire…. too friggin’ bad. We the fans are thrilled. You get paid millions of dollars to play a game. You should have no say, no complaints, no nothing about who is managing… manage your damn weight. Manage your damn work outs, manage to be in shape for spring training… It doesn’t matter hat you think about the manager, you get paid to pitch or hit and play the field… not to give your opinions on whether or not you like the manager. You all should be fired but since that can’t happen… this is what you get. Shut the F up and do your damn jobs. Bunch of over paid, whiney trolls. Imagine if you had to have a real job and work for someone…. you don’t get to whine about that…. so just shut up, all of you.
By Sick of the Sox players on Dec 2, 2011
There are a few players on the team that I still hold a great deal of respect for…. Pedroia for one. I can guarantee that he will have no problem with Bobby V - you know why? Because he busts his rear every day. The guys who will have a problem are the ones that have a problem. They are the guys who feel entitled and priviledged. Beckett, you are not entitled. When you sign a contract for millions of dollars - it entitles you to nothing. The fans are the ones who are entitled… we are entitled to get back the most possible from the millions invested. If you are not doing your job 100%…. you are cheating us out of those millions. WE PAY YOUR SALARY. If Bobby V is OUR manager, then thems the ropes. I am sooo pissed off about last year, even after all of this time. AND if I knew the real sroty about how the whole colapse happened - would probably be even more pissed. You 20 something going on 12 need to grow the F up and do your job. Doesn’t matter who is managing… do your job.
By and another thing... on Dec 2, 2011
the BABY sox are crying again. someone tell them to stfu and sit down
By usa on Dec 2, 2011
I’ve been a Red Sox fan since WWII era. The have had many teams during these many years who have failed to live up to the level their capabilities demanded, but the 2011 Red Sox upped them all as the bigest busts that ever played in Fenway. Let’s hope Bobby V. straightens them out and demand they either get in shape or they don’t play.
By George Pelchat on Dec 2, 2011
Mr.Poopyourself your intelligence shows I think you need to take a section out of the sports page and put it in that mouth of yours.With that said, I like alot of the fans out there was let down in the biggest way.Not one us thought that would happen last season with our guys but it did.I hate that I have to set at home to watch the game on t.v. because I can’t afford a ticket but Ido know one thing.Being a fan I think the red sox know what thay have to do this season and I think as fans we show our beloved team one of the best teams in the game that we as fans let them know we are here to support them to let them know that a family stands together no matter what happened in the past.And thats what we are is a family that supports each other to give another chance to prove that things can be as it once was.To be the #1 team thay are meant to be.So I think that we should let our team become a family again in their club house and let them come to our homes for dinner and we’ll go there for DESSERT.I AS A FAN KNOW ONE THING I WISH THE RED SOX AS A NEW SEASON BEGINS TO BECOME A NEW FAMILY AGAIN AS CHANGE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN….I’LL BE THERE BACKING THE RED SOX TO BECOME OUR #1 TEAM ONCE MORE THATS WHAT I’LL BE DOING WHAT ABOUT YOU?
By runningbear on Dec 2, 2011