Vote of confidence for Red Sox' Valentine

BOSTON, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- Boston Red Sox President Larry Lucchino on Thursday said Manager Bobby Valentine won't be fired this season.

The Red Sox have struggled under Valentine, who is in his first season as the manager in Boston. The team is 57-61 going into Thursday's game and in fourth place in the five-team American League East. The Red Sox started Thursday 13 1/5 games behind the New York Yankees in the division.

Players had a meeting this week with representatives of the team's owners to discuss the situation. Lucchino admitted that the meeting had taken place but didn't give details. Other reports said there was no request for a managerial change in the meeting, however.

In an interview Thursday with WEEI-AM in Boston, Lucchino said Valentine "unequivocally" won't be fired this season.

Valentine is with his fifth team as a manager. He led the Texas Rangers, New York Mets and Red Sox for a combined 16 seasons in Major League Baseball and Japan's Chiba Lotte Marines in 1995 and from 2004-09. His overall MLB record is 1,174-1,133.