Bobby Valentine Has Snapped

In case you missed it, here's Bobby V. going completely off the rails.

Joining Glenn Ordway and Michael Holley on WEEI 93.7 FM's "The Big Show" this afternoon, Bobby Valentine exploded on his critics when asked whether or not he's "checked out" on the season. Calling it "an embarrassing thing to say," Bobby added "if I were there right now, I'd punch you right in the mouth."

Yup.

The Red Sox' manager took further umbrage when questioned about his late arrival to the clubhouse during a game against the Athletics, saying he was "pissed off" and questioning the integrity of anyone who would report that. He had been late after picking up his son, arriving on a delayed flight, at the airport.

The thing that Bobby doesn't seem to get is this: he's brought it on himself.

Yes, the Boston beat is tough, with certain elements bordering on insane, but that's the challenge you accept when coming to this town and taking over this team. While Bobby Valentine tried early on, he seems to have become increasingly frustrated with the media to the point where lately he's basically shut down when talking to them.

Cases in point:

"Who cares who's pitching?" Valentine said. "Why is this such a big thing?"

"Just a mistake," he deadpanned in such a way that it was hard to tell if he was joking. "Is that what it says on the lineup? What the (expletive). Switch it up. Who knows? Maybe it will look good. I haven't seen it."

Asked how difficult the six-game losing streak has been on Sunday evening, a despondent Valentine just muttered, "What difference does it make?"

Credit Brian MacPherson for all three.

Bobby explained away the last one later in the interview by saying he meant it didn't matter how he felt about it, but this just gets back to the remarkable lack of communication that seems to have marked Bobby's entire tenure here. Now it's just with the media instead of his coaches and players.

He wants the media to read his mind about that last quote. He also wanted them to read his mind and make excuses for him later in the interview when asked about his in game decisions, particularly surrounding Alfredo Aceves' overuse. "Well why didn't you think of that? Or why didn't someone write that?" he asked after giving a fairly logical reason.

Simple, Bobby, because you didn't mention it, and because they've given up asking you questions when all you give them back is dismissive snark.

Maybe if this were a different town with a different media, this atmosphere and relationship never would have developed. But it has, and Bobby has managed to make the media look like the more reasonable of the two sides. His interactions with the media speak to surrender, speak to "checking out," but for some reason he thinks it's unreasonable to ask the question.

It's just impressive he found the response that takes the lowest road of all: "If I were there right now, I'd punch your right in the mouth."

Well done.