In this week’s Q&A, Steve Serby hurls some questions to Bobby Valentine — the former Rangers, Mets and Red Sox manager who joins SNY’s on-air team as an analyst for its pre- and postgame coverage starting Opening Day. Valentine will be paired with lead studio analyst Bob Ojeda and host Chris Carlin.
Q: Do you think that you taking a job with the Mets network, people will start saying …
A: Will people say it? Absolutely. That’s what people do. Whaddya think, they’re not gonna say it? Hopefully Terry [Collins] won’t be bothered by what they say. But it’s not a terrible situation for him, at least he knows me. He knows I’m not gonna kill him, or knows that I’m successful enough in my own life that I’m not looking for his job. But, of course, people are gonna say that. Of course! Probably the first thing they’re gonna say — “Hey, he’s trying to ingratiate himself” with … Sandy [Alderson] or someone.
Q: What’s your relationship with the Wilpons?
A: Fred and his wife have always just been class acts to me, very nice, wonderful people. Jeff lives next door [in Greenwich, Conn.]. His kid has trained in my Academy, so I’ve seen him a lot. I haven’t seen Fred in years, a couple, three years.
Q: What are your thoughts on the Mets?
A: I think that they’re hiding in the bushes. I think the Mets think they’re a little better than other people think they are.
Q: Do you see a .500 season perhaps?
A: In that division, everyone’s thinking everything’s breaking for all the other teams, you know? I don’t know that the Phillies are gonna break right. I don’t know that the Nats are going to repeat, and be the greatest team that ever played, and I don’t know that the Braves’ outfield is gonna be what people think it’s gonna be. Those guys have been as disappointing as they are talented in Atlanta — all three of ’em so far in their young careers. What if they’re all hurt or disappointing? Where are they gonna get their runs from? More talented and more acclaimed than the Mets outfield, that’s for sure (chuckle). But they’ve already had a lot of opportunity, and they’ve disappointed more than they’ve … pleased.
Q: So you think it’s …
A: The other teams are gonna have to come back to the Mets. I don’t think the Mets are gonna win 110 games. The Nationals really did look good — that doesn’t mean they’re gonna be good. They’re all young.
Q: What would you tell Mets fans about their chances?
A: You always have to keep the faith. From what I hear, I think the attitude’s right. And the attitude filters down, so Terry and his group, at least right now, they’re filtering the right attitude down, and anything could happen. It’s not like they’re going to go play with eight guys (smile). They’re gonna have nine guys ***** every ***** single game they play. And they’re all gonna be major league players. So, just because one of us talking heads decides that they’re not good enough to compete doesn’t mean that that’s the case. That’s all I’m saying. ’Cause I think they’re good guys. Good guys can do a lot of good things. … A lot of things happen in baseball. And it all starts with attitude, and then you need some talent, and you don’t always need proven talent.
Q: What do you think of David Wright being named captain?
A: He’s a captain-type guy, you know? He walks into the room, people ***** should ***** think he’s the captain. He exudes confidence and … he’s a pleasure to be around. … He’s one of the current guys that I have his uniform hanging here in the restaurant (Bobby Valentine’s Sports Gallery in Stamford) ’cause I like him so much. And a very good player — probably underrated ’cause he hasn’t been in the World Series and stuff, but … he hits good pitching … he uses that right-center-field alley. I like him defensively.
Q: What do you think of Ike Davis?
A: I’d say that there’s a good chance that Ike has the most home runs of any left-handed hitter in New York this year.
Q: How many?
A: I don’t know how many. I hate to put numbers on guys. But I think if he stays healthy — when you see Ike take batting practice, you see the real power. And when he hits a breaking ball that’s out over the plate and he hits it high to center field, it goes over the center-field fence. Not a lot of guys can do that.
Q: Have you seen Zack Wheeler?
A: Only on television.
Q: How about Matt Harvey? Connecticut kid …
A: I don’t like him ’cause ***** he’s ***** from Connecticut, I like him ’cause ***** I’m ***** from Connecticut (laugh). I’ve just seen him on TV, too. Saw him one day in a workout with UConn. Everything you see you gotta like.
