Q&A With Bobby V

A short but fun little interview with Bobby Valentine:

You began your managing career with the Texas Rangers, which was partly owned by President Bush?

I got there in 1985. George Bush was the managing general partner of a group of men who owned the team from 1989 to the day I got fired.

So he was the one who fired you in 1992?

Yes.

Why didn’t he promote you to a top government position?

I thought an ambassadorship would have worked out fine. The president of the Texas Rangers, Tom Schieffer, who was also part of my firing, is the ambassador to Japan now . . .

. . . Now, as a team manager, you reportedly earn more than $2 million a year. What do you do with all that money?

I give it to my wife.

When is your contract with the Chiba Lotte Marines up?

I have a great situation with my owner. He’s talked about a lifetime contract. On the other hand, we’ve never discussed whose lifetime.

For a while there you used to hear Valentine mentioned as an MLB managerial candidate, but every time you hear from him anymore you get the strong sense that he is enjoying the hell out of life with Chiba Lotte and has no plans on leaving. Good for him.