Red Sox Rumor: Alex Cora expected to be named manager
The Boston Red Sox are reportedly expected to name Alex Cora as their next manager after the conclusion of the American League Championship Series.
It appears that the Boston Red Sox have found their next manager. Now we just have to wait for them to make it official.
In a tweet that has since been deleted, LasMoyores.com, MLB’s official Spanish language website, posted a message that roughly translates into English as, “According to several sources, Alex Cora will be formally presented as a leader of the Red Sox after the ALCS ends.”
It’s worth noting that MLB.com’s Ian Browne reports that Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski denied that a decision has been made. On the other hand, if the team isn’t prepared to make an announcement yet then what else is Dombrowski supposed to say?
Dave Dombrowski says no decision has been made yet on the next manager of the @RedSox. There have been some rumors today.
— Ian Browne (@IanMBrowne) October 19, 2017
There may still be some logistics to work out, so the decision may not be set in stone yet. However, we can surmise from the LasMayores.com report that Cora is indeed Dombrowski’s top choice.
Cora is currently serving as the bench coach for the Houston Astros, who trail the New York Yankees 3-2 in the best-of-seven ALCS. The series could potentially end Friday night if the Yankees win, while a possible Game 7 would occur on Saturday.
If Cora is indeed getting the job, waiting until after the series ends to make an announcement makes sense in order to be respectful to the Astros organization. It’s unclear if the Red Sox would further hold the announcement until after the World Series if Houston advances. Game 1 of the World Series wouldn’t start until next Tuesday, leaving the Red Sox a couple of days free to make an announcement without being much of a distraction to Cora’s current team.
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Boston is in need of a manager to replace John Farrell, who was relieved of the position earlier this month. Cora would be a great choice, in part due to his ability to connect with the young core of this roster – something Farrell failed to do. Farrell found success in Boston leading a veteran team capable of policing themselves in the clubhouse. This current Red Sox squad lacks that type of leadership. It was time for a new manager who offers a different approach, which Cora can provide.
Cora is familiar with the pressures of the Boston market, having played for the Red Sox from 2005-2008.
While he has no Major League experience as a manager, Cora has managed in Puerto Rico during Winter League. 2017 was his first season on a Major League coaching staff. He lacks experience but is highly respected around baseball and widely considered to be one of the next top managerial prospects.
The Red Sox have also interviewed former Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus and Arizona Diamondbacks bench coach Ron Gardenhire for the position. Ausmus was originally hired in Detroit by Dave Dombrowski, while Gardenhire has over a decade of experience as the former manager of the Minnesota Twins. Cora has always the favorite, with the other two candidates considered as lukewarm backup plans.
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The Red Sox won 93 teams and the AL East division title in each of the last two seasons. Would Cora be able to take this team beyond a first-round playoff exit? That remains to be seen but after seemingly stagnating under Farrell, it was time for a new voice in the clubhouse. Cora is the best of the available choices, which should spark optimism for better results in 2018 if this report turns out to be true.