Sox to hire Alex Cora as manager

[cp176]

http://www.nbcsports.com/boston/red-sox/alex-cora-wants-see-quick-changes-boston-red-sox-hitting-approach?amp&__twitter_impression=true

 

The Sox of yore strove to work counts for the sake of booting a starter out of the game early. A higher pitch count made it easier to get into a presumably weaker bullpen.

 

The difference now is manifold. For one, relievers are simply better.

 

“We used to wait them out. But that was 10 years ago, 13 years ago,” Cora said Thursday morning, before the Red Sox first exhibition game of the spring. “It's been a while. It's a different game. I had a conversation with Mikey [Lowell] about that. I was like, ‘Mikey, the starters, they go four or five innings.’

 

“[They don’t] bring in the 87-88 [mph] cutter/sinker/breaking ball guy. Now the guy in the sixth inning is 97 with a great off-speed pitch, secondary pitch. I'm a big believer when you get to that starter, if you can get him right away, get him. Either he'll get you or you'll get him.”

 

And everyone is very directly trying to "get” one another. Attack plans are both more deliberate and more easily accessible these days. The proliferation of analytics has led to better scouting reports. Waste pitches may still be thrown with some sense of purpose, but there is a trend toward maximizing efficiency. See Chris Sale, who has talked a lot about the need to reduce wasted pitches -- not necessarily the same as a purposeful pitch outside of the zone , but still in the same vein. You don't necessarily need a fastball to set up your amazing curveball, or may not need it as frequently.

 

The best offense in the majors in 2017 belonged to the world champion Astros, and they saw the second fewest pitches per plate appearance of anyone in the majors, 3.78. Cora was their bench coach.

 

Now, you can still have a great offense and work counts. The team the Astros beat in the American League Championship Series, the Yankees, had 3.98 pitches per plate appearance in the regular season, the second-most. The Red Sox were seventh, at 3.94.

 

Another effect rooted in the same causes: Lineup construction doesn’t mean quite as much. A left-right balance may be helpful throughout the regular season, at least, but it doesn’t have to drive the boat.

 

“It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter,” Cora said. “You put the best lineup out there. I hate to bring up last year, because I want turn the page, but you saw what happened at the end. We had five righties [in the Astros lineup consecutively], it didn’t matter. If you can hit, you can hit.

 

“They’re good hitters. Throughout the minor leagues, you face lefties and righties and all of a sudden, your first month in the big leagues and you can’t hit lefties. I never got that. Probably have to make that decision later on, but it doesn’t matter.”

 

Lineup protection isn’t a priority, either, from the sound of it.

 

“I believe in lineup construction, that’s most important,” Cora said recently. “You’ve got David [Ortiz] and Manny [Ramirez], you pick your poison. You’ve got Miguel [Cabrera] and Victor [Martinez], you pick your poison. You decide when to challenge who at certain times. But I think it’s making that lineup long enough to keep putting pressure on the opposition.

 

“The way the league is pitching sometimes, it doesn’t matter who is hitting behind you. It’s a matter of how they attack you. There are certain teams [where] this is how you’re going to attack this guy, regardless of the situation, and they’re going to go there. If they walk him, they walk him. And if they strike him out, they strike him out. If they put together a good at-bat and they get on base, so be it. It’s a lot different because of the way stats are attacking guys. So for me, it’s all about construction."

 

I'm starting to have a man-crush on Cora already. A real bb guy. I also liked what he said about bunting. In his mind, it kind of sounds like there is a time and place for all things baseball related.

[moonslav59]

http://www.nbcsports.com/boston/red-sox/alex-cora-wants-see-quick-changes-boston-red-sox-hitting-approach?amp&__twitter_impression=true

 

The Sox of yore strove to work counts for the sake of booting a starter out of the game early. A higher pitch count made it easier to get into a presumably weaker bullpen.

 

The difference now is manifold. For one, relievers are simply better.

 

“We used to wait them out. But that was 10 years ago, 13 years ago,” Cora said Thursday morning, before the Red Sox first exhibition game of the spring. “It's been a while. It's a different game. I had a conversation with Mikey [Lowell] about that. I was like, ‘Mikey, the starters, they go four or five innings.’

 

“[They don’t] bring in the 87-88 [mph] cutter/sinker/breaking ball guy. Now the guy in the sixth inning is 97 with a great off-speed pitch, secondary pitch. I'm a big believer when you get to that starter, if you can get him right away, get him. Either he'll get you or you'll get him.”

