Bobby Valentine has been out of Major League Baseball for nearly nine years. He last managed the Red Sox during the 2012 season and was fired after leading the team to a 69-93 record, a mark that was, at the time, their worst record in nearly 50 years. After that debacle, it became clear that Valentine's management career was over, so he turned his attention elsewhere.
Since 2013, he has been the Athletic Director at Sacred Heart University. But now, the former MLB player and manager will be taking on a new challenge: He's going to be running for mayor of his hometown, Stamford, Conn.
Valentine made the announcement via his social media platforms and YouTube on Friday and highlighted a desire to give back to his community.
"The greatest commodity I have is my time, and I want to give my time and my energy and my wherewithal back to the city that has given me so much over my lifetime," Valentine said.
MORE: Albert Pujols' best fits after release from Angels
Valentine actually does have some experience in city management, as he served as Stamford's health and public safety director in 2011. He left that post after being offered a job by the Red Sox.
Of course, Red Sox fans may be wondering why Valentine would be taking a shot at city management after failing as a manager during his lone year in Boston, but it's important to remember that Valentine had a lot of success as a manager earlier in his career. He led the Mets to the NLCS and World Series during the 1999 and 2000 campaigns and currently ranks 48th in MLB history in total wins with 1,186 as well.
In addition to his relative success in MLB, Valentine led the Chiba Lotte Marines to a Japan Series title in 2005. He was beloved by the fans during his five-year stint with the Marines.
Valentine is running as an independent and will have at least two challengers in the race, Democratic incumbent David Martin and state Rep. Caroline Simmons. If elected at age 70, Valentine will be the oldest ever to be elected for a first term as mayor of Stamford.
