According to WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford, the Red Sox had conversations with the Marlins about acquiring both shortstop Jose Reyes and pitcher Josh Johnson — and were also willing to take on utilityman Emilio Bonifacio if necessary. However, the Sox reportedly were unwilling to talk further because of the likelihood that top prospect Xander Bogaerts would need to be included in such a deal.

The rest is history. Reyes, Johnson and Bonifacio were dealt — along with Mark Buehrle and John Buck — to the Blue Jays in what was a huge offseason overhaul for both Miami and Toronto. The Red Sox, meanwhile, brought in a number of mid-tier free agents.

Johnson told WEEI.com that he had his wife on high alert during the 2012 season, sensing that a trade was possible. Once the trade deadline passed and the season eventually ended, though, Johnson didn’t hear trade rumors, so he was caught off guard a bit by the news that he was headed to Toronto.

Johnson admitted that he did ask around in 2012 about what it would be like to play in Boston. The man he turned to was old friend Cody Ross, who spent the 2012 season with the Red Sox before signing with the Diamondbacks in the offseason.

“I had a good buddy on the team, Cody Ross. Just talking to him, he said I would love it,” Johnson reportedly said. “We went to dinner when [Boston] was in Miami. There was just small talk, joking around, like, ‘You would like it here.’ Stuff like that.”

The Red Sox and Blue Jays obviously find themselves on complete opposite ends of the spectrum to begin this season. The Sox enter Thursday’s game with a 19-8 record, while the Jays are in the basement of the American League East with a 10-18 mark. Johnson has struggled mightily in four starts and Reyes has been on the disabled list.

Surely, the Red Sox have no regrets with their decision to hang up the phone.

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Photo via Facebook/Jose Reyes

Alfredo Aceves

Aceves is expected to have a prominent role on the Red Sox pitching staff as a long reliever/spot starter, but there was still some speculation during spring training that Boston could eventually decide to deal him away. While it’s unclear if the Sox ever considered such a move, a few teams had interest in Aceves, according to The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo.

As Cafardo points out, though, Daniel Bard‘s situation, coupled with the injuries to Franklin Morales and Craig Breslow, made it impossible for the Red Sox to pull the trigger on a trade. Aceves is simply too important to the team’s bullpen right now, even if his behavior sometimes rubs people the wrong way.

Aceves went 2-10 with a 5.36 ERA in 2012, but he proved to be a very important pitcher for the Sox the year before. The 30-year-old went 10-2 with a 2.61 ERA in 2011 while pitching for the club in various roles.

A few teams had interest in Alfredo Aceves but Bard's situation coupled by injuries to Morales and breslow made a deal impossible

—
Nick Cafardo (@nickcafardo) March 31, 2013

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According to Scout.com’s Kiley McDaniel, the Red Sox have jumped to the front of the line when it comes to Devers, who is among the 16-year-old international prospects that MLB teams can start signing on July 2.

American, Canadian and Puerto Rican players can be drafted at age 17 or 18 — once they graduate from high school — but players from other countries can be drafted at age 16. Often times, they are. For example, the Seattle Mariners signed Felix Hernandez as soon as he turned 16. Clearly, that worked out well.

Obviously, a player as elite as Hernandez is rare, but the former Cy Young winner serves as proof that it’s important for teams to keep an eye on what 16-year-old international players will become available to sign once July 2 rolls around.

According to McDaniel, Devers is a 6-foot, 195-pounder who hits left-handed and throws right-handed. McDaniel reports that he was told before scouting Devers that the Dominican is the best hitter in this class, and it’s something that McDaniel has since confirmed.

McDaniel reports that the Red Sox are “hot on Devers’ trail for a seven-figure bonus other teams are unlikely to top.” Devers reportedly lacks projection at this point, although McDaniel considers his upside to be as an “everyday third baseman.”

Have a look at Devers taking batting practice and hitting during an at-bat in the videos below. Then, click the link below that for a more detailed scouting report from Scout.com.

Click here to read more about Devers >>

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Chris Young

Young, who was an All-Star as a member of the Padres in 2007, had been pitching for the Nationals this spring, but the club granted him his release on Tuesday. Young reportedly “loved” playing with the Nationals, but he exercised his opt-out clause in the hopes of securing a major league contract elsewhere.

