Red Sox principal owner John Henry, in an interview on the Mut & Merloni show, said that Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine was permitted to pick his own coaching staff after accepting the position in early December. At that time, hitting coach Dave Magadan, bullpen/catching coach Gary Tuck and then-third base coach Tim Bogar were under contract, while Bob McClure — who had been hired by the organization in a scouting and player development position about a month before Valentine’s addition — also was in the organization.

But while Valentine ended up having all four as members of his coaching staff, Henry suggested that the decision to have Bogar as a bench coach, Magadan as hitting coach, Tuck as bullpen/catching coach and McClure as pitching coach was not a mandate from the front office.

“I don’t think you can say he wasn’t allowed to pick his own coaching staff,” Henry said. “He inherited a group of guys, and he had to decide whether they had to stay or go. … I believe that he decided to survey the situation and I’m not sure if he made any changes.”