Fans react to firing of Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine

By Katheleen Conti, Globe Staff

Fans outside Fenway Park today commented on the firing of Bobby Valentine. (Katheleen Conti/Globe Staff)

Opinions were divided this afternoon on Yawkey Way about the firing of Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine.

“I don’t think this year was all Bobby V’s fault, but when you win 69 games with the payroll that the Red Sox have, someone’s gotta go,” said Greg Bidgood of Boston.

Steve Spellman of Boston said, “I really agree with the team’s protocol. Bobby just couldn’t get it done. Granted, we had injuries all year — and just trading Youk away just really broke my heart — but outside of that, though, it’s going to be really good just to move on forward.”

But Reverend Bill Lohan of Wrentham sounded a different note. He said Valentine should have been given another year.

“I think a year is a short period of time to give anyone a shot,” Lohan said. “It’s not a team that he built, and they [ownership] should have taken that into consideration. Sometimes we can be very harsh in the way we assess blame. Bobby Valentine had been away from baseball for a few years, and this is a tough market.”