Realizing that Young would soon hit the open market, a number of teams sent scouts to Young’s start against the Astros on Monday. Those teams included the Red Sox, Orioles, Blue Jays, Twins, Indians, Cubs, Cardinals, Brewers and Mets, according to FOXSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal.

The Washington Post’s Adam Kilgore reports that the Nats are “hopeful, if not optimistic,” that they can lure Young back if he doesn’t find a major league deal elsewhere, but the 33-year-old has put together a rather impressive spring.

Young made four starts and allowed five runs (four earned) in 16 innings (2.25 ERA) before his release. He held opposing hitters to a .193 average, and he didn’t allow a run in his last nine innings.

Young made 20 starts with the Mets last season, and went 4-9 with a 4.15 ERA. The righty notched back-to-back double-digit win seasons in 2005 and 2006, before then earning the All-Star nod while going 9-8 with a 3.12 ERA in 2007.

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Photo via Wikipedia/Chris Young

General manager Ben Cherington should ultimately use that line of reasoning in determining Andrew Bailey’s short-term future with the club.

Bailey’s name has been the subject of trade speculation ever since the Red Sox acquired Joel Hanrahan earlier this offseason and subsequently anointed the former Pirates closer the new ninth-inning man in Boston. Perhaps the rumors are just that, but the Rangers reportedly spoke with the Red Sox about Bailey, so it’s obvious that there’s at least some level of interest in the 28-year-old right-hander.

There’s been this assumption in the wake of the Hanrahan trade that the Red Sox could be willing to part ways with Bailey, who is slated to make $4.1 million this season. Upon the club signing Koji Uehara, another late-inning reliever, the gossip only seemed to intensify. But while the bullpen appears to be an area of depth for the Red Sox, the club should be in no rush to compromise that depth, unless it means significantly improving in another area. That seems unlikely, and therefore the Red Sox should hang up the phone faster than they picked it up when it comes to discussing a trade involving Bailey.

A recent FOXSports.com report suggested that the Red Sox could satisfy the Tigers’ desire to add late-inning relief help by trading them Bailey in exchange for starter Rick Porcello, who will earn a similar salary in 2013. That’s nice in that Porcello would give the Red Sox some added starting pitching depth, but why deal someone who could have an integral, carved-out role in pressure situations for someone who will more or less serve as a sixth starter? Wouldn’t Bailey, who has the ability to shorten games for Boston, hold much more value?

It’s understandable that Bailey’s name has come up, simply because of the big, ol’ elephant in the room. Bailey was a two-time All-Star while closing out games in Oakland, and surely he expected to resume such a role in Boston before Hanrahan was given the keys to the ninth. But Bailey has been the consummate professional throughout the entire transition, and it appears he’s more than willing to take on an eighth-inning setup role, with Uehara also working in a similar capacity.

The Red Sox should embrace Bailey’s willingness rather than fight it, and to their credit, they have. The club has a very formidable trio in place at the back end of the bullpen, and it’s one of the reasons that contending this season isn’t outside the realm of possibility. Therefore, to insist that the Sox rush into a deal or to label Bailey as “expendable” involves a failure to recognize the current strength of that unit.

The biggest reason that the Orioles were able to surprise everyone and reach the postseason in 2012 was because of the strength and depth of their bullpen. The O’s were 29-9 in one-run games and 16-2 in extra-inning games, which is obviously a reflection of being able to shut down opponents late in ballgames. By comparison, the Red Sox were 17-22 in one-run games and 2-10 in extra-inning games.

Five of the top seven teams in bullpen ERA made the playoffs in 2012, and six of the top seven in bullpen WHIP punched their tickets to the postseason. Obviously, there are plenty of factors that impact those numbers, including the performance of the starters, who must ensure that the bullpen isn’t taxed night in and night out. It’s still difficult to downplay the importance of a strong relief corps, though, especially coming off a season like 2012, in which the Red Sox were plagued by inconsistent starting pitching that led to Boston compiling the eighth-most bullpen innings in baseball.

If the Red Sox get blown away by a trade offer for Bailey, then, of course, they’d probably consider it, but that’s the case with any player. For now, the Sox are best served keeping what has the potential to be a dangerous, three-headed monster in place.

