Former Major League Baseball player and New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine announced Friday that he will run for mayor of Stamford.

Valentine made the announcement during an exclusive interview with News 12's Mark Sudol at Valentine's sports academy in Stamford.

He says his time as director of public safety for the city under previous Mayor Mike Pavia gave him a beginning in public service. Now, he says he wants to restore the city where he grew up.

Valentine says Stamford has become a shining light and more people have moved there since COVID-19 and he wants to keep them there.

Some of his platform issues will revolve around schools, affordable housing, lowering property taxes and adding more public transportation to one of Connecticut's largest cities.

Current Mayor David Martin was unavailable for comment Friday, but he previously said he's running for a third term in the fall. Rep. Caroline Simmons is also running as a Democrat.

Bobby Valentine says he's running unaffiliated.

Valentine says he's concerned about the growing hate in the country, and wants to address that in Stamford.