Trade Kutter Crawford or fire Alex Cora

[RCheco56]

On the whole I want to like Alex Cora. He seems very loyal w/ a lot of the players, and shows real patience w/ some like Jarren Duran. He was the manager for the last Boston World Series win. But what he is doing to the pitching staff is criminal.

The one redeeming part of this season is the Red Sox building a young pitching staff. Bello, Crawford and Houck are young arms any team would be ecstatic to build a staff around. But Cora has zero faith in Crawford or Houck as evidenced by his quick hooks of both. He famously pulled Tanner in a game against the Nats when he was pitching a no-hitter. Today, once again, what appeared to be a solid start from the improving Crawford was ended after a solo homer. The final numbers: 4.2 innings, 73 pitches, 2 runs. Nowhere near good enough for the red sox manager.

If Cora doesn't believe in 2 pitchers any other team in the league would be ecstatic to have, than either trade Crawford (I can't bring myself to say trade Tanner Houck) or fire Cora. If it's trade Kutter, then include Verdugo and Blaze Jordan/Nick Yorke or both to get Dylan Cease or Mitch Keller. Then have a sit down with Cora and explain that he will have faith in the pitcher the team just acquired, or he will be shown the door.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

On the whole I want to like Alex Cora. He seems very loyal w/ a lot of the players, and shows real patience w/ some like Jarren Duran. He was the manager for the last Boston World Series win. But what he is doing to the pitching staff is criminal.

The one redeeming part of this season is the Red Sox building a young pitching staff. Bello, Crawford and Houck are young arms any team would be ecstatic to build a staff around. But Cora has zero faith in Crawford or Houck as evidenced by his quick hooks of both. He famously pulled Tanner in a game against the Nats when he was pitching a no-hitter. Today, once again, what appeared to be a solid start from the improving Crawford was ended after a solo homer. The final numbers: 4.2 innings, 73 pitches, 2 runs. Nowhere near good enough for the red sox manager.

If Cora doesn't believe in 2 pitchers any other team in the league would be ecstatic to have, than either trade Crawford (I can't bring myself to say trade Tanner Houck) or fire Cora. If it's trade Kutter, then include Verdugo and Blaze Jordan/Nick Yorke or both to get Dylan Cease or Mitch Keller. Then have a sit down with Cora and explain that he will have faith in the pitcher the team just acquired, or he will be shown the door.

Hate to break it to you, but a lot of these decisions on limiting pitch counts and pulling a guy a batter early rather than a batter late are made for Cora (and any other manager). It has nothing to do with faith and everything to do with analytics.

And as I recall, the Houck pull was about protecting a young asset who was on a pitch limit. And they won that game, so it's not like pulling Houck did any harm (he wasn't going to finish that game regardless).

 

[RCheco56]

Thanks for breaking it to me. If analytics makes the decision it can't be wrong

 

[absintheofmalaise]

Thanks for breaking it to me. If analytics makes the decision it can't be wrong

You should stick to only posting in game threads.

 

[Sandy Leon Trotsky]

Thanks for breaking it to me. If analytics makes the decision it can't be wrong

I’m definitely not a Grade A poster here- maybe a C+ quality at best…. But step back and think about this. While it might not be a bad post at all…. It’s not a good thread start. There’s an Alex Cora thread already that your post could be under and in that context it’s a decent post. Same with a thread about ‘23 starting pitching.
The team has a day off tomorrow. Whitlock needs a look. Martin hasn’t pitched. There’s lots to consider here. If Cora pulled Crawford when he did and the Sox were tied it would have been more an issue. Take a breath

 

[RCheco56]

Thanks for the constructive criticism. I appreciate it

 

[Rovin Romine]

If it's trade Kutter, then include Verdugo and Blaze Jordan/Nick Yorke or both to get Dylan Cease or Mitch Keller. Then have a sit down with Cora and explain that he will have faith in the pitcher the team just acquired, or he will be shown the door.

Because the trade deadline has passed, Crawford could only be released, not traded to a ML club.

 

[JM3]

Not sure if this is the place for this conversation...

But his 1st time through the order Crawford, as a starter this season, had a 2.25 ERA. The 2nd time he had a 7.30 ERA (don't think these include today).

Also, on the season...

ERA as a starter: 4.52
ERA as a reliever: 1.66

It might make a lot of sense for him to go to the bullpen, keep Pivetta in his current role, & go with a rotation of Bello/Paxton/Sale/Pivetta/Houck.