The phone can keep ringing with calls about Bailey, but expect the Red Sox to keep pressing “ignore.”

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Andrew Bailey

The Rangers are looking for bullpen help, and Bailey may be of interest to them, according to MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan. The Rangers and Red Sox reportedly have spoken this spring, although it’s unclear to what extent.

Bailey became the subject of plenty of trade speculation this offseason after manager John Farrell announced that the recently acquired Joel Hanrahan would be Boston’s closer in 2013. Bailey was originally tapped to be the team’s closer, but he’ll instead serve in a setup role.

Bailey, who is set to make $4.1 million this year, served as Oakland’s closer for three seasons before being traded to the Red Sox, so his name is a popular one to toss around when it comes to teams in need of relief help. Only adding to the speculation is the fact that the bullpen figures to be an area of depth for the Red Sox this season.

The Rangers are reportedly concerned about their right-handed setup relief behind Joe Nathan and Jason Frasor.

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Lyle Overbay

Scouts from the Yankees have been watching Overbay closely, according to The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo.

As Cafardo points out, the Yankees could need a left-handed bat to complement Juan Rivera at first base. Mark Teixeira, of course, will start the season on the disabled list because of a wrist injury, and we learned recently that the injury may be even worse than originally thought.

Overbay, who the Red Sox signed to a minor league deal this offseason, could opt out of his contract on Tuesday. The Sox would need to pay Overbay $100,000 if they didn’t want to keep him on the major league roster but wanted to send him to the minors — per the new collective bargaining agreement.

Overbay was signed to compete for the job of backup first baseman behind Mike Napoli. The team later added Mike Carp, though, and the two have both been trying to prove themselves since.

Overbay is batting .222 (8-for-36) with seven RBIs, six walks and a .341 on-base percentage this spring.

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Rick Porcello

We learned early Wednesday that the Red Sox don’t appear to be pursuing Porcello, but FOXSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal reports that the Sox were among the teams scouting the right-hander’s most recent start. The Padres, Rangers, Orioles, Dodgers and Cardinals reportedly were also represented when Porcello pitched in a game between High-A affiliates of the Tigers and Astros on Wednesday.

Keep in mind that this development doesn’t necessarily mean the Red Sox will jump into the mix for Porcello. While they could seek pitching depth, they might instead consider options that wouldn’t require them to part ways with any real talent. The Tigers seem to be looking for a decent return in exchange for Porcello, who is still young and who could still evolve into a very solid major league starter with a bit more consistency.

Porcello went 10-12 with a 4.59 ERA in 31 starts for the Tigers last season. He holds a 48-42 record and a 4.55 ERA in 120 career starts.

ESPN’s Jim Bowden reports that the Padres have turned down two offers from the Tigers. The Padres reportedly declined to deal Huston Street or Luke Gregerson for Porcello.

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Photo via Facebook/Kevin.Ward

Chien-Ming Wang

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that Wang has agreed to work out at the team’s minor league complex as New York contemplates signing the 32-year-old hurler, according to the New York Daily News. Wang’s agent, Alan Nero, told The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo that the Red Sox have not indicated any interest in the right-hander, though.

Wang, who spent five seasons with the Yankees from 2005 to 2009, pitched 12 scoreless innings in the World Baseball Classic for Chinese Taipei. He struggled in 10 games (five starts) with the Nationals in 2012, though, going 2-3 with a 6.68 ERA.

Wang won 19 games with the Yankees in both 2006 and 2007. He finished second in AL Cy Young voting in ’06, and he went 55-26 with a 4.16 ERA during his five seasons in New York before injuries really started to take their toll.

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The Red Sox are not currently pursuing Porcello, who has been the subject of trade speculation recently, according to FOXSports.com.

There has been plenty of talk all offseason about whether the Tigers are looking to move Porcello, and the Rangers and Padres have reportedly been the most active in pursuing the right-hander. The Orioles have reportedly also scouted Porcello, but the same, apparently, can’t be said for the Sox, who some consider to be a match.

According to the FOXSports.com report, the Red Sox would be able to satisfy the Tigers’ desire for late-inning relief help by offering Andrew Bailey. The two pitchers’ salaries line up, and the Sox acquired Joel Hanrahan this offseason to become the team’s closer, inherently giving rise to questions about Bailey’s long-term future in Boston. The Red Sox are reportedly reluctant to compromise the depth of their bullpen, though, as it figures to be one of the team’s biggest strengths this season.

