Red Sox Rumors & News: Ellsbury, Valentine, Cherington, Lucchino

Big day in Boston as Jacoby Ellsbury awaits final word on his MVP candidacy and the team interviews suddenly-hot Bobby Valentine:

• No matter who it might be, this has to be Ben Cherington's manager - WEEI | Rob Bradford
  "What should be understood about Cherington is that while this is his first gig as a general manager, he has sat in the GM passenger seat basically for the past six years. And before that he was exposed to just about every element of a baseball operations office you could hope for. In short, he has earned the right to be treated as somebody who doesn't need the kind of training wheels that come with hiring a manager who has been around the block. "
• Red Sox owners send a Valentine to new GM - Jeff Passan
  "Bobby Valentine and Ben Cherington will meet all day Monday to discuss the Boston Red Sox’s managerial job. They will trade philosophies, assess personnel and feel out each other’s personalities. Then Cherington, Boston’s new general manager, will return to ownership with his verdict. If Cherington approves, sources said Sunday, Valentine in all likelihood will be the Red Sox’s next manager."
• Sure to perform in managerial position - BostonHerald.com
  "If it’s true that ownership is bringing Valentine into the mix and that rookie GM Ben Cherington wanted a numbers-crunching Sveum type, then John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino could be in for a surprise. The Big Three might think they’d have "their" guy as manager, but sooner or later Valentine would say, 'OK, I need you three guys to get out of here. Go buy a soccer team or something so I can make out my lineup card.'"

• Ellsbury finds out MVP fate today - BostonHerald.com
  "The Most Valuable Player award will be announced at 3 p.m., and the speedy center fielder coming off one of the greatest all-around seasons in club history has a legitimate chance at winning."
• Firm hold of the reins - BostonHerald.com
  "Yes, the revelation that Bobby Valentine is a strong candidate bears the fingerprints of the Big Three, especially those of Valentine’s friend, Lucchino. And yes, the timing of that revelation appears to have put new GM Ben Cherington in an awkward spot with regard to questions about secrecy and autonomy. So it should come as no surprise that Lucchino, who has helped hire and fire managers since 1985, is taking the lead role."