Q: You like Jon Niese?
A: Yeah. And I liked him from the start when he was a rookie.
Q: Why?
A: Because he can throw the ball inside for a left-hander. He wasn’t scared, threw strikes, paint that outside corner anytime he wants. I think he’s top-flight. And [Bobby] Parnell, if he gets off to a good start, if they could give him like three runs for a couple of games early in the season, and get some saves under his belt, he could become a monster. He could be one of those guys: “Oh hell, here comes Bobby Parnell.” It could happen, because he has that kinda stuff. Now it hasn’t happened. But in those short samples with closers — momentum, the wave, is as important as the other stuff. And if he gets on the right wave …
Q: But does he have the mentality?
A: I remember, when I was first managing, this mindset thing, after a couple of years I was just begging my GM and friend Tom Grieve — he and I sat on the bench together for the Mets, and that’s how come I became a manager — but I begged him for a closer. And we went into Toronto one time. And this guy came in, with glasses on. And we had the bases loaded, it was the eighth inning, one out … struck out two guys, struck out three in the ninth, and after the game I said, “Now ***** there’s ***** a guy that I’d like to have.” And he said, “Oh, we had him. He didn’t have the right attitude, so we traded him.” Tom Henke. It’s all about getting on a roll. Then you’re made of the right stuff. If a bloop goes in, umpire calls it ball four on a 3-2 pitch, it just turns a closer’s world around.
Q: What did you think of the R.A. Dickey trade?
A: Well, from what I’ve heard from the Toronto guys, they were more than prospects. Especially the catcher. They’re trying to win this year, and they felt Dickey was the guy they needed, and they gave up that guy that they said they’d never give up [Travis D’Arnaud]. If he is that player, that’s what you trade your veteran starting pitcher for.
Q: The Yankees?
A: They gotta figure out how to do it differently early in the season. It might be difficult to figure it out on the fly. I had over $90 million on the disabled list for quite a bit of the season last year, it’s not fun. It’s not easy.
Q: Talk about the young Alex Rodriguez.
A: The best right-handed hitter at the time that I had ever seen, because I think Barry [Bonds was] the best player I ever saw.
Q: Do you think he’ll ever play again?
A: I hope he can. I always felt like we had a little kinship. 2001 we didn’t sign him, and I was managing the All-Star Game, I think … when he made it a point to meet me under the stands to kinda say, “Hey, what went on?” And I told him it would have been great if he was in the uniform, and he said, “You know it would have been great to be in New York.” I liked the heck out of Alex Rodriguez. We almost signed him. … The initial proposal that [agent Scott] Boras was sending around, it was just too much to digest for [then-GM] Steve [Phillips], and some of the people I think. … It was changing the paradigm of how to treat a superstar. A lot of ’em are treated that way now. I understood it. It was going to mean that things were gonna be different.
Q: If A-Rod never makes it back, what do you think his legacy with Yankees fans will be?
A: Oh, he’s been the whipping boy. I think after about 20 years, Yankee fans will be happy that he was a Yankee.
Q: Do you think maybe he was hurt because he wasn’t Derek Jeter?
A: Probably, yeah. Heck, if he wasn’t a Yankee, he would have been the [best] all-time shortstop to ever live. He made like a supreme Hall of Fame legacy sacrifice.
Q: Mariano Rivera’s last year?
A: I’ll bet it’s as good as his other years.
Q: Why?
A: ’Cause he’s great. He’s just one of a kind. He did it with one pitch. It’s incredible what he’s done. It’s indescribable. I can’t fathom putting it into words. I don’t think he’ll ever be anything but great.
Q: If you had Mariano in the 2000 Subway Series, would it have been different?
A: Well it would have been different if they ***** didn’t ***** have him. It’s not like I needed him. In all those series they won, I think it would have been different.
Q: Jeter?
A: I think he’ll come back, and I think when he plays, I think he’ll be just as much a contributor as he always was.