The Red Sox’ starting rotation also looks set, with Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Ryan Dempster, Felix Doubront and John Lackey in the mix to start the season. The need for depth stems from the injury to Franklin Morales, who figured to be Boston’s spot starter this season.

Porcello went 10-12 with a 4.59 ERA in 31 starts last season. The 24-year-old owns a 48-42 record with a 4.55 ERA in 120 career starts.

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Photo via Facebook/Rick Porcello

Brennan Boesch

The 27-year-old outfielder, who was released by the Tigers on Wednesday, has had an appetite for streaking throughout his three-year career. When he’s been good, he’s been really good. And when he’s been bad, it’s been unbearable.

Given that level of inconsistency, the Red Sox would be better off filling out their roster from within, even if Boesch’s ceiling is a bit higher than some of the other options currently in place.

Boesch exploded onto the scene with the Tigers in 2010 after being ranked the organization’s 25th-best prospect that spring. In 65 first-half games (267 plate appearances), he posted a .342 average, .397 on-base percentage, .593 slugging percentage, 12 home runs and 49 RBIs as an up-and-coming 25-year-old. It was enough to put him alongside some elite company, and it even led to him being considered an American League All-Star snub.

Then, as is often the case with young hitters, pitchers started adjusting to Boesch, realizing that he has a tendency to swing at anything and everything. That led to the outfielder pulling one of the biggest 180′s imaginable. He followed up his sizzling first half with a second half that saw him post a .163 average, .237 on-base percentage, .222 slugging percentage, two home runs and 18 RBIs in 68 games (245 plate appearances).

Understandably, 2010′s Jekyll and Hyde act generated some concern. Boesch had to again prove himself, as he had essentially undone all that he accomplished in the first half of 2010 with his historically bad second half. Boesch impressed early in 2011, putting up a .306 average, .360 on-base percentage, .490 slugging percentage, 12 home runs and 44 RBIs in 84 first-half games (347 plate appearances). But sure enough, as was the case in 2010, Boesch’s production plummeted off a cliff following the Midsummer Classic, and he posted a .219 average, .288 on-base percentage, .368 slugging percentage, four home runs and 10 RBIs in 31 second-half games (125 plate appearances) before undergoing season-ending thumb surgery.

Boesch’s entire 2012 season was unremarkable, with his highest of highs failing to turn heads and his lowest of lows showing that there are still some significant flaws in his game. Boesch’s biggest asset has always been his bat, but he finished the season with a .240 average, .286 on-base percentage, 12 home runs and 54 RBIs in 132 games. That obviously didn’t sit well with the Tigers, especially since he’s fairly limited defensively — something that had disastrous potential in a very large Comerica Park outfield.

A team will give Boesch a big league opportunity, and some team should, simply to see if he can finally put it all together offensively for a full season. According to various reports, the Red Sox, Yankees, Mets and Astros are all at least considering the idea. In the case of Boston, though, it’d be wise to step back and let someone else take the flier.

Manager John Farrell has a lot to figure out before Opening Day now that it’s looking less and less likely that David Ortiz will be ready. Those questions have the potential to be answered internally, though.

While Boesch is a left-handed hitting outfielder — something the Red Sox made a priority during the offseason — he actually has better numbers against lefties, which makes him a less-than-ideal platoon option to put alongside Jonny Gomes, a right-handed hitter who fares better against lefties.

In addition to the concerning righty/lefty splits, Boesch’s approach at the dish doesn’t exactly coincide with Boston’s 2013 offensive approach, which appears to be largely centered on patience and discipline. Boesch has swung at 39.5 percent of the pitches he’s seen outside the strike zone since 2010, which is the 14th-worst mark in baseball, and pitchers continue to exploit that flaw. Of the pitches Boesch has faced since 2010, 40.9 percent have been outside the strike zone, which is the 10th-highest among qualified big league hitters. That means Boesch needs to make adjustments. Otherwise, it’s hard to envision him ever reaching his maximum potential on a consistent basis, because hurlers will continue to pitch to his weakness.

