Nearing the end of the search to find a manager to replace Terry Francona, the Boston Red Sox have reportedly offered the vacant position to former manager Bobby Valentine, who has reportedly accepted.
This is a great move by the Red Sox, something I hate to say and hate even more to sincerely mean. Valentine is a good baseball man, managing the Texas Rangers and New York Mets in separate stints, even taking a Mets team consisting of Mike Piazza and almost no one else of consequence to the all-New York World Series in 2000, eventually falling 4 games to 1 to the Yankees. His record isn't impressive, with only 45 more wins than losses (1,117-1,072 lifetime with 2 back-to-back postseason appearances), but it's his vigor and spirit that make him desirable as a helmsman for any team.
Valentine may not be the most universally loved or respected manager, but he has something that the Sox desperately need: he's a man who refuses to accept halfheartedness from his players. His methods may be a little unorthodox (i.e. returning to manager a game in disguise after being ejected during his tenure with the Mets, saying insulting things about his players to light a fire under them during the World Series, etc.), but considering all the things we heard about the state of the Red Sox clubhouse this year (reports of players eating fried chicken, drinking beer and playing video games during games, arguing and fighting amongst teammates, and Francona's personal life affecting the way he managed), this may be the kick in the pants that this incredibly powerful team needs. These guys need discipline and accountability, two things that Valentine is notorious for instilling in his players. With the proper attitude (and again, don't underestimate how much it pains me to praise the organization that always poses a huge threat to my beloved Yankees), Valentine could help these boys to the World Series they were supposedly entitled to during the 2011 season.
In other news, former Los Angeles Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton agreed to a 1-year, $4 million contract with the Kansas City Royals, supposedly joining them as a setup man for established closer Joakim Soria. While the idea has already sprung up that this move might actually mean that Soria will either be moved to the starting rotation (a la Rangers signing Joe Nathan from the Twins meaning Neftali Feliz will become a starter) or traded (due to the lack of reliable closers still on the market, Soria could theoretically garner a large return for the Royals), it seems as if the two will be working together in the late innings of the game, with Soria keeping his hold on the 9th inning. This signing is the definition of "low risk-high reward": Broxton comes moderately cheap, and even though he is often injured, he is one of the most dominant closers/bullpen pitchers of this generation when he's healthy. Should he spend extended time on the disabled list, it's not like the Royals have invested too much money or years into him, as he was willing to sign a contract that would land him right back in this situation next year. If he performs well, the Royals can resign him to a long term contract (after all, he's still just 27 and could fit in quite nicely with the "Look to the future" milieu the Royals have going right now), and if he doesn't, they don't have him locked up and therefore have no obligation to bring him back. Who knows: if things go as predicted (which they rarely do, but anything's possible), Broxton could be responsible for the final out of the 2015 World Series that the Royals are expected to make.
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