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Bobby Valentine, one of the most successful American managers in Japanese baseball, and the Chiba Lotte Marines, agreed to part ways after the 2009 season.
"It's better this way, it gives me a year, and I'm looking forward to the season," Valentine told The Daily Yomiuri by telephone after team president Ryuzo Setoyama announced the team's decision in a meeting on Sunday.
"They did something really good," Valentine said. "They said attendance was up over the past five seasons...revenue was up...the teams results in terms of wins and losses was up, and they thanked me for my contribution to that. And then Setoyama said the team needed a revolution."
Valentine said Setoyama and a new regime will take over the front office functions and baseball operations that the skipper had once overseen.
"This is going to be fun," Valentine said. "I'm not going to have to worry about where the players are going to be three years from now, or whether or not a turnstiles in center field is working."
Valentine led the Marines to a Japan Series championship in 2005 and just missed out on another Japan Series berth in 2007, when the Nippon Ham Fighters, who were managed by another American, Trey Hillman, defeated the Marines in five games in the Pacific League Climax Series.
Probably would have had a nice playing career if not for that.
Go Bobby V.!
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