John Henry has been the center of the Boston Red Sox universe recently. The intentionally reclusive owner gave his first interview in years to Financial Times, and Red Sox fans weren't happy with many of his comments regarding the club.
Henry made multiple controversial statements about the Sox, but the most offensive to Boston fans was that their expectations are too high.
"Because fans expect championships almost annually," Henry wrote to reporter Sara Germano in an email. "They easily become frustrated and are not going to buy into what the odds actually are: one in 20 or one in 30."
Red Sox manager Alex Cora objected to his comment on the June 11 installment of WEEI's "Jones and Mego" show. The skipper staunchly disagrees that Boston fans have unreasonable expectations.
"I think every fanbase has the right to dream big," Cora said. "...I like John , he's been amazing to me, there's certain things that we agree on, there's certain things that we don't agree on."
"Agree to disagree"
— Jones & Mego with Arcand (@JonesandMego) June 11, 2024
Alex Cora addresses John Henry's comments regarding Red Sox fan's expectations pic.twitter.com/MeYAUkIvxS
Red Sox fans have been forced to "dream big" with the state of the roster in recent years. Despite yearly promises that the following season will be better and that management is trying as hard as it can to bring winning talent to the Sox, Boston's record and level of success have been underwhelming since 2019.
Cora understands the frustration fans have been through, but they aren't the only ones who feel slighted by ownership. He and his players have heard all the same promises from the front office, which they've failed to deliver on multiple occasions.
"I understand where he's coming from, but agree to disagree in that sense," Cora said. "The fanbase here, they really care, they care about the Red Sox, that's why they keep talking about the Red Sox all the time, regardless of the record, and that's why we're going to try to do everything possible to make our dream come true."
Alex Cora disagrees with John Henry's recent comments about Red Sox fans
Cora has supported players who have spoken out about the front office's decisions and his willingness to vocalize his disagreements with ownership are admirable. But the comments may not bode well for the skipper if he's hoping to manage in Boston in the future.
Cora's contract with the Red Sox expires at the end of the 2024 season, and he'll likely be a hotly coveted candidate for managerial positions across the league. He may be banking on his time with Boston coming to an end if ownership doesn't take kindly to his comments.
The manager conceded that he thinks the Red Sox organization is in a better place than it was last year. A new chief baseball officer, pitching coach and young talent approaching MLB-readiness may play a part in that, but he gave the front office credit where credit was due.
Henry avoids local media like the plague, so Cora's assessment of his statements may be the only ones he'll hear. Henry's recent business model goes against everything he established in his first 14 years of ownership, and Cora deserves credit for acknowledging that parts of his interview were out of line.