A take on Bobby Valentine
Some people have read the few public comments Bobby Valentine has made about his interview for the Orioles manager's job and read those comments to say he has little interest in the job.
I don't see it that way.
I see where he said this job would be a "big challenge" and that the "Orioles standings don't look like they will turn around very quickly."
What I didn't read or hear or see him or Andy MacPhail say is that he is not interested in the job or is withdrawing his name from consideration.
Should we read the Valentine comments to indicate little interest in the O's position or is something else going on here.
Could it be that Valentine is posturing and/or negotiating through the press?
He's let it be known how big a challenge this is, as if anyone thought differently.
The deal with Valentine is likely this - he is going to want a multi-year, big dollars contract. But more than that, he is likely to want major control of the baseball operations.
He is in a position to ask for or even demand that in his talks with the Birds. He is sitting there with a cushy ESPN gig that he could live with for a long time.
He is not going to take a managing job unless he gets everything he wants. He doesn't have to. He already has a great job. So he can ask for the moon in an interview and if he doesn't get it, say thanks and then grab the next flight back to Bristol.
If Valentine is still interested, then Peter Angelos has to decide if he should turn over the keys to this man who has a career .510 win percentage.
He's managed parts of 15 years and never finished in first place. He's made the playoffs once. He has a good reputation as a manger, but we're not talking Earl Weaver here.
But yet something tells me he could be the right guy at the right time. The entire O's organization has been infected by the losing and he may be the guy with the prescription.
If he's still interested he is going to ask for a lot to become the O's next manager.
Can the O's afford to give one man that much control? Can they afford not to?
What I didn't read or hear or see him or Andy MacPhail say is that he is not interested in the job or is withdrawing his name from consideration.
Should we read the Valentine comments to indicate little interest in the O's position or is something else going on here.
Could it be that Valentine is posturing and/or negotiating through the press?
He's let it be known how big a challenge this is, as if anyone thought differently.
The deal with Valentine is likely this - he is going to want a multi-year, big dollars contract. But more than that, he is likely to want major control of the baseball operations.
He is in a position to ask for or even demand that in his talks with the Birds. He is sitting there with a cushy ESPN gig that he could live with for a long time.
He is not going to take a managing job unless he gets everything he wants. He doesn't have to. He already has a great job. So he can ask for the moon in an interview and if he doesn't get it, say thanks and then grab the next flight back to Bristol.
If Valentine is still interested, then Peter Angelos has to decide if he should turn over the keys to this man who has a career .510 win percentage.
He's managed parts of 15 years and never finished in first place. He's made the playoffs once. He has a good reputation as a manger, but we're not talking Earl Weaver here.
But yet something tells me he could be the right guy at the right time. The entire O's organization has been infected by the losing and he may be the guy with the prescription.
If he's still interested he is going to ask for a lot to become the O's next manager.
Can the O's afford to give one man that much control? Can they afford not to?
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