The Boston Globe's Bob Ryan and Dan Shaughnessy join Lou Merloni on "Sports Sunday" to discuss how soon after the season ends do the Red Sox pull the trigger on letting Bobby Valentine go?
Shaughnessy says he's clearly "in the Thursday camp," which would be the day after the season ends.
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"Thursday should be the day," Shaughnessy said. "Then everybody get on with their lives." The Red Sox should waste little time in finding their next manager, he added.
Ryan, too, is thinking it will happen soon after the season ends. He had endorsed the Valentine hire back in December but said he's the first to admit that it didn't work out.
"I thought it had a chance," Ryan said. "It didn't work out. Just say, 'Thank you for your service and goodbye.'"
As far as what role ex-Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek will play as a special assistant to general manager Ben Cherington, Shaughnessy says Varitek should be given time to grow into a role. And it shouldn't be as a replacement for Valentine.
"There's a learning curve," Shaughnessy said. "He's not ready to go right into the dugout."