Just imagine ...

Robert Kraft stops by Bill Belichick’s office and says, “I don’t really like the way Scott O’Brien yelled at Chandler Jones this week for not getting in the special teams huddle during kick-off drills.”

“And one other thing, could you lighten up a bit on Dont’a Hightower? He’s still adjusting to being on the field in passing situations.”

No, the Patriots owner didn’t actually make those requests of his head coach.

Kraft knows better than to stick his nose in where it doesn’t belong and where the man he hired to do the job has infinitely more working knowledge than he does.

Heck, it was hard enough watching Belichick talk weather with Kraft in 2009 during “A Football Life: Bill Belichick.”

There’s a big difference between infighting and fighting with -- and for -- each other.

Nate Solder and Brandon Spikes had a nice tussle on Wednesday night in front of 22,000 observers inside Gillette Stadium. And not one of the 22,000 Patriots fans is worried about any negative spillover into the season.

“There’s no animosity in between everybody,” Wes Welker said Thursday. “It almost makes it fun at times. It’s one of those deals, it’s a competitive situation, and that’s football.

“For the most part, being my size and everything, it’s one of those things that happens in every camp. It’s not that big of a deal. You just move on from it and try not to get hurt.”

No animosity? Not that big of a deal? Don’t get hurt?

Funny, the Red Sox have loads of animosity right now. Feelings are hurt and of course, they’re the Red Sox where everything is a big deal. Their inability to control the dynamic inside the organization is finally beginning to spill over.

The players aren’t fighting with each other. The problem is far more serious.

Bobby Valentine feels there’s a snitch in the clubhouse. Ownership is wrangling with Valentine -- a manager whom Larry Lucchino hired to right the ship of chaos from last September. And now, it appears, ownership might be divided on how best to handle things going forward.

If we’re to believe and trust Valentine himself, a member of Red Sox ownership had a few words with the manager about the way he sarcastically joked with rookie third baseman Will Middlebrooks, saying, “Nice inning, kid,” after a rough inning in the field.

“Ownership did come and say ... that they heard when Will Middlebrooks made two errors in a game and he came off of the field and got into the dugout, I said, ‘Nice inning, Will,’ and that maybe that upset him,” Valentine said on WEEI on Wednesday. “Now, they didn’t take it further and find out after the game that I went over to Will’s locker, I was trying to be light at the time with the ‘Nice inning,’ then I went over to his locker and told him about my experience of making three errors, being booed off the field and cushions being thrown from the Dodger Stadium fandom and me dodging them as I got into the dugout. If you’re going to deal with part of the story, then believe me, it’s not the story.”

This is something that has happened infinitely over the years. A manager reminds the rookie that he’s still a rookie. Even in the midst of a game. But the rookie should know that’s part of the business, part of developing thick skin and have a short memory to go back on the field.

Tearing down confidence? Please. If that rattles a rookie, then he shouldn’t be in the bigs anyway.

But that didn’t stop a Red Sox player from going around Valentine to report the incident, or a member of Red Sox ownership from meeting with the manager to talk about the words he used. Just the mere fact they would take time out with Valentine to discuss the matter means they think they know what’s going on in the clubhouse better than he does.

Say what you will -- and I wrote back in July that Valentine has done the best possible job with what he’s been given -- Valentine does know the clubhouse.  He knows the missteps of early April with Kevin Youkilis. He knows the team meeting that took place when he had to reel all of the players in. He knows the issue his hitters had with the pitchers. He knows all of this.

The man with a vast amount of baseball experience in different management settings like New York, Japan and Texas knows how to work his way out of it. The difference now is that he’s been led on a leash. And now that leash is being yanked.

Is this spilling over?

Very hard to tell but when you get shut out on two hits at home to start a four-game series against a Twins team that is already looking to 2013, that’s a really bad sign.

Just like he did last Friday in New York, Dustin Pedroia showed his aggravation after the 5-0 loss Thursday night.

“No more stupid [expletive] questions,” he chirped.

Just imagine Wyc Grousbeck going into Doc Rivers’ office and telling him to go easy on Fab Melo. He needs some tutoring so could you take it easy and make sure Kevin Garnett takes care of him? And while you’re at it, our statistical research shows that Courtney Lee and Jason Terry should split time at the No. 2 guard spot while Avery Bradley rehabs his shoulders.

Rivers would break into howls of laughter over a beer with Danny Ainge. But what’s happening at Fenway is no joke and certainly no laughing matter.

The Celtics kept their infighting much more under wraps, with details of the strained relationship between Rondo and Ray Allen not coming out until AFTER Allen had left town for Miami. And even when it did, Doc Rivers took the hit for the NBA’s all-time 3-point king leaving town.

Why?

Because Rivers knows perfectly how to manage, inspire and coach Rondo. Rivers doesn’t have to answer for Allen but he does have to coach Rondo and he wants Rondo knowing that his coach has his back, even when Doc has yelled at him before in practice and in games.

Rondo gets the calls and the texts from Rivers. He reads all the stories. He knows his coach has his back. This gives the coach the authority to criticize or crack jokes with him. Rivers doesn’t have to explain himself to Ainge or Celtics ownership.

But Valentine apparently does.

One has to wonder how much fight Valentine or the Red Sox have left in them.

What do the tweeps have to say about all of this infighting? Let’s head to the Trags Bag and find out.

@darrenhuff6 Who does Henry support other than Liverpool? He was against [the Carl] Crawford [signing], against Bobby [Valentine] and remains invisible. Take charge man!

@Ct_smoke So [Larry Lucchino and Bobby Valentine] must go ... Let [Jason Varitek] grow into the job with [Tim Wakefield] as pitching coach

@Jones36 Larry Lucchino brought in Bobby Valentine but clearly John Henry and Tom Werner are not behind either. That's the REAL issue here.

@dtufts [The Red Sox] need two things if [they are] staying with the players they have: 1. Very good team psychologist 2. Military grade batting & pitching coaches

@Columbetti You can't win and only get two hits against a team with 44 wins and so far out of the playoff race. You should be ashamed. ... Disgusting!!!

@PatriotBomber [I] like the scrum among #Patriots yesterday because [I] was a bit worried on Solder being soft. [He] showed [the] opposite.

@hurricanept Football is different, since practices are more physical by nature. Don't love it, but not [the] end of [the] world.