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“He won’t let that happen. There’s no way he’s going to let that happen,” said Tommy Lasorda, Valentine’s manager in the minor leagues and a mentor who encouraged him to pursue the Red Sox job.
Boston announced Valentine as its new manager Wednesday, and he will be introduced by the Red Sox at a Fenway Park news conference today.
Valentine, 61, replaces Terry Francona, who left after eight years that included two World Series but ended after the biggest September collapse in baseball history.
The first job for the former Mets and Rangers manager: reverse a culture in which players ate takeout fried chicken and drank beer in the clubhouse during games instead of sitting on the bench with teammates.
Valentine managed the Texas Rangers from 1985-92, when he was fired by then-owner and future U.S. President George W. Bush.
His last big league managerial job was with the Mets, from 1996-02, where he guided the Mets to consecutive wild-card berths and a trip to the 2000 World Series.
After a stint in Japan, Valentine has been working as an analyst for ESPN.
Meanwhile, reports said it was possible that Francona will trade jobs with Valentine by joining a broadcast team. He worked on Fox’s ALCS broadcasts this fall.
CUBS SNAG DEJESUS
Outfielder David DeJesus will join the Chicago Cubs after he agreed to a $10 million, two-year contract.
The deal includes a 2014 club option..
A .284 hitter in nine seasons, DeJesus batted .240 in his one season with Oakland.
HOF BALLOT
Former American League batting champions Bernie Williams (Yankees, 1998) and Bill Mueller (Red Sox, 2003) are among 13 newcomers on baseball’s 2012 Hall of Fame ballot, joining top holdovers Barry Larkin, Jack Morris, Lee Smith, Edgar Martinez and Jeff Bagwell.
A player needs at least 75 percent to gain election when results are announced Jan. 9.
NO ‘SIDESHOW’
A federal bankruptcy judge in Delaware has ruled that Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and baseball commissioner Bud Selig do not have to testify at a hearing next week on the team’s plan to sell future media rights.
Fox, which owns the rights through a subsidiary, sought to have Selig and McCourt testify.
“We don’t think this procedure motion should be turned into a sideshow,” Dodgers lawyer Sid Levinson said.
DID YOU KNOW?
Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine finished his 10-year major league playing career with the Mariners in 1979. In 62 games, he played outfield, second base, third base, shortstop and catcher and hit .276 for Seattle.