As far as the bench outfield options that the Red Sox currently have, Jackie Bradley Jr. seems like the popular choice because of his superb defense, immense potential and spring training production thus far. The club could ultimately decide he needs more minor league seasoning, though, in which case Daniel Nava, Lyle Overbay and Mike Carp figure to garner some playing time in the Boston outfield.

Perhaps none of those players are capable of going on a month-long tear, but it’s hard to envision Boesch doing so in Boston either. Boesch likely wouldn’t garner much playing time, and for a guy who has stuck around the bigs because of some streaky hitting, that could decrease his overall value even more.

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Photo via Flickr/Keith Allison

The Tigers released Brennan Boesch on Wednesday, and according to The Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham, the Red Sox are discussing the outfielder internally to determine whether he’d be an upgrade to their bench.

Boesch put together a productive 2011 season, but the 27-year-old regressed in 2012. Boesch and the Tigers avoided arbitration in January with a one-year, $2.3 million pact, but Detroit is only on the hook for one-sixth of that salary now that he’s been released.

Boesch hit .240 with a .286 on-base percentage, 12 home runs and 54 RBIs in 132 games last season. In 2011, he hit .283 with a .341 on-base percentage, 16 home runs and 54 RBIs in 115 games.

If the Red Sox ultimately decide to pursue Boesch, they’ll likely have some company. CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman reports that the Mets appear to have interest in Boesch, and the New York Post’s Joel Sherman reports that the Yankees will at least look into the possibility of signing the outfielder.

Would Brennan Boesch be a good fit for the Red Sox? >>

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Photo via Flickr/Keith Allison

Javier Vazquez

According to The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo, the Red Sox had major interest in Vazquez before a knee injury put the pitcher’s season in jeopardy. The Nationals, Orioles, Yankees and Brewers reportedly were among the other teams to consider the 36-year-old free agent.

Vazquez sat out the 2012 season, but he apparently drew interest this winter while pitching in Puerto Rico. The right-hander was reportedly touching 95 mph on the radar gun — even though it’s hard to believe — and big league clubs, including the Sox, reportedly sent scouts down to check him out.

Vazquez’s major league career could now potentially be over, though. Not only did he sit out the 2012 season, but Vazquez has reportedly been dealing with an injured right knee. The ailment will keep him from pitching in the World Baseball Classic, and according to Ruben Rodriguez of El Nuevo Dia, Vazquez won’t pitch in the majors this season.

There is, of course, the possibility that Vazquez attempts another comeback after healing from the injury. It might be a long shot considering all of the factors involved, though.

Vazquez went 13-11 with a 3.69 ERA while pitching for the Marlins in 2011.

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Alex Gonzalez, who has since signed with the Brewers, held a workout in Miami in mid-December to prove he’d recovered from ACL surgery, according to MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. Gonzalez reportedly said that more than a dozen teams sent scouts, including representatives from the Red Sox.

McCalvy reports that Gonzalez even thought the Red Sox might be the best fit for him because they needed a shortstop at the time. Boston opted to sign Drew instead, though, all but ending the chances of Gonzalez reuniting with the Sox for the second time.

Gonzalez, who turned 36 this month and figures to play a backup role in Milwaukee, played for the Red Sox in 2006. He hit .255 with nine home runs and 50 RBIs in 111 games. The defensive-minded shortstop was later sent back to Boston from Cincinnati in 2009, at which point he hit .284 with five home runs and 15 RBIs in 148 at-bats over the span of 44 games.

According to McCalvy, Gonzalez also came close to signing with the Cardinals this offseason before eventually inking a one-year deal with the Brewers.

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The Sox have also discussed the Mariners’ Mike Carp as a potential backup, according to The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo. Carp was designated for assignment last week.

Carp hit .213 in 164 at-bats last season, and is a career .255 hitter in 545 at-bats. The 26-year-old is a left-handed hitter and has the ability to play both first base and the outfield, which is something that would certainly be an asset to the Red Sox. Napoli, of course, figures to be Boston’s everyday first baseman, but his hip condition makes the need for a solid backup that much greater. Plus, a left-handed bat capable of playing the outfield could spell Jonny Gomes from time to time when the Sox face right-handers.

Carp hit .276 with 12 home runs and 46 RBIs in 79 games in 2011.

