While Boston Red Sox owner John Henry felt compelled Wednesday to defend manager Bobby Valentine over reported player unhappiness, Chicago Cubs manager Dale Sveum can only wonder from a far what it would have been like if he was offered that job last November.

Sveum interviewed with the Red Sox twice before accepting an offer from the Cubs. After a meeting with chairman Tom Ricketts and his new front office at the general manager meetings in Milwaukee on November 14, Sveum signed a three-year deal to manage the Cubs.

It's believed Sveum was the top choice of Boston's new GM Ben Cherington, who was overruled by team president Larry Lucchino and ownership. But Sveum was never in a position to decide between the two jobs.

"People think I was offered the (Boston) job," Sveum said. "It never got to that point.

"I was offered this job, so it was never like I chose anything. It was a strange situation because basically you were interviewing (with both teams) at the same time. Theo offered me the job and I didn't hesitate to take it."

Sveum knew from having played for the Yankees and coaching for the Red Sox about expectations for a city like Chicago.

"You know that going into those kind of cities," Sveum said. "I was lucky enough to have won as a coach in Boston ... so you understand what goes into every series."