Sox to hire Alex Cora as manager

[Kimmi]

I think JBJ is savvy enough to be given the green light and not mess it up.

 

I think so too.

 

We shall see this year, I guess.

 

Cora has given him the green light.

[moonslav59]

I think so too.

 

We shall see this year, I guess.

 

Cora has given him the green light.

 

JBJ is not all that fast, so his good base-running numbers come from having good instincts.

[Emp9]

My only fear is that some players may take the aggressive approach to the other extreme.

 

Be aggressive, but be selectively aggressive.

 

Yeah, some guys like Betts & XB( assuming last year was due to injury & not some major regression ), and Beni... these guys don’t need to change their swings. Get on base and let JDM drive you in.

[Emp9]

Of course a manager is not going to leave his best players on the bench, but there are times when there is a better hitter sitting on the bench than someone who is in the line up. And I'm not just talking about when a player needs a day off.

 

I find this off topic from what I was talking about.I haven’t had much time to get into it. I look at the Bench as depth. Or ‘Immediate Depth’, if you will. It’s sorta Lineup related. It can be. Could be defesense related as well. If you’re talking about Pinch Hitting, you’d be wrong because the success rate of PH is horrible. It’s probably one of the hardest things to ask for from a batter. If a manager is depending on Pinch Hitting to win games? ... oh boy, lol Again, I say you might want to fire your manager.

[moonslav59]

I find this off topic from what I was talking about.I haven’t had much time to get into it. I look at the Bench as depth. Or ‘Immediate Depth’, if you will. It’s sorta Lineup related. It can be. Could be defesense related as well. If you’re talking about Pinch Hitting, you’d be wrong because the success rate of PH is horrible. It’s probably one of the hardest things to ask for from a batter. If a manager is depending on Pinch Hitting to win games? ... oh boy, lol Again, I say you might want to fire your manager.

 

Agreed.

 

Our line-up does seem pretty set with nobody on the bench who has value that screams for more playing time.

 

We have poor infield defense, so I guess we could use Marrero as a late inning defensive replacement for Devers, Bogey or Nunez.

 

Moreland will get some PAs, especially if HRam struggles or plays some DH.

 

Beni could continue struggling vs LHPs and might need to sit some there, but I doubt it happens much, and I seriously doubt Cora ever platoons him.

 

JBJ could sit when slumping with JD playing LF at Fenway and RF away.

 

Our bench seems better suited to PH for our catchers, and that's why I like the idea of keeping Leon & Swihart on the 25 man roster, at least until Pedey returns. That will be when our bench choices become more meaningful and impacting.

 

[moonslav59]

MLBTR...

 

The hiring of new manager Alex Cora as gave the Red Sox some insight into how the Astros (Cora’s former team) used analytics to help with in-game strategy, and it made the Sox realize that they were falling behind in the advanced statistics arms race, WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford reports. Boston’s analytics department is now up to 10 full-time employees (plus interns) after some offseason hirings, and the team has drastically overhauled its advance scouting and data-gathering methodology to better get information to Cora and the coaching staff.

[Emp9]

Agreed.

 

Our line-up does seem pretty set with nobody on the bench who has value that screams for more playing time.

 

We have poor infield defense, so I guess we could use Marrero as a late inning defensive replacement for Devers, Bogey or Nunez.

 

Moreland will get some PAs, especially if HRam struggles or plays some DH.

 

Beni could continue struggling vs LHPs and might need to sit some there, but I doubt it happens much, and I seriously doubt Cora ever platoons him.

 

JBJ could sit when slumping with JD playing LF at Fenway and RF away.

 

Our bench seems better suited to PH for our catchers, and that's why I like the idea of keeping Leon & Swihart on the 25 man roster, at least until Pedey returns. That will be when our bench choices become more meaningful and impacting.

 

 

Yeah I was just speaking in general, for any team. There are always going to be some remote, isolated cases and I frown on speaking in absolutes. And that certainly doesn’t mean ignore your bench or that your bench never matters at all. Not saying that. Options are good.

 

For this year’s Sox team, Marrero, JBJ (when JDM plays OF), and Moreland are all great late game defensive replacement options. I think Swihart adds a lot more value than most realize.

 

You are right. No platoon is needed for Beni. His minor league splits never indicated a cause for concern vs LHP. Beni was a rookie last season (his first FULL year anyhow). I chalk it up to him being a rookie. For the same reason his base-running/OOB could've been much better. His overall game is a bit raw, but I see that changing over time.

