David Ortiz is Bobby Valentine's "daddy"
Well look who’s come crawling back as he begins his public relations cleanup campaign, Bobby Valentine. Apparently Bobby realized that all the negative publicity headed his way was, in fact, due to his own stupidity. Perhaps I’ve been a little harsh on the former Red Sox manager but it’s about time he realizes all those verbal tirades against his former team were doing more damage to his image than to the Red Sox.
How does Bobby V. begin the process of redemption in Boston? He started by kissing the butt of his biggest critic both publicly and privately, David Ortiz. I've got a question for you Bobby: In the quizzical voice of one Pedro Martinez, who's your Boston "daddy" now? The answer: David Ortiz.
In an interview on 'The Diehards' Thursday on Boston's NBC Sports Radio, Valentine had this to say about the long-time Red Sox first baseman/designated hitter.
In an interview on 'The Diehards' Thursday on Boston's NBC Sports Radio, Valentine had this to say about the long-time Red Sox first baseman/designated hitter.
"Well, you know what, (when) he played last year, he was the MVP of the league, I thought," Valentine said in an "He was as good as there is . . . "
When asked about Ortiz’s ability to recover from the achilles injury that kept him out for the remainder of the 2012 season, Valentine responded with high regard for the Red Sox slugger (which makes me sick to my stomach).
"I think he'll be healthy. I think he's smart and will save all of his bullets, or as many of his bullets as he can, until the season begins."
Valentine proceeds to bend over and verbally kiss Ortiz’s butt like it’s leaving for a pilgrimage to the Red Sox holy land and Bobby's unsure of it's return.
"[You] have to have a bopper [from the left side of the plate] in the lineup, and it looks like he's going to be that guy for the Red Sox. When he's in the lineup, he's a difference-maker."
Let me help you out here Mr. Valentine. It works better if you provide your players with words of affirmation during your tenure as a manager not long after your departure and as a PR move to restore your image (or what's left of it).
Follow Scott Levesque on Twitter at @scottlevesque.