Despite the team’s on-field struggles and reports of growing dissension in the clubhouse, Red Sox team president Larry Lucchino stated earlier today that manager Bobby Valentine will remain with the team at least until the end of this season.

Red Sox president Larry Lucchino left no doubt about Bobby Valentine’s fate for the short term, stating in no uncertain terms his manager won’t be fired before the end of the season.

In an interview Thursday morning on Boston sports radio station WEEI, he was asked by host John Dennis whether Valentine would “unequivocally” remain as manager for the rest of this season. Lucchino replied with a simple “yes.” [ESPN]

Not exactly a ringing endorsement. Ideally you’d like a little more elaboration on your job status from your boss than a one-word answer, but I suppose it’s better than nothing. Three letters better, to be exact. Anyway, I mainly bring this up because I just wanted to remind all of you that one time Bobby Valentine got ejected from a baseball game he was managing, then put on a fake mustache and snuck back into the dugout only to be spotted by the umpire and ejected again one inning later.

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It’s been a confusing few days for the organizations who inexplicably want the services of outfielder/DH Johnny Damon, the 36-year-old former Red Sox star who has slowly morphed from a player who based his career on his ability to run into a player who’s basing his career on the fact that he used to be able to run. He’s always had maybe the weakest throwing arm in all of major league baseball, and now that his speed has diminished so badly that he barely ever plays the field, spending only 37 of the 113 games he’s played so far with a glove in his hand. The only redeeming quality he has left besides his ‘leadership’ is his ability to hit baseballs, and he’s been doing that at a pretty subpar clip thus far.

Yet for reasons that have to do with nostalgia and the close to complete destruction of their starting roster due to injuries, the Red Sox decided that Damon would the perfect remedy for a flailing team and claimed him off of waivers from the Detroit Tigers. And for reasons that may be even more idiotic, Damon decided to decline the offer to return to a city full of friends where he won a World Series championship, became a folk hero and had one of the best heads of hair in recent memory by stating that he, “Loves Detroit” which is ridiculous because people who live in Detroit can’t even jade themselves into thinking they love Detroit. Maybe he was frightened that the receding hairline he’s sporting now will tarnish the memory of the flowing Jesus locks he had while playing for Boston in 2004.

Johnny Damon is staying with the Tigers after all, saying “I love Detroit.” The Tigers outfielder said before Tuesday night’s game against Kansas City that he decided to pass up a chance to return to the Boston Red Sox, with whom he became a cult hero in helping lead the team to a World Series title in 2004, its first since 1918. The Red Sox claimed Damon on waivers this week, but he had the right to veto a move to Boston because of a no-trade clause in his contract.

“It’s good for us. He stays here and we can play more together and see what happens. We can do a lot of things,” Cabrera said. “We can win more games, we can get more support in the lineup. If he stays here for some reason, it’s because he likes it here, he believes in us. That’s good.”

“These guys really like me here,” Damon said Tuesday, adding that he spoke to each of his teammates individually to be sure he was wanted in the Tigers’ clubhouse. -ESPN

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For the past three years, Red Sox rookie Daniel Nava (not pictured) has been leaving tickets for sideline princess Erin Andrews at will call. Now that he hit the first major league pitch he ever saw for a grand slam last night, maybe she’ll actually know who he is.

His financial manager must be Lenny Dykstra because this just seems like a fiscally irresponsible move for a young baseball player. Wouldn’t he presumably need those tickets for his friends, family and bargaining chips to make his poorer teammates eat bugs?  There are red flags everywhere with this kid. Beloved EA, stay away!

Daniel Nava only has eyes for one woman: ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews.

Dan Hoard, radio announcer for Boston’s Triple-A team in Pawtucket, R.I., said that Nava’s been leaving the former “Dancing With the Stars” participant tickets at will call for the past three years. Andrews has yet to take him up on his offer.

He supposedly got the idea from Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who left pop star Jessica Simpson Cowboys tickets, hoping she showed up. It worked for Romo, as he and Simpson had a nearly two-year romance. -NY Daily News

Unfortunately for Nava, it looks like Erin Pageviews’ love has already been captured. BY A RUSSIAN! Yes, it seems as if Andrews is dating her Dancing With the Stars tango buddy Maksim Chmerkovskiy after the two demonstrated obvious chemistry while shimmying to a second place finish.

It’s been a long and winding road for the undrafted 27-year-old rookie, who began his collegiate baseball career as the equipment manager at Santa Clara University and weighed 70 pounds in the 9th grade. He had to drop out of Santa Clara because his parents couldn’t support him financially, so he spent two years at a junior college where he absolutely raked. Signed by an independent baseball league, he went on to win the league MVP award in 2007 while playing for the Chico Outlaws which opened the door to his career with the Red Sox, who bought his contract for one dollar.

Even with Andrews off the market, there’s still hope. After Nava hit the historic grand slam Andrews had this to say through twitter, “Have Dave Obrien pass along my best to Daniel!! Congrats on a big day that will go down in Sox history! Hope to meet him soon!”

I’m no expert in reading between the lines, but I think I know what that means, amirite?