Donald Trump is considering appointing former Boston Red Sox and New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine as the United States ambassador to Japan.
Valentine is currently the athletic director at Sacred Heart University, but has reportedly been in talks with President-elect Trump’s transition team, according to WEEI Radio in Boston. Multiple reports have claimed that the former MLB manager is on a “short-list of candidates for the job.”
Bobby Valentine #25 of the Boston Red Sox. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
Valentine and Trump have known each other for a long time and Valentine also happens to be close with Anthony Scaramucci who is serving on Trump’s Presidential Transition Team Executive Committee, WEEI reports.
Valentine’s qualifications also make him a serious consideration for the appointment.
The American baseball coach spent seven seasons in Japan and is still very popular there. Valentine managed the Chiba Lotte Marines during his time there and became the first U.S. born manager to win the Japan Series championship in 2005.
Bobby Valentine and David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Valentine is also close with the current Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who attended the University of Southern California with him.
New Jersey governor Chris Christie was the one to suggest Valentine for the position, according to reports. And it seems as if this very well could happen for the former Red Sox manager.