MLB Network’s Peter Gammons told WFAN that he thinks Bobby Valentine will be the next manager of the New York Mets.  Here’s the transcript via Matthew Cerrone’s MetsBlog:

“I think there are two things: 1) He has a history and a good working relationship with Omar Minaya and 2) he is one guy that, though Jeff Wilpon will not always like what he hears from Bobby, I think they can have a relationship where Bobby could say to Jeff, ‘No, we’re not doing this, that’s the wrong thing,’ and in the end they’ll win out together, because they have a mutual respect.  I just think now is the right time to bring Bobby back.”

Earlier this month, friends of Valentine said that he would be interested in the vacant Seattle Mariners’ job, and Ichiro lobbied the team’s ownership about hiring Valentine. Valentine has not publically said anything about his interest in the Mariners.