Alex Cora named Red Sox manager

MyDaughterLovesTomGordon

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Febles has a great reputation here in Portland - and from seeing him on the field and interacting with players, fans, and umps up close, you can tell he's a very personable guy. Always has a big smile, knows the names of front-row season ticket holders, and often joking around with the umps.

That's not to say that it translates into making players better, but it does seem like Farrell's firing is an indication that the severe approach is on the way out and a more upbeat clubhouse is the direction the Sox are headed in. Febles seems like a great fit for that.

Plus, it does seem like many prospects have glowed in AA. Devers, Chavis, Moncada, Benintendi all had pretty unmitigated success in Portland and Devers/Benintendi, at least, seemed ready for MLB right from the get-go. And Chavis' transition to AA last year seemed seamless - hit a dinger in his first at-bat!

I'd be rooting for Febles, for sure. Seems like a guy ready for a chance in the bigs to make an impact on the coaching staff.
 

BestGameEvah

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Febles has a great reputation here in Portland - and from seeing him on the field and interacting with players, fans, and umps up close, you can tell he's a very personable guy. Always has a big smile, knows the names of front-row season ticket holders, and often joking around with the umps.

That's not to say that it translates into making players better, but it does seem like Farrell's firing is an indication that the severe approach is on the way out and a more upbeat clubhouse is the direction the Sox are headed in. Febles seems like a great fit for that.

Plus, it does seem like many prospects have glowed in AA. Devers, Chavis, Moncada, Benintendi all had pretty unmitigated success in Portland and Devers/Benintendi, at least, seemed ready for MLB right from the get-go. And Chavis' transition to AA last year seemed seamless - hit a dinger in his first at-bat!

I'd be rooting for Febles, for sure. Seems like a guy ready for a chance in the bigs to make an impact on the coaching staff.
You mean this severe approach?
Spring Training photo during Reuben's first season.
See him at the top left, enjoying Butter's 'having the floor'...
 

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JimD

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@bradfo Can confirm that Brian Bannister will be returning to Red Sox next season in some capacity, joining Dana LeVangie as definite holdovers
 
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RedOctober3829

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Here is the Red Sox coaching staff minus a hitting coach and pitching coach.


Sox coaching staff:
Ron Roenicke is bench coach.
Tom Goodwin 1B coach.
Carlos Febles 3B coach.
Dana LeVangie back as bullpen coach.

 

simplicio

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Awesome about Febles. Devers did a lot of work with him in the minors.

Did Amaro leave and I missed it?
 

JimD

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Agree on Febles, and Roenicke seems like a solid choice as bench coach.
 

JimD

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Not surprisingly, Roenicke has a Cora connection:



@PeteAbe "As a minor league manager in the Dodgers organization, Roenicke managed Alex Cora in 1997 and 1998."
 

Tyrone Biggums

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I wonder with LaRussa coming aboard if its possible Dave Duncan comes out of retirement.
 

JimD

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Seems like we can infer that Cora is being allowed to have a major role in selecting his hitting and pitching coaches, while the organization filled in the rest of the staff.
 

Auger34

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Seems like we can infer that Cora is being allowed to have a major role in selecting his hitting and pitching coaches, while the organization filled in the rest of the staff.
Can see why that could be inferred from the Febles and LeVangie positions but why do you think the organization forced him to hire Roenicke and Tom Goodwin?
 

E5 Yaz

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I wonder if the pitching coach decision is delayed because of Brian Bannister deciding whether he wants the travel, or whether he wants to remain in his current role

And I still think Carlos Beltran is coming aboard as hitting coach
 

JimD

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Can see why that could be inferred from the Febles and LeVangie positions but why do you think the organization forced him to hire Roenicke and Tom Goodwin?
"Forced' might be too strong, but the hires were done while Cora was busy with the Astros. Just assuming based on the timeline. Of course they still could have had phone discussions with Alex during his downtime.

Edit: Looks like they did confer with Cora:

Roenicke and Goodwin were suggestions from Cora himself. The 61-year-old Roenicke represents a counterbalance to Cora’s relative inexperience at Boston’s helm, having managed the Brewers for parts of five seasons, including leading Milwaukee to a division title and the National League Championship Series in 2011. He was known at the time for his analytical bend, including aggressive shifting on the infield. His time with the Brewers was bookended by stints with the Angels, most recently as Anaheim’s third-base coach.

Roenicke had managed Cora in Double-A back in 1997 in the Dodgers system.

