THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 18, 1996 TAG: 9601180555
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
Norfolk Tides manager Bobby Valentine returned to Harbor Park Wednesday and stressed that after managing in Japan last season the only ``international'' he's concerned about now is ``the Tides playing in the International League.''
Valentine, who became the first American to manage a Japanese professional team, met with invited guests of the Tides organization for a luncheon at Hits at the Park, the restaurant overlooking rightfield at Harbor Park.
Same old Valentine - engaging and able to spin a yarn - but with some new twists as he begins his second stint as manager of the New York Mets' Triple-A farm team.
This time, he's replacing Toby Harrah rather than preceding Harrah, as he did twice in his career, with the Texas Rangers and the Tides.
This time, Valentine intends to move his family - wife Mary, son Bobby, three collies and a Jack Russell terrier - to South Hampton Roads for the five-month season.
This time, the Tides should have more talent. The New York Mets' minor league operation was labeled best in the game by Baseball America magazine this past season. That wasn't the case when Valentine managed the Tides to a 67-75 mark in 1994.
Valentine said he's happy to have a second chance with the Tides. His 1994 campaign ended abruptly when he left the team 10 days before season's end to undergo surgery for diverticulitis, a form of intestinal blockage. Then the chance to be a ground-breaker in Japanese baseball presented itself.
For this second chance at the helm of the Tides, who won the IL West Division title last season, Valentine signed a two-year contract with the Mets organization.
But there are other contractual obligations before he gets down to Tides business. Valentine is writing a book, to be released in Japan in March, about his one-year stint with the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Japanese Pacific League. He will meet with book editors in Connecticut next week.
Then he's off to New York, followed by a return trip to Japan - Major League Baseball has retained Valentine's services to help open an MLB Properties store overseas.
After going home to Fort Worth, Texas, for two days, he will return to Norfolk for ODU's annual baseball clinic, head for Vancouver for six days of snow skiing, return home for another two days, then head for the Mets' spring training camp in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
There, Valentine expects to be the recipient of a highly qualified pitching staff. The Mets are inviting 22 pitchers to their major league camp, which begins the day before - what else? - Valentine's Day.
``If I were to random a guess, I'd say the Mets will keep 10 of them, trade two, send eight to us and send the other two to Double-A or Single-A,'' Valentine said. ``Either way, I expect we'll have a great staff on opening day.''
That would be April 4, when the Tides open an eight-game home stand - four against Toledo, four against Columbus.
Did a season in Japan, where there is a more disciplined approach to the game, change Valentine's managerial philosophy?
He said he'd have to wait until opening day to know the answer.
``When I went over there, I was still young enough to learn new things,'' said Valentine, 52. ``All my baseball thoughts and beliefs were put on the table. At one point I had to convince myself that everything I believed was proper. And I retooled some thoughts that weren't applicable.
``But I won't know how applicable it'll all be over here until that first pitch.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by CHRISTOPHER REDDICK, Virginian-Pilot
Bobby Valentine's first day back on the job as manager of the
Norfolk Tides on Wednesday included receiving a cap from team
president Ken Young, right. Valentine, who managed the Tides in
1994, was the first American to manage a Japanese professional team
last season.
by CNB