Former Texas Rangers and New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine, now an analyst with ESPN, has withdrawn his name from consideration for the managerial job with the Baltimore Orioles, Valentine confirmed Wednesday.
Valentine likely will become the top candidate for the Marlins' managerial job, which opened Wednesday with the firing of Fredi Gonzalez.
"I am honored and flattered that the Orioles reached out with this potential opportunity, but at this time in my career, I feel I should direct my energies in another direction," Valentine said.
Valentine's announcement came on the same day that the Marlins fired Gonzalez and two of his coaches. Valentine has been a friend of Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria for 20 years, and there has been contact over the last year about Valentine's interest in managing the Marlins. But Valentine has never had anything close to a formal interview with the club.
With Gonzalez being fired, the Marlins are expected to interview Valentine for the managerial job. Edwin Rodriguez, the Marlins' Triple-A manager, was named interim manager Wednesday.
Former New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks and Rangers manager Buck Showalter, now an analyst at ESPN, is interviewing Wednesday with the Orioles about their managerial job. Valentine and former Indians manager Eric Wedge have also interviewed for that job.
Tim Kurkjian is a senior baseball writer for ESPN The Magazine.