Will Bobby be Back Next Year?

Word is that the New York Mets are preparing a team for Valentine-kantoku to manage next year. On August 15 it was released that the Mets currently are considering Valentine as their first choice for manager next season. Valentine's connections with the New York Mets include close friend and Mets General Manager Joe McRubin (sp?). Furthermore, before coming to Lotte, he was the Mets AAA Manager at Norfolk, Virginia. [He was very popular there, as I've gotten mail requesting Valentine information from Norfolk, my Mom included.]

However, Valentine signed a contract with Lotte for two years. In a year where the most expensive player in Japan history spent most of the year on the DL in the U.S., there are several pessimists who think that Valentine will take the Major League offer. Valentine, when asked about the proposal, said that he hasn't even spoken with the Mets in this regard. [Personally, I think he'll be back.]

"Even with a strong request from the Major Leagues, we want him to manage for Lotte again next year," was what Lotte's owner said of the news. And it's no wonder. Valentine has taken the young team, a team that hasn't finished in the "A Class" for seemingly forever. What's more, he is a bright and colorful character that appeals to people throughout the country.

"A Class" and "B Class" are rankings within the leagues to denote the top three and bottom three teams respectively.

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Before Thursday's (95.08.17) game against the Orix Blue Wave, Valentine-kantoku got Orix's batting genius Ichiro to sign a couple of Ichiro posters for him. Ichiro signed in English, "To Bobby Valentine," and the look on Valentine's face as he posed for the cameras with the posters before the game was that of a kid in a candy store with a pocket full of change. [I wish I had an image scanner to show you all.]

In the game, Ichiro went 1 for 4 with a walk and 1 run scored. But Valentine's Marines won the game 6-3 in front of 37,000 fans.

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Lotte reached the 50 win mark in 100 games for the fastest time in 27 years. Hillman pitched a 2-0 shutout for Lotte on August 20 for his 7th win and 7th complete game. After 100 games last year, Lotte was 41-59 and in 5th place. Valentine said, "I'm glad that we were able to reach 50 wins this quickly. Next is 60 wins, and after that, 70 wins." [The quote is a translation to English of the translation to Japanese, so what he really said is up in the air.]

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Source: Nikkan Sports

[Layout edited by: westbaystars on Feb 11, 2002 5:18 PM JST]