It has been assumed that Jerry Manuel is going to lose the interim from his "interim manager" title, and become the full time manager some point soon after taking over for Willie Randolph and pushing the Mets back into the race before ultimately folding again on the last day. But the negotiations between Manuel and the Mets haven't been automatic, and coincidentally, former friend Bobby Valentine has expressed interest in returning to the Mets. Valentine, now manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan, told 1050's Andrew Marchand in an e-mail, "I am working for a team that needs me and wants me as their man. I love it here, but I am an American and love great challenges. I was in a Met uniform in the '70s, '80s, '90s, 2000, and would love to be there in the next decade."There's something strange about this. First, Manuel is seemingly playing hardball with the Mets in negotiations, and all of a sudden Valentine's name just happens to come up publicly ... after his name wasn't even mentioned during the Shea Stadium ceremony during their final game. Seems a little too convenient for me.
Meanwhile, any day now Gary Carter is expected to unveil a Power Point presentation to Omar Minaya as to why he really should be Mets manager*.
*Not really, but would you be surprised?
UPDATE: Of course, as soon as I write this, WFAN in New York has just reported (via Jon Heyman) that Manuel has indeed signed on with the Mets for two years and an option. If the floating of Valentine's name was indeed part of the conspiracy, it worked.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-03-2008 @ 5:37PM
biff_tannen said...
I heard he's only interested in coming back to the Mets if he gets to wear horn-rimmed sunglasses and a fake moustache made from eye-black strips.
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10-03-2008 @ 6:36PM
LEW said...
DONT WANT VALENTINE, KEEP HIM IN JAPAN. ITS OBVIOUS THE METS ONLY WANT A SPANISH SPEAKING MGR. IS MANUEL HISPANIC?????????? GO GET K ROD. AND DUMP ALL THE GARBAGE, HEILMAN SANCHEZ SCHOENWEISS TO BEGIN WITH . GET A SECOND BASEMAN. PUT MURPHY IN LEFT. GIVE HIM A CHANCE. HE COULD BE A WINNER. HOME GROWN . DO NOT TRADE WRIGHT OR REYES THATS INSANE. METS DONT SCREW YOUR FANS AGAIN. SPEND MONEY DONT GIVE ME THE EXCUSE WAGNERS 10 MILLION PREVENTS YOU FROM GETTING K ROD. BULL SHIT. EXCUSE CHEAP METS
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10-03-2008 @ 6:36PM
BfromSoCal said...
What's wrong with u Met fans? Gary Carter just keeps on winning championships no matter where he goes. U should have seen the job he did with the Orange County Flyers out west this summer, which included former Mets AAA 2B who Minaya let go bec of Rule 5. HIs 3rd minor league championship in 3 tries. . .and he should go to Binghamton to learn the double switch?? Carter unfairly gets a bad rap . . .and last spring's nonsense was not even what really happened. . .His kids play for him, win for him, and go the xtra mile bec he is a HOF. . .They know about excellence from him. . .The Mets corporate culture and the team on the field is a losing one, the clubhouse divided, they are way overpaid, no pitching (sans Johann), lucky to even get as close to the playoffs as they did, yet Wilpon extends his GM's contract? Fuggehdabout it. . . .U want to win?? Go with winners. . .Where are all the Mets who won? Carter? Harrelson? Backman? All managing in Independent ball. Coincidence? Or, driven out of the organization by Minaya and his cronies . .Wake up and smell the coffee, folks. . .There is a cancer still there and nothing is going to change until the Wilpons get it and realize what it takes to become a champion.
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10-27-2008 @ 2:37PM
LEW said...
valentine. who needs him. this team only plays for themselves. the phillies deserved to win the division and now the world series. the mets owners have always been cheap cheap cheap.. im sure minaya is waitind g to see the list of reaseased players so he can pick up some more garbage, you have plenty of garbage here now. go for quality .. there will be some really good ones to go after in a few weeks. the teamis now a 4th place team for next season. phillies braves marlins and the muts.spend money or be doomed,
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11-11-2008 @ 1:43PM
rey said...
bobby nmight be a lot of things but he proven he could manage a team and take them to the world series something ive yet to seen with anyof the mangeres the mets brong up, and tell you something wits as tatlent the mets have and enegry bobby seems ta be the pefrect fit cause jerry maunel is a soft manger lets fase it i would much rather have jerry over willy but bobby over jerry cause bobby is enegergetic and gets nothing but the best out his players day in and out!! and thats who the mets need at the moment not a manger that responds to a question by saying its gangster!!! and bobby always backed his players up wrong or right something jerry and willy never did
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