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Opinion: Jason Varitek would be wrong choice to replace Bobby Valentine 08.18.12 at 10:00 am ET
By Kirk Minihane
Jason Varitek was a three-time All-Star with the Sox.

Jason Varitek was a three-time All-Star with the Sox.

Is there any chance Bobby Valentine is back next season as manager of the Red Sox?

Don’t focus on whether or not he deserves to be back, or if he was given a fair shot, or which players despise him and tried to get him fired at that meeting in New York and just ask yourself this: Can you envision a scenario — short of a miracle run to the playoffs, which really isn’t going to happen — which has Bobby Valentine in Fort Myers next February ready to begin his second year with the Sox?

Impossible. It’s not going to happen. One and done. Too much baggage and not nearly enough success. It’s a shame that these mutinous, underachieving and enabled players will get what they want, but that’s life in professional sports in 2012.

And, ultimately, Valentine was toast when he criticized Kevin Youkilis in April. Dustin Pedroia ripped him and Ben Cherington (think he’ll get to pick the next guy?) backed the player, not his manager. And instead of being the Bobby Valentine we were being sold by Larry Lucchino when he was hired — the anti-Francona, not afraid to make comfortable guys uncomfortable — he apologized, surrendered without a fight. From that point on it was over, he was managerially castrated. That was his chance to show that this was his team and he blew it.

So now the obvious question is beginning to kick around — who’s next? Who will be the third Sox manager in three seasons?

Well, Joel Sherman of the New York Post weighed in on the topic Friday and made the case for Jason Varitek (as have others in recent days):

“We can say the Red Sox players need to look in the mirror and not the manager’s office for the problem,” Sherman writes. “But the reality is this core is coming back again next season and, if that is the case, the Red Sox are going to need to find someone who commands instant respect and who can begin to re-establish sanctity and sanity within what has become a Wild West baseball setting. Varitek should have that immediately with this group because it is so familiar with his preparation, professionalism and sturdiness as a teammate. … Varitek fits the mold of someone you believe could blend leadership, seriousness of purpose and the ability to communicate with today’s players. He also has institutional memory of when the Red Sox were a model franchise and not a group ready to turn each manager into “Shark Week” chum.”

Makes some sense, right? Varitek absolutely has “future manager” written all over him, should he decide to pursue that position in the future. Don’t know if he’ll be any good at it, impossible to predict, but it wouldn’t shock me at all if he’s the manager of the Red Sox one day.

But it would make no sense — none — for that to be in 2013.

The climate needs to change. We all agree on this. An outsider — the right outsider, not one brought in because he’s cheap and will create a buzz — is a must. And one season removed does not make Jason Varitek an outsider. He’s the ultimate insider, tied into this team as much as any figure over the last decade. Varitek debuted with the Sox in September of 1997 and played his last game on September 25, 2011. He’s part of the culture of this team, good and bad.In fact, it’s not hard to argue that Varitek created part of this culture.

Clearly, Varitek was a terrific leader for most of his career. But let’s be fair, there are often things edited when the former captain is lavished with praise. It seems to me that people — Sherman included — forget that Varitek was in the clubhouse all of September last year. The collapse — and all that was happening behind the scenes — was going on under his captaincy, under his watch.

And the idea that all is wrong with Beckett and Lester and Lackey will suddenly be cured if Varitek takes over Valentine’s office is absurd, of course. Beckett had lousy seasons (and good ones, to be fair) with Varitek on the roster. John Lackey was the worst pitcher in baseball last year, and Varitek caught some of those hideous starts. The solution isn’t that simple.

Plus there’s this: It’s just too soon. You want to put him on the staff, make him a bench coach, get his post-playing career started? Sure. I get that. But  Sherman brings up the success of Robin Ventura and Mike Matheny, first-year managers in cities where they played, when advocating a possible Varitek hire, which doesn’t work. Ventura retired in 2004 and last played for the White Sox in 1998 and Matheny played his last game for the Cardinals in 2004. If Varitek managed the Sox in 2018 — when almost all of these guys will be gone — that could work. But almost every player in that current locker room would look at Varitek as a teammate, not a manager. And Varitek has made his affection for Beckett and Lester and Lackey plenty clear.

He’s lousy casting as the guy to come in fix things, if only because he was around and did nothing when it started to go wrong.

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  • Timmy T

    Two words: Bill Mueller!

  • Really_33

    groundbreaking, first roids manager

  • Doug

    A very bad choice, he was absent last Sept when the ship was going down, a Capt abandoning the ship?  He made no effort to rally the troops, his name should not even be mentioned, until he has a few seasons of experience under his belt, this is just grasping at straws, a futile cry for help, get rid of Larry, let Ben make his own choice.  Right this ship soon, pretty quick all those Fenway Faithful will be missing in action, on one more thing, make it a requirement that all fans at home stands wear plain brown paper bags, the should with out being asked, wouldn’t you be embarrassed to watch a team like this?

  • Knoyes

    Who would even want the job? I am sure Varitek is smart enough to say no if he was asked.

