When Alex Cora got the boot, and it was announced that Chad Tracy would be taking over the struggling Boston Red Sox, it seemed as if he was a Craig Breslow stooge. It was reasonable to believe that he'd be an extension of the embattled executive's cold, analytics-driven approach, as Cora was scapegoated in order to hide Breslow's culpability in building a deficient roster.
However, the validity of that narrative was questionable then and is even more questionable now. For those paying attention, there were reasons why Tracy earned the opportunity. Tracy was successful in Worcester, not just in his primary objective, developing youngsters, but also in putting wins on the board.
One of the issues that plagued Boston during that dreadful 10-17 start was the performance of many of the young players, the vast majority of whom already had a relationship with Tracy. But it wasn't just the guys who Tracy already knew who the skipper was able to level up with time.
Look no further than Caleb Durbin for proof. After looking completely lost at the plate for the first two months of the year, the 26-year-old sophomore has hit .286/.385/.429 over his last 30 games. After looking irreparably broken during the season's first two months, Durbin had become one of the driving forces behind the Red Sox's 15-game winning streak and the dominance that has followed.
Tracy's impact hasn't just been limited to the youngsters, either. Things looked bad in the aftermath of Cora's dismissal when Willson Contreras was talking about bad vibes and the young players holding the team back. Now, though, Contreras is telling the brass that he won't waive his no-trade clause and wants to finish his career in Boston.
Chad Tracy has the temperament to handle Boston as he makes his case to take over as Red Sox manager permanently
Boston isn't a place for the faint of heart. The sports franchises are storied, the fans are passionate, and the media is rabid. To succeed here, one must not only be tactically proficient but also thick-skinned, level-headed, and a great communicator.
Those were many of the qualities that led Terry Francona to break The Curse and have a successful tenure here, while some of the Red Sox's biggest failures at manager, such as Bobby Valentine, lacked many of those traits.
That's exactly the point the guys on Rich and Ken with Ted Johnson were making on WEEI as they praised Tracy's level-headed demeanor and communication skills. They touted his air of calm as a key to Boston's turnaround.
Tracy's inspirational rallying cry is becoming the stuff of legend as the Red Sox have rallied behind their new leader, and it's clear from his words why he was able to get the buy-in of youngsters and veterans alike.
"I’m not gonna turn on you. I know what you’re going through. I’ve been here. All these losses, we’re doing it together, and we’re gonna find a way to win together. When you guys are rolling in the [expletive], we’re rolling in it with you. And when we get to the point where all the flowers come out, we’ll be there with you,” Tracy said.
He should be the favorite for the American League Manager of the Year Award, barring some drastic happenings down the stretch. If he takes home that trophy, it should be a no-brainer that the interim tag must be removed and the job given to Tracy. Even without the hardware, he's made a strong case to stick around for the long haul.
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