Ben Cherington, I’m rooting for you buddy. But with multiple sources now saying that the Red Sox managerial search is down to two candidates – Bobby Valentine and Gene Lamont – I must admit that I’m skeptical. It certainly feels to me like the score is Theo 1, Ben 0. Dale Sveum got away, and I can’t say that I’m surprised. I don’t blame Ben Cherington for this, as he had little shot of contending with Theo in my eyes. But I am holding Benny Boy responsible for selecting the Red Sox next manager, and I can’t say that I’m thrilled with either of these two candidates. My preference is for Valentine, and as Lamont is not nearly as well-known, I’ll focus on him here.
Gene Lamont… lifetime Chicago Cubs fan. I betcha he’s sad that Theo didn’t select him for the Cubs’ managerial vacancy. Lamont is
currently the Detroit Tiger’s third base coach, and has spent much of his big league career following Jim Leyland around. At 65 years old, he’s nearly Leyland’s age. I’m not sure a 65-year-old is the right guy to connect in the Red Sox clubhouse, not to mention the right guy to have a long tenure in Boston. Let’s just say this guy doesn’t look to be super fit, and health concerns could be a serious issue. I mean, does anybody remember how ripped Terry Francona was?
Age being beside the point, let’s focus on Gene Lamont the baseball player. Lamont was a catcher, spending a total of 87 games in the bigs mostly as a back up catcher. For his career he hit .233 with 37 hits and 4 home runs. The highlight of his career was hitting a home run in his first career at bat… against the Red Sox. Needless to say, this is not a “but he was an awesome player” hire.
Now, let’s focus on his career as a Manager. Lamont had two stints as a manager, for the Chicago White Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates, respectively. Both times he landed the job when the club’s existing manager left. In 1993 Lamont did win AL Manager of the Year honors, when he led a Frank Thomas, Robin Ventura, Ellis Burks, and Jack McDowell led White Sox team to a 94-68 record before losing in the ALCS. He was then fired in 1995. In 1997, Lamont would take over the reigns of the Pirates when Jim Leyland left town. After some initial success with a lousy team, he was eventually fired in 2000. Overall, Lamont accumulated a 553-562 record in his managerial career, good for a .496 winning percentage.
To be fair, Lamont coached some lousy teams in Pittsburgh and had some good results with a young team. But neither his playing career nor his managerial career was filled with much success. There are plenty of guys that this is true of, who are still floating around the major leagues because they are great baseball minds. Many of them are bench coaches, or base coaches like Lamont. He may very well be one of them, and I hope for the sake of the Red Sox that he is. But let’s just say that his resume would never have found its way to the top of my pile.
This is Cherington’s first major decision as GM, and one on which his which his own personal success (and likely his job) hinges. Here’s to hoping that Ben Cherington knows something about Lamont that we all don’t.
from what I understand is that valentine is the gm’s choice and lamont is the presidents choice. I am not sure either choice is a slam dunk. I also dont think it is a good sign that in the first major decision with this new group they do not seem to be on the same page.
Agreed that neither is a slam dunk. Who knows if there is internal disagreement on this or not – I’m hesitant to buy into that sort of thing as the quest to find issues with all aspects of the Red Sox only continues. Regardless, we’ll have an answer by Monday I suppose.
Safe to say there is disagreement. Otherwise they would have hired somebody already. Seeing that they didn’t make an offer to Dale Sveum, and looking at the remaining 2 candidates, it looks to me like they want an experienced manager who won’t have to learn on the job. Fine by me. Win Now. Do you think either one of these guys would be able to attract quality pitching and batting coaches?
I’m sure that they both have plenty of contacts having been in the game so long, and the Red Sox organization is a hot ticket for coaches as well. I just wish we could attract a better manager.
I think where there is smoke there is usually fire, and second chris in that if there wasnt a disagreement then they would probably have offered by now.
I do think Valentine would probably be able to attract better assitants because of who he is and connections he has.
While neither choice is an obvious grand slam (let’s stick with baseball metaphors here), the Francona hire in the wake of Grady didn’t exactly ooze pedigree. At the time of his hire, his resume was an far less inspiring playing career and even less notable tenure in charge of Philly. Thus, previous success as a baseball player or manager is not necessarily the best indicator of future success as the manager of the Red Sox. The hiring process has more to do with fit and feel, whose personality and demeanor will work best with the numerous challenges currently facing the 2012 Red Sox.
I support Lamont almost by default (although I did like him best of those on Ben’s initial list in the interest of full disclosure with Svem a close 2nd). There is no way around this, Bobby V is a clown and a sideshow. Listening to him on Sunday Night Baseball was akin to reading a book of 1890s baseball platitudes. Whether in Japan, Texas or NYM he was known more for his antics and charisma than his baseball prowess. Lamont on the other hand is the subtle choice whose demeanor has been compared to Francona’s. His past success and age give him instant credibility in the clubhouse without being an overbearing figure like Bobby V. To violate my own rule and mix metaphors, Rick Pitino failed with the Celtics because he thought people came to watch him coach and that he was as big an attraction as the players on the floor, Bobby V manages in this style, where he becomes the focal point. Francona succeeded for a almost a decade using the complete opposite style. The Sox have not reached the point where they need to suddenly shift the focus off of the players and onto the manager. Lamont continues the style of a player’s manager but is a new experienced voice, not an overbearing spectacle unto himself.
The subject of why is it of critical importance that Cherington be given leeway to make this decision rather than the Ownership Trio contains farther reaching and more dire ramifications than this simple decision, but I’ve rambled enough for this post.
I hear ya – that’s much of my concern with Bobby V as well. I think the charisma could work with some of the players, but others would find him laughable and not take him seriously. Especially those that are something of a problem and loved Terry Francona. Lamont just feels eh to me – I see no real reason to get excited about him. There’s got to be a better option…. I’m hearby throwing my hat in the ring. Hey they hired Theo at 28, why not me at 25?
You’re hired. Now can you run across the street and get us some fried chicken and a few cold ones?
That sir, is one of the few things I can actually deliver.
Bobby V it is. Personally I think he is the better of the options they were left with. He has shown he has the ability to manage players and motivate them and he get results. The guy took the Mets to the world series in just a couple years there, then was able to manage a Japanese team to a championship even though he is coming from an entirely different baseball culture. To me that shows he has some knowledge and knows what he is doing.
I agree.