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Photo via Wikipedia/Mike Carp

According to WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford, a major league source said that it is “highly unlikely” the Red Sox will sign Lohse, who is considered the top free-agent pitcher remaining on the open market.

The Sox have been linked to Lohse in the past, but that was before Boston opted to sign Ryan Dempster, who now figures to be the team’s No. 3 starter behind Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz. A very confident John Lackey is also still in the mix, while Felix Doubront figures to round out the staff — with Franklin Morales also capable of starting some games.

You can never have too much pitching, and you can certainly never have too much quality pitching. Lohse, who is coming off a season in which he went 16-3 with a 2.86 ERA for the Cardinals, fits the mold of a quality pitcher. However, signing Lohse would require the Red Sox to give up draft pick compensation in addition to making a sizable financial commitment.

That’s something general manager Ben Cherington probably isn’t too keen on, even if the Red Sox still have money available.

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Photo via Flickr/Keith Allison

Franklin Morales

According to The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo, a few teams have contacted the Sox about Morales this offseason and a few others have the left-hander on their list of pitchers to watch closely in spring training.

Morales went 3-4 with a 3.77 ERA in 37 appearances last season. While the lefty served primarily in a relief role, the Red Sox did use him as a starter for nine games, which evidently was enough to intrigue some teams. Cafardo notes that teams will be interested this spring to see if Morales can consistently maintain his high velocity — around 96 mph to be exact — for a full outing.

While it’s unclear which teams contacted the Red Sox about Morales, Cafardo thinks that the Nationals could be a suitor if Gio Gonzalez is forced to miss any time as a result of his alleged involvement with a PED-selling, anti-aging clinic in Miami.

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Daisuke Matsuzaka

According to The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo, the Astros and Mets are “kicking around the possibility” of adding Matsuzaka, whose six-year stint in Boston wasn’t exactly illustrious.

Matsuzaka won 18 games in 2008, compiling a good-looking 2.90 ERA along the way, but the rest of his tenure with the Red Sox was marred by both injuries and inconsistent production. Now, he’s facing a very uncertain future.

As Cafardo points out, Matsuzaka could opt to return to Japan, where he became a legend before embarking on his subpar major league career. If the righty thinks he has a good chance of cracking a big league squad, though, he could decide to stick around, although whichever team signs him will be hoping he ups his level of play.

Matsuzaka went 1-7 with a 8.28 ERA in 11 starts last season. Overall, he’s 50-37 with a 4.52 ERA.

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According to Peter Gammons, before signing Overbay, the Red Sox had an NL team offer to get them Chris Coghlan from the Marlins as part of a three-way trade.

Obviously, this news doesn’t mean a whole lot, as it’s unclear if those talks ever went anywhere or whether Coghlan is someone the Red Sox would be interested in pursuing even in the wake of signing Overbay. If nothing else, though, it shows that some team over in the Senior Circuit was trying to set Boston up to fail.

Coghlan, a former first-round pick of the Marlins, has been in a downward spiral since earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2009. The 27-year-old hit .140 with a .393 OPS in 93 at-bats last season before the Fish had enough of his woes and sent him down to Triple-A in June for the remainder of the season.

It should be noted that Coghlan has never played first base in his big league career, although he would have represented a potential left-handed bench option for the Red Sox. Overbay, on the other hand, fits both of those descriptions and doesn’t stink, which is always a plus.

Before signing Lyle Oberbay, Boston had an NL team offer toget them Chris Coghlan from Miami in 3-way. .850-.595 4-yr. OPS scary.

— Peter Gammons (@pgammo) February 1, 2013

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Photo via Facebook/Chris Coghlan

Bobby Valentine

According to the Connecticut Post, Valentine is among the candidates to become Sacred Heart University’s new athletic director.

Don Cook has served as Sacred Heart’s executive director of athletics for the past 20 years, but he’ll be retiring this year, leaving an opening that Bobby V. is apparently interested in. Valentine, a native of Stamford, Conn., reportedly visited the school’s campus in Fairfield about two weeks ago.

Valentine is reportedly among several candidates up for the gig, but he’s by far the most recognizable among New England baseball fans. The former Mets and Sox skipper proved during a tumultuous 2012 campaign with Boston that he’s every bit of the interesting — and polarizing — character he’s cracked up to be.

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