Bobby Valentine Unique: I Ought to Have Give up When Mets Wouldn’t Signal Ichiro
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 function with the Los Angeles Angels, Valentine remains to be a well-liked presence in New York, the place he led the Mets to the World Sequence in 2000, and Japan, the place he led the Chiba Lotte Marines to the Japan Sequence title in 2005.
Valentine appeared on the Mets’ inaugural Amazin’ Day fan fest, when he provided his usually candid tackle the large splashes made this winter by the Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers, the what-ifs relating to the Mets’ choice 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 rising international growth.
Right here is the unique Q&A with SportsLens.
Q: As a supervisor with loads of expertise within the Subway Sequence, 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 price (them) lots of victories and prompted lots of heartaches for followers. I feel hitting this one out of the park is strictly what the Mets wanted. I really like him as a hitter and I really like what Steve Cohen and Dave (Stearns) are doing right here with this group.”
Q: Now you’re largely 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 unhealthy means?
Bobby Valentine: “I feel it’s in all probability a nasty means. I do know the blokes there, I do know the homeowners and I do know the entrance workplace and I do know what they’re doing and I’m in that market mainly advising the overall supervisor throughout the way in which. That’s an excellent group. 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 tough.”
Q: Are you involved the Dodgers’ spending spree may result in a piece stoppage when the CBA expires in 2026?
Bobby Valentine: “There’ll be a stoppage. Depends 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 12 months in Japan dwell and we mainly decided to not go together with him on experiences that anyone else gave. And I by no means might determine that out. I used to be advised ‘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 12 months say concerning the impression of Japanese gamers on Main League Baseball?
Bobby Valentine: “That was the identical 12 months I went to Japan, Nomo got here right here. I attempted to make a press release. I took the child that might not make the Yomiuri Giants pitching employees and had him on my employees named Takashi Kashiwada (in 1997) and he received a recreation within the large leagues! And he pitched OK typically. Simply to attempt to type of show some extent, {that a} man who couldn’t make a group there might make a group right here, to say that it wasn’t extra of an equal enjoying area.
“Now I don’t assume that each one the gamers in Japan wish to play within the States. Why would you wish to disrupt your entire world? Only for more cash? I feel what Japan will ultimately do is change their mannequin and convey 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 means 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 could be against the law.”
