Building the bridge to Farrell? by Jared Carrabis
SI.com's Jon Heyman reporting Bobby Valentine's deal with Red Sox is for two years


It would make absolutely no sense for the Red Sox to admit this, but I think you guys know where I'm going with this.

According to a tweet from SI.com's Jon Heyman, Bobby Valentine's new deal to be the Red Sox' manager will be for two years when he finally dots the I's and crosses the T's.

When Red Sox GM Ben Cherington and team president Larry Lucchino unveil their new manager tonight at 5:30pm, one thing that I can promise you that you won't hear is that Valentine was their first choice. If that is said, then you'll be smart enough to know that it's a lie.

On October 23, Nick Cafardo wrote, "When the Red Sox and Terry Francona parted ways, Blue Jays manager John Farrell was the preferred candidate to manage the team, according to a major league source."

Of course, it's well documented that the Red Sox did all that they could to pry Farrell from Toronto before ultimately settling on Valentine.

Would it be so far fetched to assume that the Red Sox wanted Valentine's deal with them to expire at the same time that Farrell's expires with Toronto? Because I think that's exactly what they're doing, and why not? Valentine is 61 years old, and clearly isn't the long-term solution. He knows it, too.

While Valentine is no small-time manager, and will certainly do well here, he's nothing more than a bridge to the Red Sox getting their man in Farrell for the 2014 season and beyond.

Follow @Jared_Carrabis


Published on December 01, 2011

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