Alex Cora's first season

Heating up in the bullpen

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Nov 24, 2007
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I don't think any manager would have the effect on the hitting as much as JDM and Mitchy Two Bags have had this year.
On the radio broadcast today, Joe and Tim were talking about conversations with Pearce about his nascent experience with the Sox. He mentioned the breadth and depth of conversations about hitting. I don't know if that's a coaching/managing thing or a players thing, but I suspect most of the credit should go to JDM.
E.g., Cora in a May article by Julian Benbow in the Globe, referring to JDM and Mookie's rapport:
“I think the communication and the way they go about their craft, I’ve been saying it all along,” Cora said. “Especially towards the end of spring training, there was a lot of baseball talk in the clubhouse, in the dugout, and it keeps going.

“You see them, not only those two but the rest of the team talking about hitting, talking about situations, taking advantage of what the game is giving you. When you start doing that, you start winning a bunch of games and it becomes fun.

“That’s a lot of work they put in for them to put themselves in position to drive the ball, put up good at-bats. People just see the results from 7 until 10, but what they have to do to put themselves in position to be successful, it’s a lot of work.”
 

Al Zarilla

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Dec 8, 2005
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Good quotes. Interesting.

Has there ever been a player acquisition similar to JDM, where the whole team changes for better?
Maybe Roger Maris to the Yankees for the 1960 season. They went from 3rd in ‘59 to 1st in ‘60, lost the WS but won it all in ‘61. Mantle supposedly took him in and accepted him as co-resident superstar.
 

shaggydog2000

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Apr 5, 2007
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I might be missing something, but to me, I find a manager's job to be more in handling pitchers than hitters. I don't think any manager would have the effect on the hitting as much as JDM and Mitchy Two Bags have had this year.

Players and clubhouse? Who knows? I could see Cora better in there than Farrell, but I don't know.
Maybe one:

 

joe dokes

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Jul 18, 2005
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Oh yeah. I'd be surprised if it wasn't discussed on this site before, but I think he did a decent job managing a team with not much talent his three years with the Senators.
He really only had one good season. But among his miracles was bringing Ed Brinkman's bat back from the dead.
IIRC, he made no secret of his disdain for the pitching half of the team.
 

timlinin8th

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Jun 6, 2009
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I might be missing something, but to me, I find a manager's job to be more in handling pitchers than hitters. I don't think any manager would have the effect on the hitting as much as JDM and Mitchy Two Bags have had this year.

Players and clubhouse? Who knows? I could see Cora better in there than Farrell, but I don't know.
Its probably impossible to quantify without actually being in the clubhouse and part of team meetings, etc. In game moves make a negligible difference at best, but as far as game preparation, how scouting reports are relayed to the players, team philosophy regarding at-bat and baserunning strategy, etc can all play a role.