 

And everyone is very directly trying to "get” one another. Attack plans are both more deliberate and more easily accessible these days. The proliferation of analytics has led to better scouting reports. Waste pitches may still be thrown with some sense of purpose, but there is a trend toward maximizing efficiency. See Chris Sale, who has talked a lot about the need to reduce wasted pitches -- not necessarily the same as a purposeful pitch outside of the zone , but still in the same vein. You don't necessarily need a fastball to set up your amazing curveball, or may not need it as frequently.

 

The best offense in the majors in 2017 belonged to the world champion Astros, and they saw the second fewest pitches per plate appearance of anyone in the majors, 3.78. Cora was their bench coach.

 

Now, you can still have a great offense and work counts. The team the Astros beat in the American League Championship Series, the Yankees, had 3.98 pitches per plate appearance in the regular season, the second-most. The Red Sox were seventh, at 3.94.

 

Another effect rooted in the same causes: Lineup construction doesn’t mean quite as much. A left-right balance may be helpful throughout the regular season, at least, but it doesn’t have to drive the boat.

 

“It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter,” Cora said. “You put the best lineup out there. I hate to bring up last year, because I want turn the page, but you saw what happened at the end. We had five righties [in the Astros lineup consecutively], it didn’t matter. If you can hit, you can hit.

 

“They’re good hitters. Throughout the minor leagues, you face lefties and righties and all of a sudden, your first month in the big leagues and you can’t hit lefties. I never got that. Probably have to make that decision later on, but it doesn’t matter.”

 

Lineup protection isn’t a priority, either, from the sound of it.

 

“I believe in lineup construction, that’s most important,” Cora said recently. “You’ve got David [Ortiz] and Manny [Ramirez], you pick your poison. You’ve got Miguel [Cabrera] and Victor [Martinez], you pick your poison. You decide when to challenge who at certain times. But I think it’s making that lineup long enough to keep putting pressure on the opposition.

 

“The way the league is pitching sometimes, it doesn’t matter who is hitting behind you. It’s a matter of how they attack you. There are certain teams [where] this is how you’re going to attack this guy, regardless of the situation, and they’re going to go there. If they walk him, they walk him. And if they strike him out, they strike him out. If they put together a good at-bat and they get on base, so be it. It’s a lot different because of the way stats are attacking guys. So for me, it’s all about construction."

 

I've always been big on splits and platoons, but I think the whole lefty-righty line up thing is way out of whack.

[Hitch]

I'm starting to have a man-crush on Cora already. A real bb guy. I also liked what he said about bunting. In his mind, it kind of sounds like there is a time and place for all things baseball related.

 

Me too. Really can't wait to see what he can do with this team.

[Kimmi]

Lineup protection isn’t a priority, either, from the sound of it.

 

Ha. Maybe because it doesn't exist.

[a700hitter]

"...But I think it’s making that lineup long enough to keep putting pressure on the opposition."

The notion of lengthening the lineup as an effective construction is absurd.

[Kimmi]

The notion of lengthening the lineup as an effective construction is absurd.

 

You get the best lineup by having your best players in the lineup. That's the important thing, not where they actually hit in the lineup.

[cp176]

I'm starting to have a man-crush on Cora already. A real bb guy. I also liked what he said about bunting. In his mind, it kind of sounds like there is a time and place for all things baseball related.

 

From what I read here, I did not really get that Cora feels that protection in the lineup is not important. With respect to lineup construction, sounds to me that he was basically saying that going lefty, righty and so forth should not have to be done. I'm pretty sure the he feels that batting Hanley 3rd and JD 4th will give the rest of the boys better pitches to hit. Did I miss something here? Do tell - What did I miss? Of course lineup protection matters.

[a700hitter]

You get the best lineup by having your best players in the lineup. That's the important thing, not where they actually hit in the lineup.

The best lineup has the best hitters bunched together. Lengthening a lineup by for instance batting an inferior batter second because he is adept at hitting behind runners doesn't improve the production of the lineup. It reduces productivity imo.

[Kimmi]

The best lineup has the best hitters bunched together. Lengthening a lineup by for instance batting an inferior batter second because he is adept at hitting behind runners doesn't improve the production of the lineup. It reduces productivity imo.

 

There is an optimum line up. It's not what most managers put on the field.

 

Making a move in a lineup doesn't have that big of an impact because every move made has a counter effect somewhere else in the line up.

[Kimmi]

From what I read here, I did not really get that Cora feels that protection in the lineup is not important. With respect to lineup construction, sounds to me that he was basically saying that going lefty, righty and so forth should not have to be done. I'm pretty sure the he feels that batting Hanley 3rd and JD 4th will give the rest of the boys better pitches to hit. Did I miss something here? Do tell - What did I miss? Of course lineup protection matters.

