Valentine's Way: My Adventurous Life and Times
A frank and often hilarious account of the baseball life from one of the game’s great iconoclasts.

“...the most entertaining baseball book of the year!” —Baseball Almanac

From his first year in Rookie ball, when Tommy Lasorda ordered him to send a letter to the Dodgers’ starting shortstop informing him that he should retire early to make way for the young phenom, to appearing in disguise in the Mets’ dugout following an ejection, Bobby Valentine was a lightning rod for mischievous controversy, grabbing headlines wherever he went. Mavericks are seldom welcomed to upset the status quo, and Major League Baseball was no exception.

In astonishing detail, Bobby Valentine reflects on the many remarkable moments that comprised his playing and managerial careers. From his wild times as a player in the early seventies, to his transition to coaching with the Mets after a catastrophic injury derailed his playing days; from managing the Texas Rangers in 1985, where he employed sabermetrics and witnessed the beginning of the steroid era, to his iconic stretch at Shea Stadium, when he led the Mets to the 2000 World Series while battling a dysfunctional front office and ownership; from his beloved time in Japan managing the Chiba Lotte Marines, who won the Japan Series, to the absolute disaster of a season in Boston, where he was greeted by a toxic clubhouse and fractured organization. Readers will be intrigued by his off-the-field exploits as well, from his early years as an international ballroom dancing champion to his post-playing days where he may have invented the wrap sandwich and the modern sports bar. Valentine has consistently overcome adversity and reinvented himself, regardless of the playing field. Along the way, he shares stories and insights on memorable moments and iconic personalities, including Nolan Ryan, Ichiro Suzuki, Gary Carter, Mike Piazza, Tom Seaver, Joe Torre, George Steinbrenner, Dustin Pedroia, and David Ortiz.

Valentine’s Way is a riveting look back on forty years of baseball, written with a novelist’s mind and a journalist’s memory, and in collaboration with legendary baseball author Peter Golenbock. A once-in-a-generation book that leaves no great story untold, this is an invaluable document for anyone wondering what it’s really like to play and work in the rarified world of Major League Baseball.
"1139646301"
Valentine's Way: My Adventurous Life and Times
A frank and often hilarious account of the baseball life from one of the game’s great iconoclasts.

“...the most entertaining baseball book of the year!” —Baseball Almanac

From his first year in Rookie ball, when Tommy Lasorda ordered him to send a letter to the Dodgers’ starting shortstop informing him that he should retire early to make way for the young phenom, to appearing in disguise in the Mets’ dugout following an ejection, Bobby Valentine was a lightning rod for mischievous controversy, grabbing headlines wherever he went. Mavericks are seldom welcomed to upset the status quo, and Major League Baseball was no exception.

In astonishing detail, Bobby Valentine reflects on the many remarkable moments that comprised his playing and managerial careers. From his wild times as a player in the early seventies, to his transition to coaching with the Mets after a catastrophic injury derailed his playing days; from managing the Texas Rangers in 1985, where he employed sabermetrics and witnessed the beginning of the steroid era, to his iconic stretch at Shea Stadium, when he led the Mets to the 2000 World Series while battling a dysfunctional front office and ownership; from his beloved time in Japan managing the Chiba Lotte Marines, who won the Japan Series, to the absolute disaster of a season in Boston, where he was greeted by a toxic clubhouse and fractured organization. Readers will be intrigued by his off-the-field exploits as well, from his early years as an international ballroom dancing champion to his post-playing days where he may have invented the wrap sandwich and the modern sports bar. Valentine has consistently overcome adversity and reinvented himself, regardless of the playing field. Along the way, he shares stories and insights on memorable moments and iconic personalities, including Nolan Ryan, Ichiro Suzuki, Gary Carter, Mike Piazza, Tom Seaver, Joe Torre, George Steinbrenner, Dustin Pedroia, and David Ortiz.

Valentine’s Way is a riveting look back on forty years of baseball, written with a novelist’s mind and a journalist’s memory, and in collaboration with legendary baseball author Peter Golenbock. A once-in-a-generation book that leaves no great story untold, this is an invaluable document for anyone wondering what it’s really like to play and work in the rarified world of Major League Baseball.
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Valentine's Way: My Adventurous Life and Times

Valentine's Way: My Adventurous Life and Times

Valentine's Way: My Adventurous Life and Times

Valentine's Way: My Adventurous Life and Times

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Overview

A frank and often hilarious account of the baseball life from one of the game’s great iconoclasts.

