Seriously, it wasn't that long ago that it looked like Bobby Valentine would have the pick of the litter of terrific manager jobs.
Everyone knew the Braves job was going to go to Fredi Gonzalez... but the Cubs job looked available, as did the Marlins and Dodgers.
The Mets were out there as were the Mariners and Blue Jays. And a place like Milwaukee could be a fit. And the challenge of Pittsburgh could have been attractive.
Well the pickings are getting slim now. The Dodgers handed the keys over to Mattingly where he seems destined to fail.
The Cubs, Diamondbacks and Marlins surprisingly kept their interim managers. Toronto and Milwaukee each swiped coaches from other teams.
The Mariners dusted off Eric Wedge, the Pirates look like they are closing in on Clint Hurdle and the options have all whittled down to one team:
The Mets.
He's not going back to the Mets. And new GM Sandy Alderson doesn't care for strong willed managers.
He'd rather hire a cardboard cutout of Bobby Valentine than the real McCoy.
I wonder what gives. Say what you want about Bobby V... he's a solid baseball mind and could be exactly what a dead from the neck up franchise could use.
Plus his personality and unpredictability make him damn good for the game.
Is he interviewing badly?
Is he giving that all knowing smirk to the owners making his potential employers feel silly?
Either way, I think baseball is going to be a little more dull in 2011 because the Cubs went with Mike Quade and the Mariners took Eric Wedge out of mothballs instead of giving Bobby V a shot.
