As Peter Gammons' Tweet today brings back the possibility of a return to Boston for Alex Cora, I am curious to see where SoSH stands on the issue.
Should the Red Sox Bring Back Alex Cora as Manager?
- Thread starter mr_smith02
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I'm totally for it and will roll out the red carpet for him. Most of the players seemed to truly enjoy playing for him and I think he pulled all the right strings in the 2018 playoffs. While he's certainly not innocent, it seems pretty likely that Astros management went out of their way to stab him in the back to deflect any blame from themselves. The awesome work he did with the organization for Puerto Rico speaks way more to his character than the cheating incident, in my opinion.
I voted "I don't care."
Honestly, I don't. If they bring him back, fine; he seemed to be a decent game manager and communicator. If they don't, fine. It's a rebuild, and we don't know how Cora would manage in that situation ... particularly since we don't know what the business-side situation will mean to the payroll.
Anyone expecting automatic miracles is best advised to temper those thoughts
Honestly, I don't. If they bring him back, fine; he seemed to be a decent game manager and communicator. If they don't, fine. It's a rebuild, and we don't know how Cora would manage in that situation ... particularly since we don't know what the business-side situation will mean to the payroll.
Anyone expecting automatic miracles is best advised to temper those thoughts
He served his punishment, and if it's not the Red Sox it'll be someone else. There's clearly not as much of a "scarlet letter" with him than others involved with the Astros, so why not? Like it's been said above me the guys on this current roster loved playing for him then and would love to play for him again
I would have said no until it became clear that the Astros tossed him under the bus. But now I say yes as I think he was unfairly blamed for everything, served his punishment, and is the best available candidate.
I'm more Yes than IDC.
I think Cora was a good manager, the players seems to respond to him and like him, and I think he could add some stability in what might be a challenging-get back on track type of year.
I think Cora was a good manager, the players seems to respond to him and like him, and I think he could add some stability in what might be a challenging-get back on track type of year.
A tentative yes. It really seems to me that he got railroaded, and it also really seems to me that the Sox' analogous "transgressions" were a total joke that were comparable to what any team with an advanced scouting operation would be doing. So I have no concerns on that score.
He served his time, he knows the code to the photocopier, Devers and Bogaerts expressed a lot of affection for him. There's a lot of reasons to do it.
If Bloom has a young guy in mind, I'd be open to that, too. But if the FO and ownership thinks Cora is their guy — and his track record is *pretty good,* in that half of his seasons as manager were the best in franchise history — then bring him back.
He served his time, he knows the code to the photocopier, Devers and Bogaerts expressed a lot of affection for him. There's a lot of reasons to do it.
If Bloom has a young guy in mind, I'd be open to that, too. But if the FO and ownership thinks Cora is their guy — and his track record is *pretty good,* in that half of his seasons as manager were the best in franchise history — then bring him back.
I said no, because he would be an unnecessary target during a re-build. I get that he served his punishment, but it's a big assumption that opponents and press from other cities would take that approach during every series. Also, why would he want this team? It's not the 2018 team by a large margin. There are enormous holes, and him returning to baseball in a less hyperfocused market with a better team would probably be more appealing, no?
I like Cora. I think he’s a good manager. But they hired Chaim Bloom to be the GM. They should let him hire the manager that he thinks is the best for the club he is building.
I'd like to think they are. Especially after watching how Tampa Bay is doing this year. Let people with Tampa blood in their veins make the decisions.
Does it matter? He's a players manager who also happens to be a pretty damn good field general, too.
Put another way: Cora's a known entity and product; he's well-liked in Boston (and guys like X, Devers, Sale, Nate, and a few other key pieces from 2018 should be on the 2021 roster): who would be a better pick than Alex Cora?
Bloom knocked it out of the park with Cash, so I'm confident the position will be well covered, Cora or no.
If there is some kind of tangible benefit bringing him on board (ie a free agent with similar offers deciding who he'd rather play for then sure). That's kind of unlikely but otherwise I don't really care.
If there is some kind of tangible benefit bringing him on board (ie a free agent with similar offers deciding who he'd rather play for then sure). That's kind of unlikely but otherwise I don't really care.
I voted No and am in the IDC camp. Look, it's like a couple years out of High School. You were pretty hot stuff on campus and post HS, maybe it didn't work out so well. You can't go back. 2018 was a magical year. It was a different time with different players. It's nearly impossible to repeat. I don't care if Raffy loves him. Man up and do your job. You don't need a binky to be successful. It will be literally impossible for Cora to recapture those moments. He's set up to fail if he doesn't win it all.
Let Bloom make HIS choice and we'll live with that.
Let Bloom make HIS choice and we'll live with that.
Tito and Theo were know entities. How'd John and Tom deal with them?
I'm a Cora fan, but I'm a Sox fanatic. Cora will manage again, I'm just not sure Boston 2021 is the right fit.
Bloom needs to move the organization forward and if Cora doesn't fit HIS plan... move on!
I voted I don't care, but the correct answer is I don't know.
My answer is: if he’s the best candidate for the job.
I don’t want to bring Cora back exclusively because right his success here, but I also don’t think he should be ruled out from consideration due to his suspension from his time with Houston.
If Bloom and company think he’s the best man for the job, hire him.
I don’t want to bring Cora back exclusively because right his success here, but I also don’t think he should be ruled out from consideration due to his suspension from his time with Houston.
If Bloom and company think he’s the best man for the job, hire him.
