Former MLB manager Bobby Valentine joined Carton & Roberts to discuss the passing of his friend, legendary Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda.
Lasorda, 93, died at his home on Thursday night, the Dodgers announced on Friday. The two-time World Series winner had been in declining health recently, including treatment in the intensive-care unit during a hospital stay in December.
Valentine, one of Lasorda's proteges, said Lasorda was a special person with a rare ability to connect with people.
The gregarious skipper was known for dining out when the Dodgers were on road trips, and would often "captivate" diners with small talk and baseball stories, Valentine said.
Lasorda even had President Reagan and "a bunch of dignitaries from Italy" rapt for 40 minutes while telling a story in "broken Italian" during a White House visit, he added.
Above all, he enjoyed meeting people from all walks of life.
"He could put on a jogging suit or tuxedo -- wherever he went he fit in," Valentine said. "He was an amazing connector of people in life."
Lasorda embraced his role as the rare baseball manager with national recognition, Bobby V said.
"If Twitter was around in 1966, he'd probably have 20 million likes -- or followers. He liked the idea of being famous, but he liked the idea of being famous because he was good at it. When he left a room, a club house -- people felt better. He had a unique way of remembering peoples' faces and their situations."
But despite his celebrity, it was always "family and baseball."
Those values shaped Valetine's career, he said.
"I wanted to know my players, like he knew me when I was a player. You know, I was at the hospital when Rafael Palmeiro's son was born. I've been at kids' graduation ceremonies. I wanted to know and make sure that the wife was comfortable. I wanted to know that the house was done.
"Tommy was the first to do that. I played for Walter Alston before Tommy got to the big leagues, and Walter called me 'Billy.' Walter didn't care that my name was Bobby, because there were a bunch of Billys on the team."
Perhaps what best defined Lasorda was his loyalty, according to Valentine, who said the Dodgers skipper continued working on one-year deals throughout his career despite receiving multiyear offers from other teams.
It carried over into his final act as well.
"The thing about Tommy, he's married to Jo now for 70 years. When he left the hospital -- people said he'd never get out of the hospital room. He got out of that hospital room this time because he was going to die at home with his wife of 70 years. And that's what he did. He was a loyal dude. This guy, he was loyal to the bitter end."
"I could not imagine Tommy Lasorda in any other jersey, and I'm glad it never happend," said host Evan Roberts.
Elsewhere, Valentine explained how Lasorda encouraged him he was ready to step into the spotlight of New York City when he was offered the Mets manager job.
"When I got the Mets job, he said 'Hey you know, you're ready for this. The reason you took the other jobs was to get you ready for this job.' He was spot on. He was totally spot on."
Finally, Bobby V. addressed the Amazin's blockbuster acquisition of shortstop Francisco Lindor.
"I don't know how Jared, Steve and Sandy sleep at night because they have to be so excited about the opportunity that they've been given working for Stevie Cohen, and the Met fans have to be even more excited.
"That was an amazing trade. It was, 'Well, if we could only do this -- and they did this. I'm really excited about that.'"
Valentine "absolutely" sees parallels between the pivotal trade that brought Mike Piazza to the Mets in 1998.
"It's a pretty good team that needed a little boost. And this is a pretty good team that needed that little extra boost -- and I think they're going to get it."
Listen to Bobby V's entire segment with Carton & Roberts below.