“...the most entertaining baseball book of the year!” —Baseball Almanac

From his first year in Rookie ball, when Tommy Lasorda ordered him to send a letter to the Dodgers’ starting shortstop informing him that he should retire early to make way for the young phenom, to appearing in disguise in the Mets’ dugout following an ejection, Bobby Valentine was a lightning rod for mischievous controversy, grabbing headlines wherever he went. Mavericks are seldom welcomed to upset the status quo, and Major League Baseball was no exception.

In astonishing detail, Bobby Valentine reflects on the many remarkable moments that comprised his playing and managerial careers. From his wild times as a player in the early seventies, to his transition to coaching with the Mets after a catastrophic injury derailed his playing days; from managing the Texas Rangers in 1985, where he employed sabermetrics and witnessed the beginning of the steroid era, to his iconic stretch at Shea Stadium, when he led the Mets to the 2000 World Series while battling a dysfunctional front office and ownership; from his beloved time in Japan managing the Chiba Lotte Marines, who won the Japan Series, to the absolute disaster of a season in Boston, where he was greeted by a toxic clubhouse and fractured organization. Readers will be intrigued by his off-the-field exploits as well, from his early years as an international ballroom dancing champion to his post-playing days where he may have invented the wrap sandwich and the modern sports bar. Valentine has consistently overcome adversity and reinvented himself, regardless of the playing field. Along the way, he shares stories and insights on memorable moments and iconic personalities, including Nolan Ryan, Ichiro Suzuki, Gary Carter, Mike Piazza, Tom Seaver, Joe Torre, George Steinbrenner, Dustin Pedroia, and David Ortiz.

Valentine’s Way is a riveting look back on forty years of baseball, written with a novelist’s mind and a journalist’s memory, and in collaboration with legendary baseball author Peter Golenbock. A once-in-a-generation book that leaves no great story untold, this is an invaluable document for anyone wondering what it’s really like to play and work in the rarified world of Major League Baseball.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781637580943
Publisher: Permuted Press
Publication date: 11/30/2021
Pages: 376
Sales rank: 1,028,245
Product dimensions: 6.10(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Bobby Valentine was the fifth player chosen in the 1968 draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, but his major league playing career was cut short by a broken leg several years later. He began his managerial career in 1985 with the Texas Rangers, before going on to manage the Chiba Lotte Marines; the New York Mets, whom he took to the 2000 World Series; and the Boston Red Sox. A second stint with the Marines resulted in the team winning the Japan Series and Asia Series in 2005. In 2002, he was awarded the Branch Rickey Award for his donations to and personal work with survivors of the 9/11 attacks. In 2018, the Emperor of Japan bestowed upon him the Order of the Rising Sun. He has also worked as an analyst for ESPN. Currently, he is the executive director of athletics at Sacred Heart University, the proprietor of the Bobby Valentine Sports Academy, and an owner of Makuhari Media, a company that produces sports documentaries. He was raised and resides in Stamford, Connecticut where he was named Citizen of the Year in 2011.

Peter Golenbock, who also grew up in Stamford, is one of the nation’s best-known sports authors. He has written ten New York Times bestsellers, including The Bronx Zoo (with Sparky Lyle), Number 1 (with Billy Martin), Balls (with Graig Nettles), George: The Poor Little Rich Man Who Built the Yankee Empire, and House of Nails (with Lenny Dykstra). He lives in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Table of Contents

Introduction vii

Chapter 1 Growing Up 1

Chapter 2 College Bound 17

Chapter 3 I'm a Dodger 25

Chapter 4 A Lucky Break 37

Chapter 5 Spokane 40

Chapter 6 MVP 44

Chapter 7 I'm an Angel 72

Chapter 8 Agony 80

Chapter 9 Trying to Come Back 83

Chapter 10 I Manage 99

Chapter 11 The Trial 105

Chapter 12 Oh What a Year 111

Chapter 13 I Catch a Break 116

Chapter 14 Texas 138

Chapter 15 Tom and I Have a Plan 147

Chapter 16 George W. Bush 161

Chapter 17 Why This Job Is So Hard 169

Chapter 18 Fired 182

Chapter 19 A Year in Japan 186

Chapter 20 You Want Me to Manage Where? 198

Chapter 21 We Trade for Mike Piazza 213

Chapter 22 Steve Is Suspended 221

Chapter 23 My Coaches Are Fired 228

Chapter 24 We Come So Close 235

Chapter 25 My Big Mouth 245

Chapter 26 World Series or Bust 251

Chapter 27 The World Series 260

Chapter 28 Embarrassment 267

Chapter 29 9/11 271

Chapter 30 Discord 284

Chapter 31 A Return to Japan 293

Chapter 32 Bobby Magic 304

Chapter 33 Japan League Champions 317

Chapter 34 Fenway at 100 326

Chapter 35 After Baseball 352

Epilogue 355

Acknowledgments 357

About the Authors 359

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