  • WHO CARES

    Give the Blue Jays Theo’s comp. for their manager.

  • Valentineisdone

    Varitek isn’t the right choice. The right choice is and always has been John Farrell. He knows this team as well as anybody. Unfortunately, he’s under contract with Toronto for another year. And if they keep playing as well as they have been, there not likely to let him leave to a division opponent. Not sure who the right choice is but I hope it’s someone who commands respect and can keep these prima donnas in line.

  • sjangers

    I wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s impossible Valentine will return next year.  Sure, it seems more probable than not that he’ll be gone.  I hope so, because bringing him back won’t say the right things about management’s objectives for 2013.  But you need to remember that Valentine was Lucchino’s guy and, despite the lack of support during the course of this season, probably still is.  And if Farrell is the ultimate managerial target, and Valentine’s two-year contract does hint in that direction, it wouldn’t necessarily make sense to bring someone new in for a single lame duck season.

  • Ipse Amicus

    This reporter is consistent: never insightful, late talk show stuff..  Varitek would be a huge boost.  And all the criticism about a catcher being the manager ?. . . look who is managing the first place team

  • Nate

     Right now what person would even want the job in the first place???

  • Patty

    Varitek as manager.  Swell.  Maybe he can even catch Beckett every five days.  What an insanely stupid idea.

  • Mike Veve

    tony peña.

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/ZVFM2HRNC5CTO2OUXD4XTX65O4 Dennis

     Tek?  Must be nuts. He was the Capt and didn’t do squat.

  • Bielawski82

    One comment about Youk and that’s it, the verdict is in?  Frankly I agree with Valentine’s statement, but it’s true he backed off from it instead of trying to explain it.  Anyway this is the kind of situation that’s gonna keep managers and players from wanting to play in Boston.  You have to be allowed to make mistakes.  And this season is on the players, not Valentine.

  • HurryUpPats!

    The Blue Jays “playing as well as they have been”??  56-64 and last place AGAIN!  I think Farrell could be good for this disfunctional and underperforming team, but let’s not make him out to be Tony LaRussa after 2 losing seasons…

  • Bridgeyear2012

    I think having a third manager in three years is just asking for trouble. They’ll be starting over for the second year in a row and as you said with the same group of guys. 2014 is the year when this franchise will be well on their way to respectability, but they won’t get there if they’re changing managers more than they do underwear. If they’re smart, Bobby will get one more year.

  • Anonymous

    I think weei is about as dysfunctional as the red sox.

  • Relax

    We’ll file that under one of the dumber posts you have made Dennis.  And that is saying alot.

  • Mjc2370

    it would be a nightmare decision. Lucciano would do it thinking it will boost the “brand”

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/ZVFM2HRNC5CTO2OUXD4XTX65O4 Dennis

     You want a kick-ass manager, how about Carlton Fisk?

  • Tony Terzi

    Manager: Joe Torre. Bench Coach: Jason Varitek. These would be my first two moves in righting this rudderless ship. 

  • anguillaman3

    Hmmmm, where on earth did this come from…the only one’s I ever hear bring this up are TEK fans calling into SPORTS RADIO..and its always shot down in a heartbeat.  Don’t be totally shocked if Bobby V. is back…the team will be just as bad if not worse with LACKLUSTER back in the rotation..so another dismal bridge year looks to be on tap anyways.

  • Kenkarken

    He wasn’t a great leader as a captain! All he did was wear the C on his chest and nothing else to provide leadership.

  • Rhelob

    Here’s another managerial candidate if the Sox decide to make a change- Ron Wotus. Been a bench coach of the SF Giants for about 8 years and is Bruce Bochy’s right-hand man. He’s been mentioned several times as a person who should get a chance to be a manager. Look up his record.

  • Willco44

    The “C” on Tek’s shirt may as well have stood for “Coward” or “Collusionist” last September as he clearly buried his head in the sand and in my mind that made him as “Culpable” for the team’s horrendous collapse as the rest of that 25 man roster of unprofessional babies!…he lost a lot of respect that I had for him! …manager?…not unless he gets some well needed leadership experience and pays his dues first! 

  • Dano50

    What are you talking about?  ”…if they keep playing as well as they have been.”?  Last ten – 3-7…LAST place…worse than the Red Sox.  Are you kidding?  They MIGHT let Farrell go.  Send them Beckett.

  • Dano50

    No offense.  But Krazy Kirk seems level headed next to YOUR silly notion.  Hard enough for a rookie manager…but you’d ask him to come in and manage guys he knows so well.  Who he obviously failed to “lead” last year?  Which first place team are you talking about BTW?

  • Dano50

    I can think of one or two.

  • Dano50

    Didn’t save Tito.  And HIS teams won two world championships.

  • Dano50

    I think you’re functionally insane.

  • mrmc59

    No he should not replace bobby v (but some one should).  He would be a great asset as a bullpen coach though!!!

  • Hopeless Change

    He’s too nice a guy and would never take on Ortiz or Pedroia when they compain about something

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