[cp176]

MLBTR...

 

The hiring of new manager Alex Cora as gave the Red Sox some insight into how the Astros (Cora’s former team) used analytics to help with in-game strategy, and it made the Sox realize that they were falling behind in the advanced statistics arms race, WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford reports. Boston’s analytics department is now up to 10 full-time employees (plus interns) after some offseason hirings, and the team has drastically overhauled its advance scouting and data-gathering methodology to better get information to Cora and the coaching staff.

 

Good to see you posted this Moon but not a positive comment to go along with it? I thought that this would thrill the masses.

[Emp9]

MLBTR...

 

The hiring of new manager Alex Cora as gave the Red Sox some insight into how the Astros (Cora’s former team) used analytics to help with in-game strategy, and it made the Sox realize that they were falling behind in the advanced statistics arms race, WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford reports. Boston’s analytics department is now up to 10 full-time employees (plus interns) after some offseason hirings, and the team has drastically overhauled its advance scouting and data-gathering methodology to better get information to Cora and the coaching staff.

 

I read an article last year about a Carmine replacement they were working on. (Yep, just checked. It was exactly a year ago.). It’s called ‘Beacon’. I don’t think Carmine software was built for the relatively new Statcast data anyway, so it’s just as well they let it phase out.

[moonslav59]

Good to see you posted this Moon but not a positive comment to go along with it? I thought that this would thrill the masses.

 

I'm extremely thrilled we are going in this direction.

 

I love the Cora signing, and even though he has no experience as a manager, I'm confident his learning curve will be short.

[cp176]

I'm extremely thrilled we are going in this direction.

 

I love the Cora signing, and even though he has no experience as a manager, I'm confident his learning curve will be short.

 

I'm particularly pleased that Cora understands how important it is to blend the new and the time established old to get things done. My primary point really though was to give a big thumbs up to DD. He still leads the way and is doing an excellent job. Maybe it was the wrong thread - oh well.

[Bellhorn04]

MLBTR...

 

The hiring of new manager Alex Cora as gave the Red Sox some insight into how the Astros (Cora’s former team) used analytics to help with in-game strategy, and it made the Sox realize that they were falling behind in the advanced statistics arms race, WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford reports. Boston’s analytics department is now up to 10 full-time employees (plus interns) after some offseason hirings, and the team has drastically overhauled its advance scouting and data-gathering methodology to better get information to Cora and the coaching staff.

 

Boston’s analytics department is now up to 10 full-time employees (plus interns)

 

Holy crap, that really is an amazing number of people analyzing baseball data, especially when you consider how much work is being done by the computer programs themselves.

[Hitch]

Cora seems like the type of guy who can't get enough information, whether it be analytics or word of mouth. I like that about him, very much.

[Jack Flap]

I'm extremely thrilled we are going in this direction.

 

I love the Cora signing, and even though he has no experience as a manager, I'm confident his learning curve will be short.

 

I agree. Personally, I'm seeing a lot of positive signs - big and small - this spring that show the club took a good look at itself after last season and realized some things had to change.

 

With the finishing touch of Martinez in the middle of the lineup, I'm finding it increasingly hard to constrain my optimism for this year.

[moonslav59]

Yeah I was just speaking in general, for any team. There are always going to be some remote, isolated cases and I frown on speaking in absolutes. And that certainly doesn’t mean ignore your bench or that your bench never matters at all. Not saying that. Options are good.

 

For this year’s Sox team, Marrero, JBJ (when JDM plays OF), and Moreland are all great late game defensive replacement options. I think Swihart adds a lot more value than most realize.

 

You are right. No platoon is needed for Beni. His minor league splits never indicated a cause for concern vs LHP. Beni was a rookie last season (his first FULL year anyhow). I chalk it up to him being a rookie. For the same reason his base-running/OOB could've been much better. His overall game is a bit raw, but I see that changing over time.

 

Couldn't agree any more.

[moonslav59]

I agree. Personally, I'm seeing a lot of positive signs - big and small - this spring that show the club took a good look at itself after last season and realized some things had to change.

 

With the finishing touch of Martinez in the middle of the lineup, I'm finding it increasingly hard to constrain my optimism for this year.

 

There's a few major concerns going into this season, but IMO, there are far more positive things that could happen.

