Appointing Bobby Valentine Ambassador to Japan Isn't As Crazy As It Sounds

According to WEEI sports radio here in Boston, former Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine could be our next Ambassador to Japan.


The idea isn't as crazy as it sounds. Valentine, who also managed the Texas Rangers and the New York Mets, also managed the Chiba Lott Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan in 1995 and again from 2004 through 2009 guiding the team to a Japan Series and an Asian Series championship in 2005. Since 2013, Valentine has been the athletic director at Sacred Heart College.


When President Obama appointed Caroline Kennedy to be Ambassador to Japan in July 2013, I argued that Randy Bass was the better choice. Bass was the most successful American born player in Japan falling a home run short of Saduharu Oh's single season record of 56 in 1985 and winning four consecutive batting titles. His .389 average in 1986 was the highest in Japanese history. Not even Ichiro could surpass that. Affectionately known as Basu in Japan, Bass is also a Democrat State Senator in his native Oklahoma. But Bass is no Kennedy.


So if President-Elect Trump taps Valentine it will be one of his better decisions. Valentine will certainly do better as Ambassador to Japan than he did as manager of the Red Sox.