 

[joe dokes]

I have to admit, the thread title made me look.

On the whole I want to like Alex Cora. He seems very loyal w/ a lot of the players, and shows real patience w/ some like Jarren Duran. He was the manager for the last Boston World Series win. But what he is doing to the pitching staff is criminal.
The one redeeming part of this season is the Red Sox building a young pitching staff. Bello, Crawford and Houck are young arms any team would be ecstatic to build a staff around. But Cora has zero faith in Crawford or Houck as evidenced by his quick hooks of both. He famously pulled Tanner in a game against the Nats when he was pitching a no-hitter. Today, once again, what appeared to be a solid start from the improving Crawford was ended after a solo homer. The final numbers: 4.2 innings, 73 pitches, 2 runs. Nowhere near good enough for the red sox manager.
If Cora doesn't believe in 2 pitchers any other team in the league would be ecstatic to have, than either trade Crawford (I can't bring myself to say trade Tanner Houck) or fire Cora. If it's trade Kutter, then include Verdugo and Blaze Jordan/Nick Yorke or both to get Dylan Cease or Mitch Keller. Then have a sit down with Cora and explain that he will have faith in the pitcher the team just acquired, or he will be shown the door.

But your post suggests you've drawn this conclusion based on 2 games?

 

[JimD]

Hate to break it to you, but a lot of these decisions on limiting pitch counts and pulling a guy a batter early rather than a batter late are made for Cora (and any other manager). It has nothing to do with faith and everything to do with analytics.

This was likely it - Akil Baddoo was the only Tigers hitter to see Crawford a third time and promptly took him deep, making it a one-run game. If Kutter wants to work deeper into games, he can prove he deserves it with his pitching, otherwise I have no issues with the manager pulling him 'too soon' and trying to preserve a lead.

 

[geoflin]

Do you have Crawford in a fantasy league and didn't get the W?

 

[scottyno]

Sucks that all the young controlled position players aren't a redeeming part of this season.

 

[Salem's Lot]

Do you have Crawford in a fantasy league and didn't get the W?

Or he had a Crawford W as part of a parlay.

 

[RCheco56]

I like the sox building a young starting staff. Bello, Houck and Crawford being the nucleus. I like Crawford's stuff. Like Houck he just does not seem to be given the chance to see if he can go deeper in games. The San Fran game where he was pulled after 5 allowing no runs seemed like another example

 

[RCheco56]

Or he had a Crawford W as part of a parlay.

I had $10 on the sox -1.5. Although I do have Crawford on a money fantasy team

 

[LogansDad]

I like the sox building a young starting staff. Bello, Houck and Crawford being the nucleus. I like Crawford's stuff. Like Houck he just does not seem to be given the chance to see if he can go deeper in games. The San Fran game where he was pulled after 5 allowing no runs seemed like another example

A team that is up 5 games or something in the playoff race and has some room for error could afford to do that. This team does not have that luxury.

 

[RCheco56]

Because the trade deadline has passed, Crawford could only be released, not traded to a ML club.

I should have specified during the offseason. I assumed that part would be understood. My bad

 

[RCheco56]

A team that is up 5 games or something in the playoff race and has some room for error could afford to do that. This team does not have that luxury.

Yeah. Today they had arms to go to. Against the Giants they pulled him and brought in Llovera. The stiff San Fran had DFAd. That game mattered too

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

Just so we are clear, the complaint here boils down to Cora doing everything to ensure a win today but because it *might* be at the expense of a future win (assuming there is some correlation between how many IP Crawford throws per start and wins), he should be relieved of his job. Even after the team got the win. Is that roughly correct?

 

[joe dokes]

I like the sox building a young starting staff. Bello, Houck and Crawford being the nucleus. I like Crawford's stuff. Like Houck he just does not seem to be given the chance to see if he can go deeper in games. The San Fran game where he was pulled after 5 allowing no runs seemed like another example

If you're talking about Crawford this year, he's faced SFG once. Pitched 5.2. was pulled in the 6th after giving up line drive single, wild pitch, line drive single and deep fly out. And a run.

 

[DeadlySplitter]

Youk on the broadcast said something about expecting a lower pitch count on Crawford today. Maybe planned light outing? Tomorrow is their only day off in a 4 week stretch.

The thread title / concept is absurd - they can do either, both or none, they aren't really related.

 

[mauf]

Entering today, Crawford had a 4.52 ERA as a starter across 64 innings (14 starts). He has been much better in relief.

Seems like a textbook example of a guy who should be on a short leash.