The Neutering of Bobby Valentine

I read a great article by John Tomase on the Boston Herald online this morning titled, “Light ‘em up, Bobby Valentine. Time for manager to live up to his legend.”  It summed up better than I could my feelings about what may be the biggest shortcoming in a season full of them: namely, our new manager has failed to do the job he was hired to do, or be the person he was reported to be.  Check it out here:

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view.bg?&articleid=1061130844&format=&page=1&listingType=sox#articleFull

This article inspired me to put together a little timeline of my own off the top of my head, which has led to where we are with our new manager.

- Bobby V is hired to turn around the culture in a clubhouse that had become entitled and lackadaisical at the end of 2011.  His history of being a fiery, passionate personality who is not afraid to speak his mind seems perfect for the role of calling out and changing the behavior of complacent veterans on the roster

- Bobby V claims every team member should ride the bus during spring training because that’s what teams do

- Bobby V then sends a limo to pick up Beckett

- Valentine’s off-hand remark about Youkilis’ physical and emotional commitment blows up into our first controversy of 2012 regular season

- Pedroia fires back at his new manager “that’s not how we do things here.  Maybe that works in Japan”.  Bobby V was hired precisely to change how we do things here, but a team leader kills his authority with these remarks.  Instead of firing back or benching Pedroia for insubordination, Bobby V meekly apologizes to everyone involved.  He hasn’t made a fiery remark since, unless you count a small tirade up the home plate umpire the other night

- Bobby V gets ripped by fans and media for leaving pitchers in the game for too long, for leaving left-handed Franklin Morales in to face lefty-killer Mike Napoli, and for other decisions regarding his management of the bullpen.  Notice now that the bullpen has stabilized and is actually a strength of this team, there hasn’t been any voices that I’ve heard giving Bobby V any credit.

- He has been repeating the same tired lines in press conferences all year about how “this team is talented. The players are battling and trying hard.  We’re going to turn this thing around.  We’re going to get better”, yada, yada, yada

- He could not muster up enough emotion to get ejected from Wednesday night’s game after the Cody Ross no-catch call, or for the inconsistent strike zone of the home plate umpire.  He could have shown his team and all of RSN how much he cares by going beserk, but instead he decided to meekly walk back to the dugout and fire off a few f-bombs in his post-game presser in front of the media

- When the story about Beckett and Buchholz golfing on their off-day first broke, Valentine commented that “obviously that would not be a good thing for someone with a lat injury to do”. After Beckett was shellacked at home on Thursday night, Bobby V back-pedaled and said basically that nobody gets hurt playing golf, it was fine, we’re fine with it, there is no problem here.

- The Red Sox have lost 11 of 12 at home and 7 of 8 overall, and Bobby V hasn’t shown any outrage.  He has yet to get ejected from a game.  He has yet to directly address his team’s poor play and show that it upsets him.  He has yet to call out any player or pitcher (or any group of players) and say they need to perform better.  He has yet to bench a player for poor play.

- I’m sure I’ve forgotten other examples.  If you think of any to contribute, submit them in the comments section below.

Add this all up, and clearly this guy has been worn down to a nub in little over a month in Boston.  It appears he no longer has the clout in the clubhouse to initiate change.  The entitled veterans of 2011’s collapse are still on the roster and are still just as apathetic and lackadaisical.  It is becoming clear that Bobby V does not have what it takes to change the clubhouse culture, which was the entire reason he was hired in the first place.  Of all the problems facing the 2012 Red Sox, this may be the biggest of all.  In my opinion, the dark cloud of negativity that surrounds this team can’t be lifted until somebody blows up emotionally and sparks this team to a few wins.  I used to think Bobby V was the kind of guy who could do this sort of thing.  Now I’m not so sure.