Players and the manager say a dispute never happened.
Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine continues to attract controversy, some cases more verifiable than others.So who are we to believe, the Boston Red Sox or the New York tabloid media?
The latest report of Bobby Valentine-related problems came with a New York Daily News report that a near-revolt of Red Sox players occurred early in spring training after Valentine came down hard on Aviles during infield drills.
“That happened? Not that I know of,’’ Aviles told media Monday. “It was all news to me, I’ll tell you that much. I don’t know where that’s coming from. I don’t know anything about it.’’
Valentine dismissed it as a product of New York's inventive, blood-scenting media. The Daily News had reporters at Fenway Park over the weekend, and Aviles said nobody asked him about it then.
Dustin Pedroia also said nothing happened in spring training. Did it?
I don't know. I arrived at Fort Myers March 6, and no one said anything about it in the 18 days I was there - even in casual media conversation.
It seems unlikely that Aviles, other players or certainly Valentine would want to acknowledge it now, even if there was an incident. But count me among the very, very skeptical, for a few reasons.
This is a story that seems ancient by modern media's standard of 24/7 news, yet it surfaces now, spurred by a mysterious "source" and therefore impossible to substantiate.
Valentine's reputation preceded him to Boston, but the New York Daily News has its own reputation for flamethrowing headlines. Who among us can say for sure? At any rate, we'll hear more of these reports, I imagine. Call it the Bobby Valentine factor.
Left to to the public will be what - and who - they choose to believe.