Redsox’ John W. Henry Denies Players Meeting Report
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Jared Wickerham/Getty Images(BALTIMORE) — As the 2012 Boston Red Sox continue to slide, team owner John W. Henry sent an email out on Wednesday denying the Yahoo Sports! report that the players held a meeting on July 26 with the owners, calling for manager Bobby Valentine to be fired.
“No one in that meeting at any time took the position that Bobby (Valentine) should be or needed to be replaced,” Henry wrote in an email to a number of media outlets.
Bobby Valentine had already addressed the situation but felt obligated to do so again once Henry sent out an email.
“As I said before, I regret the fact that (Henry) has to be out there,” Valentine said. “If we’re 10 games over .500 and in first place right now, I don’t think he’d have to make any statements. I appreciate John coming out and saying that.”
Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia was one of the players mentioned in the Yahoo Sports! report and shot down those rumors on Tuesday, saying the reason for this year’s struggle are solely on the players.
“I feel bad that he has to have that kind of comment,” Valentine said before the Red Sox game with the Orioles on Wednesday. “Dustin is the warrior of warriors, one of the greatest players that I’ve ever been around, and to have to say he’s to blame for something? He’s not to blame for anything. I think we’re in it together, personally.”
After all the chaos, Boston (57-61) fell to the Orioles (64-53), 6-5.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio