The addition of Valentine's name to the process makes it even more difficult to locate a pattern with the team's managerial search. The reported candidates include the experienced and inexperienced, the analytical and the old-school, the demanding and the easy-going.
Valentine has experience, but it's hard to call him old-school when he once snuck into the Mets dugout with a fake mustache after being tossed from a game. In addition to the Mets, he's also managed the Rangers and the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan.
Gene Lamont is another well-known name in baseball circles. Lamont was a career .223 hitter, but he's better known as a manager and coach. He led the White Sox to consecutive division titles in 1993 and 1994 before a less-successful four-year stint with the Pirates from 1997-2000. He's currently the third base coach in Detroit.
Torey Lovullo is familiar with the Red Sox, as he managed the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox in 2010. He has interviewed for several managing jobs, including the Dodgers and Pirates in the past, and he now coaches first base for the Blue Jays.
Young fans might recognize Sandy Alomar Jr. from his playing career, which ended a mere four years ago. The two-time All-Star catcher has never managed at any level, but he was reportedly one of the finalists last offseason for the Blue Jays' job and served as the Indians' bench coach in 2011. He's also been a minor league catching instructor for the Mets and first base coach for the Indians.