[Kimmi]

I find this off topic from what I was talking about.I haven’t had much time to get into it. I look at the Bench as depth. Or ‘Immediate Depth’, if you will. It’s sorta Lineup related. It can be. Could be defesense related as well. If you’re talking about Pinch Hitting, you’d be wrong because the success rate of PH is horrible. It’s probably one of the hardest things to ask for from a batter. If a manager is depending on Pinch Hitting to win games? ... oh boy, lol Again, I say you might want to fire your manager.

 

I wasn't talking about pinch hitting. My main point was to emphasize that as long as you play your best players, the batting order doesn't matter a whole lot. I didn't mean to imply managers were often sitting their best players.

[Kimmi]

Good to see you posted this Moon but not a positive comment to go along with it? I thought that this would thrill the masses.

 

I read the full article on WEEI last night and thought 'awesome!'

 

I don't know about the masses, but I personally am thrilled.

[cp176]

I read the full article on WEEI last night and thought 'awesome!'

 

I don't know about the masses, but I personally am thrilled.

 

i'm glad that you read it and thought that you might be thrilled.

[Kimmi]

From my favorite tweeter:

 

@redsoxstats

 

Based on what's been written here's my guess at the initial lineup and what would be most productive based on reading way too much about lineup optimization.

 

[cp176]

i'm glad that you read it and thought that you might be thrilled.

 

Maybe the masses wasn't an appropriate term to use but recently it just seems to me that it has been open season on Dombrowski here by a few regular posters ( not you - I wish that I didn't have to say that). I think that he indeed has a plan whatever it might be, and that to date he has done a great job. There have been very few people who have responded to what the organization led by DD has done with respect to analytics. When it comes to the Sox, my glass is always half full and I just don't get the criticism of every little move that is made. Once again not you but there seem to be people here who always find something to bitch and cry about. Honestly I think their egos tell them that they could do a better job than him which I think is ridiculous.

[Kimmi]

Maybe the masses wasn't an appropriate term to use but recently it just seems to me that it has been open season on Dombrowski here by a few regular posters ( not you - I wish that I didn't have to say that). I think that he indeed has a plan whatever it might be, and that to date he has done a great job. There have been very few people who have responded to what the organization led by DD has done with respect to analytics. When it comes to the Sox, my glass is always half full and I just don't get the criticism of every little move that is made. Once again not you but there seem to be people here who always find something to bitch and cry about. Honestly I think their egos tell them that they could do a better job than him which I think is ridiculous.

 

I think Dombrowski did a great job of putting a team together for the short term. What I have always disagreed with is that I think he sacrificed our long term to do so.

 

I gave Dombrowski credit for hiring Cora. Sorry, but I'm not convinced that Dombrowski is spearheading the push towards more analytics. That said, kudos to him for being open minded enough to be on board with it.

[cp176]

I think Dombrowski did a great job of putting a team together for the short term. What I have always disagreed with is that I think he sacrificed our long term to do so.

 

I gave Dombrowski credit for hiring Cora. Sorry, but I'm not convinced that Dombrowski is spearheading the push towards more analytics. That said, kudos to him for being open minded enough to be on board with it.

 

Why are you not convinced that he is not leading the way with respect leading to more analytics? Do you think that he is opposed to it? I certainly don't.

Edited March 6, 2018 by cp176

[a700hitter]

I think Dombrowski did a great job of putting a team together for the short term. What I have always disagreed with is that I think he sacrificed our long term to do so.

 

I gave Dombrowski credit for hiring Cora. Sorry, but I'm not convinced that Dombrowski is spearheading the push towards more analytics. That said, kudos to him for being open minded enough to be on board with it.

Then who is spearheading it? He's the boss.

[moonslav59]

Then who is spearheading it? He's the boss.

 

He's "Ben" secretly taking orders from the coffee boy.

 

[cp176]

He's "Ben" secretly taking orders from the coffee boy.

 

 

Are we unduly praising him Moon? See - I read most of the posts. lol

[a700hitter]

He's "Ben" secretly taking orders from the coffee boy.

 

Is Ben calling the shots from exile?

[cp176]

Is Ben calling the shots from exile?

 

Hey I thought he was up Canada or something.

[a700hitter]

Hey I thought he was up Canada or something.

Isn't Canada exile? That is where the loser loyalists went after the American Revolution. LOL!!!

[cp176]

Isn't Canada exile? That is where the loser loyalists went after the American Revolution. LOL!!!

 

I'm liking you being a history buff.