Q: Vernon Wells?
A: I think he’s a world-class talent that went adrift. He could be one of those Yankee guys that comes to the Yankees after they’re through, and carries them to the pennant.
Q: The Dodgers’ spending spree?
A: I think they’d better win, ’cause it doesn’t seem like that ownership will be patient. But I don’t know the ownership and I don’t know where the heck they came up with all the money.
Q: Knowing you as I do, I’m certain you want to manage again.
A: I don’t know. Maybe. July 1 I’m gonna be managing a lot of people [as Sacred Heart athletic director]. Manage in the big leagues? I don’t know.
Q: It’s in your blood.
A: Maybe in a really good situation, but what’s a good situation, I don’t know. But I can guarantee you I won’t manage just to manage.
Q: Do you think you did that last year?
A: Not really, but kind of. I thought it was the right situation. I didn’t have a lot of time to figure it out. It was a real late decision.
Q: Why wasn’t it the right situation?
A: I haven’t had time to evaluate that whole thing.
Q: If you could do anything over again from last year, what would you do over?
A: I would have won 105 games, instead of 69 (smile).
Q: What about the Kevin Youkilis comments, that he wasn’t playing with the same emotion?
A: I think that they were absolutely heartfelt at the time, and they were totally blown out of proportion, and reacted to improperly by the outside world.
Q: How would you characterize the difference between the Boston media and the New York media?
A: All the Boston ever wanted to do is prove that they were a tougher media than New York. And I don’t paint everyone with the same brush, I think some of those guys are absolutely terrific people. And a good group of ’em are absolute horses asses who are unprofessional, lazy and should not be in the business up here, in my opinion. I had one guy never talk to me the whole year because he said to me he didn’t like the answer I gave him in spring training. He covered my team the whole year! I think the New York media knows more about baseball and is more professional.
Q: How do you feel personally about how that experience in Boston ended?
A: It’s an experience that didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to. I’ve run into a wall when I tried to catch a home run, you know? I wanted to catch the home run. That doesn’t mean that I’ll never chase a fly ball again, or it was the wind’s fault or the fence’s fault that I broke my leg trying to catch a home run. I did six months in a uniform, and met a lot of great people, a lot of really good players, had a lot of great experiences. … I thought the fans were spectacular … the female fans, especially, are second to none. … I think it’s ingrained in the families or something. The people who pass you on the street — the mothers, grandmothers — I thought it was incredible, the passion. And we had a lousy season, and I thought the fans were really respectful to the players.
Q: You don’t feel unfulfilled?
A: I would say that there’s 300 million people in the United States, and about 60 million of ’em understand sports, and every one of ’em would have taken a job in Boston wearing that uniform for a year during their 100th anniversary of Fenway Park. I’m a lucky guy. I’m a very lucky guy.
Q: What was your view of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry?
A: The guys in the clubhouse didn’t treat it the way I thought they would. I thought it would be a little more emotional. It was kind of more of ho-hum.
Q: How do you think Youkilis will fare in New York?
A: I’m not sure. It depends on his health, mainly. He didn’t play very much for me as a manager. A couple of weeks, I guess. I saw him play best when he came back in a White Sox uniform when he was healthy. But his back was always on and off, his hamstring was on and off. I never saw him at peak form. I think if he’s healthy, he can use that right-center-field to his advantage. He can give ’em those tough at-bats that they need. They’re gonna need him, that’s for sure, especially at the beginning.
Q: What do you think of Mike Piazza not being voted into the Hall of Fame?
A: I think he will be. He’s a Hall of Fame player.
Q: Roger Clemens?
A: I think he should get in.
Q: Tell me about the night Keith Hernandez frequented your restaurant and you wound up in jail.
