The Zen of Bobby V

This docu-film came on ESPN earlier today, and I'm just now watching it on the DVR.

Very intriguing backstory: Three NYU students approached Bobby Valentine about the idea, and after they made another movie that got picked up by HBO, they hooked up with ESPN, which provided the financing for them to produce it. They follow Valentine around Japan -- where he's a cult hero as manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines; they named a street after him when he became the first foreign manager to win the Japan Series in '05.

The NYT review made an interesting comment about his life in Japan (his wife reportedly comes to visit every other month): Said it's hard not to think of Bill Murray in "Lost In Translation," the lonely ex-pat superstar.

I've always liked Bobby V -- hated his Mets teams, of course, but always had a soft spot for him. He's like this generation's Billy Martin, only without the marshmallow salesmen (or the World Series title.)

Quality film, so far. And if nothing else, it's a superb look at the Japanese baseball culture.

 

Premiered last week...an excellent film. Really enjoyed the hell out of it.

The Mariners could do a lot, lot worse than firing Bavasi and McLaren and having Bobby V do both jobs.

 

Bobby V is a massive fraud who has won jack in his career, and he totally lucked into a World Series appearance.

Billy Martin is rolling over in his grave at the thought of even being compared to Mr. Fraud.

 

I don't really give a damn about Bobby Valentine one way or the other, but this is a really, really well-done piece. Very interesting, and Valentine comes through as a great character. This isn't a student film, it's a professional film that happens to be made by students.

 

The part of spnited will be played tonight by wicked.

Seriously, I'll say the same thing I say to spnited: The dude turned a team with a starting outfield of Benny Agbayani, Jay Payton and Timo Perez into a World Series club. And they would have won it all if Armando Benitez didn't have balls made of peanuts.

What have the Mets done since Bobby V left? Not a goddamn thing, unless you count losing to the 83-win Cardinals in the 2006 NLCS as something to be proud of.

 

I just bit my tongue clean off.

 

Laugh if you must, but the guy wanted the Mets to sign Ichiro and was laughed out of the room by Freddie Coupons and Steve Phillips. But hey! They got Tsuyoshi Shinjo a year later!

If I were Bobby V, I'd only go some place where I could have both jobs, too.

 

The Mets were able to overcome the weak outfield in 2000 since they had one of the greatest offensive catchers of the past 50 years. And the guys at the corners were pretty good, too.

The rotation that year (Leiter, Hampton, et al) wasn't horrible.

 

I'll give you Piazza. Bona-fide Hall of Famer.
Ventura, legit All-Star. Leiter, the same.

But Zeile, Bordick and Alfonzo in the IF? Agbayani, Payton and Bell in the OF? Mike Hampton, washed up at 28, as your co-ace? Reed, Rusch and Bobby A.B.C. Jones to fill out the rotation?

Chumps.

And Valentine took that shitty team to the Series. Fraud? Hardly.

 

Wasn't great, either. Hampton and Leiter were both inconsistent and Bobby Jones had an ERA north of 5.00 before he morphed into Tom Seaver for the NLDS clincher against the Giants. Rick Reed was a dependable strike-thrower and Glendon Rusch had his one good season. And sure, Piazza was in his prime. Who'd he have protecting him though?

Outside of 1999--when the Mets won 97 games DESPITE two losing streaks of at least seven games--and 2002, Bobby V coaxed overachievement out of the Mets.

Edit: Fucking Bucky, beating me to the punch again!

 

If Rick Ankiel hadn't started throwing the ball everywhere, the Cards would've been in the series, easily.

 

You might have misunderstood the reason for the tongue biting. I should have known better than to sacrifice an important body part based on you having a clue.