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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.
“…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.
359 pages, Hardcover
First published November 30, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 16, 2022
As long as you go into this book knowing that Bobby loves him some Bobby, you'll enjoy it.
December 12, 2021
When Bobby Valentine passes away (which should not be for a long time, God willing), don’t be surprised if the obituaries feature a photo of him wearing sunglasses, a t-shirt and a painted-on mustache. This is the “disguise” that he assumed after being ejected from a Mets game so he could continue to run the team. According to the rules, this was a no-no for which he was fined and suspended; according to Valentine, it was just a joke.
This seems to be a theme of his memoir, written with the assistance of veteran sports journalist Peter Golenbock. He does things his way. If you agree, you’re his friend for life. If you don’t, change “friend” to “foe.”
To hear Valentine tell it, he was one of the greatest athletes to come down the pike, and if not for a serious leg injury --- which he reports was medically mishandled by the doctors --- he might be in the Hall of Fame. He was Ichiro before there was Ichiro, he claims, invoking the name of the superstar who, after a great career in Japan, came to the US to become a future Hall of Famer.
To read VALENTINE’S WAY, no one was faster, played better defense or had a better baseball brain than Valentine. That last quality carried over to his stint as a commentator for ESPN’s baseball coverage. He was also a renaissance man, taking credit for inventing the sandwich wrap as an ever-expanding restaurateur and coming up with similar groundbreaking contributions to society. (His attempt to become mayor of his hometown of Stamford, CT this year came up short, perhaps due, in part, to his characterization of his female opponent as a “35-year-old girl.”)
To be fair, Valentine was a star athlete in school, much sought-after by colleges, drafted as a high round pick before the injury that cut short what indeed might have been a superlative career. His superior brain pretty much demanded that he become a manager. He managed three MLB teams over a 17-year span, his best result being a World Series loss with the Mets in 2000 against the crosstown Yankees. Overall, his teams --- including the Texas Rangers and a disastrous single season with the Boston Red Sox --- had a collective record of 1,186-1,165. Whatever shortcomings they suffered were, according to Valentine, not his fault, but rather those of subpar or malcontent players, duplicitous general managers and agents, or just plain bad luck.
Valentine did enjoy some success in his second stint as a manager in Japan, which he reminds the reader came as a result of his innovative ways. Those chapters are a bit less interesting, however, as he throws around a lot of unfamiliar names.
You may agree or disagree with Valentine’s version of how his life progressed. As one might expect, such hubris rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. They included fans, sports radio hosts and sportswriters who were out to get him, misrepresenting his comments, although a careful reading will show a degree of disingenuousness on his part. Add to this the aforementioned players, coaches, team executives and owners, and you get a sense of paranoia.
Reviewed by Ron Kaplan
This seems to be a theme of his memoir, written with the assistance of veteran sports journalist Peter Golenbock. He does things his way. If you agree, you’re his friend for life. If you don’t, change “friend” to “foe.”
To hear Valentine tell it, he was one of the greatest athletes to come down the pike, and if not for a serious leg injury --- which he reports was medically mishandled by the doctors --- he might be in the Hall of Fame. He was Ichiro before there was Ichiro, he claims, invoking the name of the superstar who, after a great career in Japan, came to the US to become a future Hall of Famer.
To read VALENTINE’S WAY, no one was faster, played better defense or had a better baseball brain than Valentine. That last quality carried over to his stint as a commentator for ESPN’s baseball coverage. He was also a renaissance man, taking credit for inventing the sandwich wrap as an ever-expanding restaurateur and coming up with similar groundbreaking contributions to society. (His attempt to become mayor of his hometown of Stamford, CT this year came up short, perhaps due, in part, to his characterization of his female opponent as a “35-year-old girl.”)
To be fair, Valentine was a star athlete in school, much sought-after by colleges, drafted as a high round pick before the injury that cut short what indeed might have been a superlative career. His superior brain pretty much demanded that he become a manager. He managed three MLB teams over a 17-year span, his best result being a World Series loss with the Mets in 2000 against the crosstown Yankees. Overall, his teams --- including the Texas Rangers and a disastrous single season with the Boston Red Sox --- had a collective record of 1,186-1,165. Whatever shortcomings they suffered were, according to Valentine, not his fault, but rather those of subpar or malcontent players, duplicitous general managers and agents, or just plain bad luck.
Valentine did enjoy some success in his second stint as a manager in Japan, which he reminds the reader came as a result of his innovative ways. Those chapters are a bit less interesting, however, as he throws around a lot of unfamiliar names.
You may agree or disagree with Valentine’s version of how his life progressed. As one might expect, such hubris rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. They included fans, sports radio hosts and sportswriters who were out to get him, misrepresenting his comments, although a careful reading will show a degree of disingenuousness on his part. Add to this the aforementioned players, coaches, team executives and owners, and you get a sense of paranoia.
Reviewed by Ron Kaplan
February 15, 2023
Bobby V is nothing if not an excellent storyteller, and in this autobiography, he's the hero on every page. His baseball life straddles so many eras, and he has as insightful a baseball mind as there is. He was there for the rise of analytics, the steroids era, and the late 90's Mets, and he has a lot to say about all of those times, in stories that are often hilarious and always candid. As a Red Sox fan, I particularly enjoyed Bobby's chapter on his disaster of a tenure as manager in Boston, in which he portrays himself as somehow wronged and misunderstood while everyone else around him conspired against him. In the hands of the great Peter Golenbock, Bobby Valentine's baseball life made for a story well worth reading, though you might want to keep your grain of salt ready for certain moments in the narrative. I'm not going to say Bobby V is a liar, but there might have been a fake mustache here and there on his memories as he wrote this.
June 4, 2024
A quick read that will take you down memory lane if you grew up in the 70's, 80's and 90's. I enjoyed the trip through his history. If you are a baseball fan, you will enjoy the book. Bobby V's stories are great, but if you are looking for good writing, literature, you might want find another book. I enjoyed the tales and back stories to what goes on in the MLB. I say if you are a baseball fan, read the book!
July 18, 2022
My family has known Bobby for many years. I enjoyed this trip down memory lane (even if a few of the dates weren't exactly right). I know Bobby rubs a lot of people the wrong way -- his "New York little man syndrome" thing can be off-putting. Personally, I just like the man and am appreciative of both the kindness he's shown me over the years and his interesting baseball mind.
October 16, 2022
Add a star if you love seeing and hearing names from 70’s and 80’s MLB, which I do. Otherwise this book is grade school-ish in how it’s written and edited. Bobby V, true to his reputation, is full of opinions and not shy about sharing the names of players, managers and executives who have wronged him over the years.
November 19, 2022
This was exactly as I expected.
I did enjoy reliving the late ‘90s/early 2000s Mets teams - and also the Stamford references.
I did enjoy reliving the late ‘90s/early 2000s Mets teams - and also the Stamford references.
April 27, 2023
Bobby’s life was interesting to read about being from the same hometown. The writing style was tough to chew.
January 19, 2024
I am a fan of New York Mets. It was an interesting read to find out what goes on behind the scenes of baseball.
February 24, 2024
While he's certainly had a full life, Bobby V. is not for everyone. A solid three stars.
March 31, 2022
Full disclosure: I didn't finish this. The self-worship tone was distraction enough that I stopped.
February 5, 2022
MLB seen through the eyes of Bobby V. Experience as a ballplayer, manager, entrepreneur that led him around the world and culminating with a fine Japanese baseball wa.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews