Bobby Valentine Returning to Mets (on TV)?

There is a report Saturday that Bobby Valentine could have a role on Mets broadcasts this season. If so, at least part of the season will be fun to watch.

The Daily News reports that the folks at SNY have reached out to Valentine about whether he would be interested in working on Mets pre-game shows. The story says it would only be for about 20 games, the important ones like the Subway Series, and, uh, any other important games the Mets  might somehow play in 2013.

The Mets are part owners of SNY, which means that if network officials have already approached Valentine, then the Wilpons have signed off on it. That is a bit of a surprise because Valentine is not one to pull his punches, even when it comes to biting the hand that feeds him.

Perhaps the Wilpons know how popular Valentine still is with Mets fans, and he knows it could lead to higher ratings, which would mean more money in the Wilpons’s empty pockets.

Valentine managed the Mets from 1996-2002, leading them to the 2000 World Series. He could not get another major league job until finally landing with the Red Sox last year, but was fired after one disastrous, last place season.

Terry Collins must be thrilled with this possible development. How soon will the cries for Bobby Valentine to replace Collins in the dugout  be heard if the team gets off to a lousy start, with Valentine second-guessing the manager’s sometimes questionable strategies?