Few males have witnessed as a lot baseball across the globe as Bobby Valentine, who stays as bicoastal and worldwide as ever at age 74.
Whereas he’s spent the previous few seasons in a broadcasting/advisory position with the Los Angeles Angels, Valentine continues to be a preferred presence in New York, the place he led the Mets to the World Collection in 2000, and Japan, the place he led the Chiba Lotte Marines to the Japan Collection title in 2005.
Valentine appeared on the Mets’ inaugural Amazin’ Day fan fest, when he provided his sometimes candid tackle the large splashes made this winter by the Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers, the what-ifs concerning the Mets’ determination to not signal Ichiro Suzuki following the 2000 season and what Suzuki’s election to the Baseball Corridor of Fame signifies for the sport’s growing world growth.
Right here is the unique Q&A with SportsLens.
Q: As a supervisor with loads of expertise within the Subway Collection, what’d you consider the Juan Soto signing?
Bobby Valentine: “The point out of Ichiro after which A-Rod after which some others who’ve come alongside and the Mets swung and missed at, I feel value (them) quite a lot of victories and prompted quite a lot of heartaches for followers. I feel hitting this one out of the park is strictly what the Mets wanted. I like him as a hitter and I like what Steve Cohen and Dave (Stearns) are doing right here with this group.”
Q: Now you’re principally primarily based on the west coast. What do you consider the Dodgers’ aggressiveness this winter?
Bobby Valentine: “Ridiculous.”
Q: Ridiculous in a great way or dangerous approach?
Bobby Valentine: “I feel it’s in all probability a nasty approach. I do know the fellows there, I do know the house owners and I do know the entrance workplace and I do know what they’re doing and I’m in that market principally advising the final supervisor throughout the way in which. That’s an excellent crew. That’s totally different than most different groups. And I do know we’re attempting right here with the Mets. We’re attempting to maintain tempo. However I feel it’s troublesome.”
Q: Are you involved the Dodgers’ spending spree would possibly result in a piece stoppage when the CBA expires in 2026?
Bobby Valentine: “There’ll be a stoppage. Is dependent upon how lengthy and for what causes. There’ll be some issues with the CBA, as a result of there’s issues with Main League Baseball.”
Q: What are your ideas on Ichiro Suzuki making the Corridor of Fame?
Bobby Valentine: “One in all my biggest regrets (as Mets supervisor is) that I didn’t say ‘I’ll stroll out if we don’t signal him.’ I believed we have been going to signal him. Somebody thought totally different. I noticed him my first yr in Japan dwell and we principally decided to not go along with him on experiences that someone else gave. And I by no means might determine that out. I used to be instructed ‘Why do we would like a singles hitter within the outfield?’”
Q: Labored out OK.
Bobby Valentine: “For him!”
Q: What does Ichiro making the Corridor of Fame on the thirtieth anniversary of Hideo Nomo profitable the Rookie of the Yr say in regards to the affect of Japanese gamers on Main League Baseball?
Bobby Valentine: “That was the identical yr I went to Japan, Nomo got here right here. I attempted to make a press release. I took the child that would not make the Yomiuri Giants pitching employees and had him on my employees named Takashi Kashiwada (in 1997) and he received a sport within the massive leagues! And he pitched OK typically. Simply to attempt to form of show a degree, {that a} man who couldn’t make a crew there might make a crew right here, to say that it wasn’t extra of an equal taking part in subject.
“Now I don’t suppose that every one the gamers in Japan wish to play within the States. Why would you wish to disrupt your complete world? Only for extra money? I feel what Japan will ultimately do is change their mannequin and produce up their salaries. They’re now constructing new stadiums for extra income, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, to maintain their gamers there. And in the event that they maintain their gamers there, ultimately there’ll be an growth to Asia with a division of baseball. That’s my thought and it’s been my thought for a very long time. And since Main League Baseball didn’t provide you with the thought, I feel that they’ve determined to do it the way in which they’re doing it.
“And the way in which they’re doing it’s the approach Main League Baseball did it with the Negro Leagues — that they took their finest gamers, after which they took their different gamers. And when that occurs, the league folds. And I don’t need that to occur in Japan, as a result of (in) Japan, baseball is the No. 1 sport in that nation. And to take their skilled leagues away from them can be against the law.”