A: I was coaching for the Mets, and Keith was good enough, I was just getting started [in the restaurant business]. It was an off night, he came down. (Chuckle). I told him, obviously I said, “Hey, got a lot of girls hanging around, you want to come down?” And Keith showed up. So I was working my butt off, cleaning bathrooms, flipping hamburgers and pouring drinks. It was jammed, you know. I didn’t get much time to spend with him, but he was doing his thing with the customers, which was perfect for me. When I closed the [previous] place, girls worked out of here. Those girls. When I took over, I threw ’em out. But a lot of their business was from truck drivers who drove the corridor, 95, Maine to Florida. There was no email then, you couldn’t tweet that you were moving (laugh). So they stood outside the building, spring, winter, summer and fall, for the first year that I opened. I had this running battle with the pimps and the girls. For years. And they’d walk away, and then they’d come back. And they’d walk around the corner, and then they’d come back. And apparently Keith was leaving at about 1 o’clock, and he came back and he said, “By the way, Bobby, you told me there were a lot of good-looking girls down here — you’re right. Especially the one that hangs out at the parking meter out front.” And she didn’t have any teeth. She wasn’t a good-looking girl, you know (laugh)?
Q: Was he being sarcastic?
A: Oh, ***** totally **** sarcastic. He was just rubbing my nose in it, that here my place has hookers hanging out at the parking meter out in front of the building. I was cleaning up, and about 1:30 in the morning, his words were echoing in my ears. And I went out, and the girls were there, and I started yelling about them moving, and the police came, and saw me yelling, and told me I was making too much noise, told me to get in the backseat of the car, cool down. I wouldn’t cool down. … We rode around the block. I didn’t cool down. They said, “Bobby, if you don’t relax, we’re gonna have to take you in.” I said, “You’re supposed to be taking the people I was yelling at, you’re supposed to take ***** them ***** in!” They said, “No, we’re gonna have to take you in.” And sure enough, I can tell you that there’s no more final a sound than when they close the door on a prison [cell]. Boom! Like this is over. The game is up (laugh). And I got thrown in jail.
Q: For how long?
A: Till the morning. They gave me my one phone call, and I asked for the phone book and I called the mayor. He came about 5:30 in the morning and let me out, and as I got out the gal who reported on CBS radio was waiting. And I said, “Yeah, I got arrested for trying to clean up my hometown (laugh).” Yeah, so I get to work with Ronnie Darling — good guy. I coached Ronnie, too, always loved him. I never was in uniform with Bobby Ojeda, but I’ve spent a lot of time with him, really good guy. I think the Mets did a good thing in having Mets be part of their broadcast.
Q: Surprise team?
A: No one’s looked, but the Red Sox have the best bullpen in the American League, and I think you win with bullpens, so they might surprise some people. I think Kansas City’s gonna be good. I don’t think Detroit’s gonna be as good as they have been. That’s not a professional opinion, that’s an emotional, unprofessional feeling. I haven’t watched them play this spring.
Q: Talk about your SNY gig.
A: I think they just want to bring possibly a little color, a little history, to the pregame, postgame.
Q: You won a pancake-eating contest once?
A: The International House of Pancakes was having a contest. (Proudly shows picture on wall, with caption stating he had eaten 140 pancakes).
Q: You didn’t eat the whole 140?
A: Thirty minutes — documented!
Q: Without syrup?
A: No syrup. That’s what I did, I stuffed ’em in. I ate 122. She [girl in photo next to him] ate 18. It was a coed contest.
Q: You were a rookie at the time.
A: I was a rookie with the Dodgers. I was 20.
Q: How did you feel after that?
A: I went to the girl’s house for dinner ,actually.
Q: What was attractive about Sacred Heart job?
A: Something new, challenging … be around young people … be around a creative and exciting environment. That’s trying to do things. It’s a Division I university with 31 Division I sports teams.
Q: I still think you’d be happier in a dugout managing.
A: Thanks for thinking that, for whatever reason that you think that, but I don’t know. I don’t have visions of it being this greatest place in the world — I never have. I’ve had visions of me doing the job that needs to get done, and thinking that I could do it as well as anyone. … I don’t wake up in the morning and think about myself in uniform. I don’t wake up in the morning and think of myself giving a squeeze sign. … As an athletic director, I probably can go in the dugout anytime I want (smile).