“He’s an ideal right-hand man for Alex,” Dombrowski said.
http://www.providencejournal.com/sports/20171102/red-sox-add-hall-of-fame-manager-tony-larussa-to-front-office-start-building-coaching-staff
 
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BestGameEvah

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pjr

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"Forced' might be too strong, but the hires were done while Cora was busy with the Astros. Just assuming based on the timeline. Of course they still could have had phone discussions with Alex during his downtime.
CHB has a interview with Cora today. Cora said he was in contact with Dombrowski on a daily basis. Cora said “We talk every other hour.’’
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/redsox/2017/11/02/alex-cora-ready-for-next-challenge-red-sox-manager/yhTsGQ8tmPhD21o6hIN07N/story.html
 

JimD

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The coaches named today were Cora's picks.

Very glad to see this.

I guess we can't question Cora's appetite for work - building his new staff in Boston at the same time he helped his current team win the World Series!
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't it Febles that was working with Devers on his defense at 3B? Work that the org was loathe to interrupt with a call up because of the progress he was making. If that's the case, then he should be a more than adequate replacement for Butterfield all the way around.
 

Yelling At Clouds

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I wonder if the pitching coach decision is delayed because of Brian Bannister deciding whether he wants the travel, or whether he wants to remain in his current role

And I still think Carlos Beltran is coming aboard as hitting coach
Good to see that the "Beltran-to-the-Sox????" rumors get to persist even after his playing days are (possibly) over.
 

BestGameEvah

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Ha! Looks like McAdam and McCaffery were at the same press conference and came away with two different understandings of staff composition. Lauber over at ESPN agrees with McAdam, that Febles is inherited by Cora.

Looking at SF Giants website, where Victor DID interview, there is neither a hitting or asst hitting coach named yet. Hope that works out for him.
 

BestGameEvah

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Ruben Amaro is joining the Mets as their first base coach per Ken Rosenthal.

Some talk when Collins was fired that there would be an overhaul by Ricciardi.
Said they wanted to bring Tim Teufel back (to improve defense) and that Goodwin would most likely not be back. We swapped 1st base coaches it appears.
 

E5 Yaz

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Good to see that the "Beltran-to-the-Sox????" rumors get to persist even after his playing days are (possibly) over.
No such luck. MLBTR (and others) says it's Tim Hyers (assistant hitting coach of the Dodgers); assistant hitting coach is Andy Barkett (AAA manager for the Pirates)
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Hyers is an intriguing choice. No idea how much of a hand he had in the renaissance in Justin Turner's power game (which is credited to focusing on improving his launch angle) or the rest of the Dodgers' offensive success, but if he can bring that magic to Fenway, there might not be as much need to spend big to add power to the lineup.
 

Yossarian

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Between Febles, Hyers, and of course Cora himself, they’re really leaning into the notion that the young core of the team could use some coaches with serious backgrounds in the minor leagues and player development.
 

Al Zarilla

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Hyers is an intriguing choice. No idea how much of a hand he had in the renaissance in Justin Turner's power game (which is credited to focusing on improving his launch angle) or the rest of the Dodgers' offensive success, but if he can bring that magic to Fenway, there might not be as much need to spend big to add power to the lineup.
Thing is, by the time you find out, the winter trading season is over. But, have to think long haul. Ted Williams always taught the upward swing. Hope, hope.
 

Minneapolis Millers

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Thing is, by the time you find out, the winter trading season is over. But, have to think long haul. Ted Williams always taught the upward swing. Hope, hope.
True. Which is why this off-season should be intriguing. Management could well think that internal improvement, led by these coaching changes, will solve the "problems" of a 93 win team.
 

Harry Hooper

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As noted by McAdam today, not good news on the pitching coach front:

The Red Sox are still in search of a pitching coach at a time when many of the best options – Mike Maddux, Jim Hickey, Chris Bosioamong them – have all landed elsewhere. The Red Sox’ hands were tied with Cora being involved in the World Series and unable to devote all of his time to filling his coaching staff.
BSJ
 

Al Zarilla

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As noted by McAdam today, not good news on the pitching coach front:



BSJ
I wonder if the Sox at least called the Giants about Dave Righetti. Special Assistant to the General Manager sounds kind of retired, but he’s only 58. Born in San Jose, sold his house in Los Altos Hills, one of the best towns out here for millions last year. Just downsizing? Maybe he’s too ingrained in the Bay Area to leave there.
 

JimD

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As noted by McAdam today, not good news on the pitching coach front:



BSJ
I'm guessing that events were happening too quickly on those hires for the Sox to respond in time, given the need to involve Cora. I can't blame those guys from grabbing good offers elsewhere if they couldn't get certainty from Boston. Maddux is the real loss here, IMO - I think Hickey was always destined to rejoin Maddon in Chicago.