This is not meant as a zinger, but I think the purpose of the thread is to ask what we think.
Given the moves he's already made, I'm pretty sure that Bloom isn't going to simply "go along" with a request to bring back Cora. If he's back, it's because he'll be Bloom's choice. He'd also be mine. (And yes, I've reversed myself from last offseason, when I could never see that happening.)
Bloom's Chief Baseball Officer and seems to have a pretty broad mandate to shape the team. So if he thinks there's a better fit than Cora for his vision, or he thinks there's a manager who will grow into being better than Alex as the team rebuilds, that's his call to make. But here today in this minute, without knowing the future or what Bloomball looks like, Alex Cora is clearly the best available choice.
I give a qualified yes, in that I firmly believe it needs to be Bloom's decision and his alone to make. If Bloom wants Cora back, then he should be rehired. If Bloom wants to go in a different direction, then the ownership team needs to give Bloom that latitude.
Some of the really fucking important ones--Sale, Eovaldi, Erod, X, Devers, Vaz, JD, Benintendi...
My vote is YES, but that's assuming Bloom wants him.
I voted yes, That'sassuming there's no one else available whoBloom thinks would be better and the players would like as much ,too.
This is interesting to me as a coach. Is his aura, gravitas as a winner diminished from the scandal? I can think of two old school hockey coaches who had tons of success, and claimed to be NHL guys, only to have it come out they never played NHL. One guy it ended his career, because players never took him seriously again. Obviously I have not idea how this affects Cora, but it's not nothing.
I honestly have no idea what you're trying to say here. Cora played in the MLB. Are you saying because he was involved in the Houston scandal, players won't take him seriously?
Oh, please, NO!
I love Cora, but have doubts about him b/c of the taint of cheating. If they choose Hinch, I'm off and rooting full time for the Rays.
Pretty sure bosockboy was responding to the Cora-White Sox rumor, and that Hinch is rumored to be up for the Chicago job. There have been no rumors or stories linking anyone to Boston (other than the speculation about Cora).
I made a comment about how a coaches rep can be damaged by revelations. I did not think I needed to spell out what had damaged the the rep of "returning from suspension" guy's rep. It seems you figured it out. In light of the anger directed at the Astro's Cora rep has taken a hit.
Just to be safe, see the Astros were stealing signs...JFC.
Super job being rational about explaining your vague post regarding a hockey coach that lied about being a player. Keep up the good work champ.
Come on it was that hard to connect the dots?
Cora is the same guy, but how players perceive him may have changed, especially guys that didn't play for him before. They may see him as a victim and want to win for him who knows.
The perception of the players often matters more than what a coach is saying. Belicek isn't the first, or only person to say "do your job" or run players hard after practice, but based on all he has earned guys buy in, guys give more effort. He has earned it. I think the cheating allegations are as much an effort to erode what players, potential free agents, etc think about him by jealous rivals, as it is an effort to tarnish NE legacy. They are often the same thing.
The hockey coach won a ton, overachieved for decades, but when his rep, credibility was damaged, it evaporated. When examined it was really nothing. In original Six era he was top minor league guy, been young enough to see expansion plays in the NHL, there was news article about Howe or somebody saying what a great players he was, and he never corrected people it was in Saskatoon. Cora was obviously great, and I want him to come back, but we have no idea if how the players view him.
Was it that hard to just say "yes, that's what I meant' and drop the fucking snark?
The players aren't going to give a shit one way or the other. This isn't whatever hockey coach you're vaguely referring to. They likely already knew it anyway and/or had some version of their own sign stealing when he was here. All teams do it in some fashion. It's not like the Astros were trailblazers, it was overblown from jump street. Teams have been stealing signs forever; shit we stole signs in Legion ball 25 years ago; it's part of the game. It's why catchers have different signs with a guy ons second and the third base coach does his dance. The Astros just got a bit too brazen about it, it hit the media and then a shit show had to ensue.
I think you need to learn how to spell Belichick and take it down a notch on the persecution juice. The amount of hubris on this board that everyone is a boogeyman out to get a Boston team is juvenile.
The answer to the question has been posted many times, if Bloom is on board he should be back in the position.
This morning's news that Jarren Duran will be playing this winter in Puerto Rico at Caguas, the PRWL team that Cora has GM'd, under the management of Cora pal and Red Sox coach (and 2005 Red Sox utility infielder) Ramon Vazquez, suggests to me that Cora may still be somewhat in the loop with Boston player development.
I am in the crowd that says they put Chaim in charge, let him choose the manager he thinks will work best. I am also concerned about the baggage Cora brings to his next job.
I voted IDC. It's Bloom's team now. If he likes Cora for the job, based on what the team is in 2021 and what Cora is in 2021, fantastic. We have great memories of 2018, including Cora channeling playoff Tito + 1971 Ken Dryden. But if Bloom assesses that Cora isn't that guy for this team in 2021, then I'm good with whoever he trots out there, barring some obvious Valentinian exceptions.
Am I the only one surprised that Tek hasn't managed a minor league team yet to teach him to be their next major league manager
Oh, Phew!
I had very little sleep last night and am not functioning on all burners. Thanks, Jon.
Did you think that Kevin Cash would be the best manager in baseball before he was hired?
I'd like the next Kevin Cash, and I think we have the GM to find him.
I guess here’s my question: if Bloom has a candidate in mind, what was stopping him from interviewing and hiring that person back in January when Cora resigned? Would a team really deny them permission to interview somebody?