Biography

Call 1.800.966.1380 to contact Bobby Valentine booking agent, publicist, manager, pr firm, representative and management company for booking Bobby Valentine speaker appearances, autograph signing, endorsement deals or hiring Bobby Valentine as a keynote speaker for your next event. Find Bobby Valentine official website information, speaker fees, booking fees, costs and schedule. Bobby Valentine is the current manager of the Boston Red Sox.

Valentine began his playing career with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He made the roster out of Spring Training in 1971 after winning two MVP awards in the minor leagues. His career never truly blossomed as a leg injury suffered while playing with the California Angels robbed him of his speed. He made a brief appearance with the San Diego Padres, but finished his playing career in 1979 at the age of 29 with the Seattle Mariners.

Valentine’s managing career began with the Texas Rangers in 1985 after serving as third base coach for the New York Mets. He was not able to turn the team's fortunes around right away and the Rangers finished with a record of 62-99. The following season the Rangers finished second in the American League West with a record of 87-75 and Valentine finished second for AL Manager of the Year. Unable to replicate his early success, Valentine was fired halfway through the 1992 season.

In 1995, Valentine began his first stint as manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines in the Japanese Pacific League. That season, the team surprised most Japanese baseball fans by finishing in second place (69-58-3), a remarkable feat for the Marines who had not won the Japanese Pacific league pennant since 1974.

He returned to the U.S. and managed the Mets' Triple-A affiliate, the Norfolk Tides to an 82-59 record. He was promoted to manager of the New York Mets with 31 games left in the 1996 season and led them to a 12-19 record the rest of the way.

Over the next two seasons with Valentine at the helm, the Mets enjoyed a resurgence, finishing 14 games over .500 (88-74) both years. In 1999, Valentine led the Mets to a 97-66 record and wild card playoff berth. The Mets beat the Arizona Diamondbacks in four games en route to the National League Championship Series, where they eventually lost to their division rival the Atlanta Braves in six games.

The next year, Valentine led the Mets to the NL Pennant after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in five games. The jubilation for the Mets would end during the World Series as they were beaten by their crosstown rival New York Yankees in five games. Valentine had an often-rocky relationship with general manager Steve Phillips, who eventually fired him after the 2002 season.

In 2004, Valentine began his second stint as manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines, where he managed the Marines to the Pacific League pennant after 31 years. Nine days later, the Marines won the Japan Series in a four game sweep of the Hanshin Tigers for the first time since 1974.

Following his time in Japan, Valentine accepted a position as a baseball analyst for ESPN.

Valentine is married to the daughter of former Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Ralph Branca, who gave up the famous "Shot Heard 'Round the World" home run to Bobby Thomson in 1951.

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