No Offer To Bobby V or Lamont From Red Sox
BOSTON (CBS) - The Boston Red Sox are almost two months into their managerial search, and while they have spoken to both Bobby Valentine and Gene Lamont twice about the open position, neither candidate has received an offer.
"I communicated with both Bobby Valentine and Gene Lamont (Sunday), neither one has heard from the Red Sox at all this weekend," ESPNBoston's Gordon Edes told Dan Roche on WBZ-TV's Sports Final OT Sunday night. "Something has to happen this week. You've got the winter meetings starting in Dallas this weekend. If you remember when Terry Francona was here, he played a very active roll in the recruitment of free agents."
Roche & Edes Talk Red Sox Manager Search
"Here, now you have a situation where agents are going to be shopping their free agents, and ask 'hey, do you have any idea who your manager is going to be?'"
Valentine is actually in Japan, visiting the tsunami-ravaged city of Sendai on Monday.
General Manager Ben Cherington had originally hoped to fill the vacancy by Thanksgiving. While that deadline has come and gone, it is down to Valentine and Lamont. At least that is the collective thinking everywhere outside of Yawkey Way.
And these two final candidates couldn't be more different.
"Polar opposites," said Edes. "Bobby is charismatic, dynamic; he's a lightning rod for both attention and controversy. When he was in New York with the Mets, he fought with his players, his general manager, the media."
Read: Sox Offer Arbitration To Ortiz, Wheeler
"Gene Lamont, as I said, polar opposite; very laid back. Former Manager of the Year with the White Sox."
With all the drama that has surrounded the search, from the day Terry Francona "stepped down" to the Dale Sveum second interview that went nowhere, having anyone but the fiery Valentine take over would be a let down, says Edes.
"It seems to me to be terribly anti-climactic after a search that has gone on for this long for the Red Sox to announce a guy like Gene Lamont,' he said. "While he enjoys a decent reputation within the game, its been 11 years since he's managed, he turns 65 on Christmas day. If you're going to make a splash it's going to be Bobby V."
When the announcement comes, that is still anyone's guess.
