The Saugus Wings met former Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine, middle, at the Cal Ripken Experience week-long tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
BY STEVE KRAUSE
Since he was fired as manager of the Boston Red Sox four years ago, Bobby Valentine has been busy.
He’s athletic director at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn. He’s also the owner of the Bobby Valentine’s Sports Academy (BVSA) in Connecticut, an intensive program that specializes in teaching baseball skills.
As part of the program, he also manages amateur baseball teams, and took one to the Cal Ripken Experience week-long tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C., last week.
Saugus Selectman Mark Mitchell, who manages the Saugus Wings of the New England Baseball League, also took his team to Myrtle Beach last week. The Wings played Valentine’s BVSA Fury in a game. They lost, but they had the last laugh, as they won the tournament by defeating a team from Columbus, Ohio.
“It was kind of surreal,” Mitchell said, on managing against Valentine. “Obviously, with the storied career he’s had as a manager, we were surprised to see him. We had no idea he was the coach. We were surprised to see him come out to home plate (to exchange lineups).”
The other aspect of the game that gave Mitchell and his players a thrill was that it was on the campus of Coastal Carolina, the team that won the recent College World Series.
“That was pretty cool too,” Mitchell said. “Our kids were really excited to play there. Playing against Valentine just added a little spice to the game.”
The Fury and the Wings were two of eight teams in the tournament, which is for players roughly 16 through 19. Some members of Mitchell’s team go to Saugus High, and others to surrounding high schools.
The game against Valentine’s Fury was part of the preliminary, or “pool,” stage. Once all the teams play each other, four emerge as semifinalists. The Fury and Wings were two of them. Valentine’s team lost in the semifinal to the Ohio team Saugus defeated in the final.
“He was very nice to us,” Mitchell said. “Once he found out we were from Boston, he was very excited. He had a big smile on on his face. And he told us he had a lot of friends in Saugus, so he was happy to see us.”
He took his picture with members of the team, signed autographs and told them that if his team couldn’t win the tournament, he was glad Saugus did.
“This seemed as enjoyable to him as it was to us,” Mitchell said.
His happiness about seeing people from Boston didn’t stop Valentine from being competitive, Mitchell said.
“He was very vocal from the dugout,” Mitchell said.
“I’m not sure if he was serious or not, but one of our guys had an elbow guard on, and he kind of stuck it out toward a pitch that was inside. (Valentine) yelled ‘if he sticks his elbow out there again, break his elbow.’ His kid was throwing hard, too. In the mid-80s.”
Saugus led in that game most of the way, and was ahead 5-2 before the Wings had a bad inning and the Fury scored seven runs. They eventually won the game, 10-5.
Mitchell said Valentine could also take a ribbing.
Valentine managed the Red Sox for one season, in 2012, taking over for Terry Francona after the club crashed and burned at the end of the previous season. The Red Sox finished last under Valentine, and the manager was the subject of several controversial incidents that season.
The following year, under John Farrell, the Red Sox won the World Series.
“Our kids are old enough to know that the Sox didn’t have a great season the year Valentine managed them and they were razzing him a little,” Mitchell said. He was laughing and joking and giving it back to them. He was very good-natured. Had a smile on his face the whole time.”
Steve Krause can be reached at [email protected].