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It's over.

Bobby Valentine is no longer employed by the Boston Red Sox.

Following a 69-93 season that culminated with the manager "leading" the way to Boston's first last-place finish in the AL East since 1992, Valentine has been relieved of his duties. The decision to hire the former New York Mets and Texas Rangers manager exploded in the face of an ownership desperate to alleviate the embarrassment endured from last September's infamous collapse, and now the time has come to move on.

But first, why he had to be let go needs to be examined.

Apart from the obvious reason of the team finishing with its worst record since 1965, there are a few deeper, more analytical issues that led to Valentine's firing.