Boston Red Sox Fire Bobby Valentine, He Never Had A Chance

The Boston Red Sox fired manager Bobby Valentine today after one disastrous season in Beantown. Even Stevie Wonder could see this coming. After going 69-93, their worst season in 47 years, in a year loaded with turmoil, Valentine was let go. Bobby V never really had a chance.

Back in September of 2011, baseball pundits suggested that the Red Sox needed a disciplinarian type, a fiery manager that could shape up a group that effectionately called themselves the "idiots." However, there were questions back in spring training as to whether Valentine could help fix the organizational structure of Boston's beloved baseball team. Frankly, it was a match made in hell.

It can't be overstated that Valentine's short tenure was disastrous. Even with a fair chance, Bobby V probably would've struggled. But Valentine is who he is, he airs things out, wears his emotions on his sleeve, and expects his players to react a certain way to their mistakes. At the end of the day though, Valentine was never empowered...not by ownership and certainly not by the players in the clubhouse.

Terry Francona established a clubhouse culture of workman like freedom. The type of freedom that works when everyone does their job and shares in a common goal. It worked for years, but began to get out of hand late in the 2011 season. Bobby V entered a volatile situation, and the clubhouse refused to adjust to his "way" of managing. Their refusal came off as very unprofessional. At times, so did Valentine, particularly when he aired "dirty laundry" to the media.

Just because you work in a professional sport doesn't make you a professional. During the 2012 season, many in the Boston Red Sox club didn't work like a professional...and didn't act like one either.