 

I heard Cora referred to today as "The Model of the Modern Manager". LOL One of the things he stressed was the importance of relaying the information from the analytics guys to the players of the field, and getting them to buy into it. I kind of have a man-crush on Cora too.

[a700hitter]

There is an optimum line up. It's not what most managers put on the field.

 

Making a move in a lineup doesn't have that big of an impact because every move made has a counter effect somewhere else in the line up.

Bunching the best hitters together is the ideal lineup.

[Kimmi]

Bunching the best hitters together is the ideal lineup.

 

Not if the best hitter is batting 3rd.

[a700hitter]

Not if the best hitter is batting 3rd.

Of course, but the best hitters need to be bunched together.

[cp176]

I heard Cora referred to today as "The Model of the Modern Manager". LOL One of the things he stressed was the importance of relaying the information from the analytics guys to the players of the field, and getting them to buy into it. I kind of have a man-crush on Cora too.

 

You might have to bite your lip though on occasion. If he is being honest with us, which I am pretty sure that he is, he is very grounded in common sense and even has a touch of what you might call old school in him. I am also sure that analytics will play a very solid role in how he approaches the season. Just won't be the be all and end all.

[cp176]

Of course, but the best hitters need to be bunched together.

 

 

pretty sure sure he will be bunching some power bats - 3-4-5. If you got them that is where you put them.

[notin]

I've always been big on splits and platoons, but I think the whole lefty-righty line up thing is way out of whack.

 

Platoons are small market baseball. When you can't afford one good player, you find two cheaper half-players....

[notin]

I heard Cora referred to today as "The Model of the Modern Manager". LOL

 

Imagine how good his rep will be once he's actually managed..

[notin]

Bunching the best hitters together is the ideal lineup.

 

And early on. Ideally 2-3-4...

[a700hitter]

And early on. Ideally 2-3-4...

I think we have 5/6 very good hitters: Betts, Benitendi, Devers, J.D., and Hanley and Pedey when healthy. They should occupy the top 6 slots.

[mvp 78]

All you guys sleep on Xander. X gonna give it to ya this year.

[a700hitter]

All you guys sleep on Xander. X gonna give it to ya this year.

i don’t think his inconsistency has been injury related. I think he has a huge hole when it comes to the slider. I hope that I am wrong.

[Spudboy]

i don’t think his inconsistency has been injury related. I think he has a huge hole when it comes to the slider. I hope that I am wrong.

 

He really was flailing at sliders all year. Or at least most of it.

 

I am also concerned that while he can start the season hot, he drops of the map in the second half.

 

What gives with that s***?

[a700hitter]

He really was flailing at sliders all year. Or at least most of it.

 

I am also concerned that while he can start the season hot, he drops of the map in the second half.

 

What gives with that s***?

Once pitchers realize that he has a huge hole with sliders, that is all he will see. His defense is to hitch his swing and slap the ball toward RF which eliminates his power.

[moonslav59]

Hitters can and often do adjust.

 

Let's home Bogey can do just that.

 

One could argue that the wrist injury affected how he could adjust to sliders last year.

 

We'll see.

 

(There's certainly a chance he never adjusts well enough to become what we hoped he'd be.)

[mvp 78]

He really was flailing at sliders all year. Or at least most of it.

 

I am also concerned that while he can start the season hot, he drops of the map in the second half.

 

What gives with that s***?

 

In 2014 and 2015 he was better in the 2nd half than the first.

[a700hitter]

Hitters can and often do adjust.

 

Let's home Bogey can do just that.

 

One could argue that the wrist injury affected how he could adjust to sliders last year.

 

We'll see.

 

(There's certainly a chance he never adjusts well enough to become what we hoped he'd be.)

I am hoping that it was just an injury issue.

[mvp 78]

I am hoping that it was just an injury issue.

 

He's going to rake this year.

[oldtimer]

I think we have 5/6 very good hitters: Betts, Benitendi, Devers, J.D., and Hanley and Pedey when healthy. They should occupy the top 6 slots.

 

Our best hitter last year was Nunez and last I heard, he is back! I assume he will start the season hitting 3rd. I see the lineup batting order as starting in the first 6 positions pretty much as you show it.

 

Betts

Beni

Nunez

Martinez

Devers

Rameriz

 

Vasquez will probably hit 7th or 8th so that leaves two spots. Bogey will play but will it be JBJ or Moreland as the final field player? I suggest the possibility that JBJ sits while Bogey bats last until he proves himself to be hitting again and Moreland bats 7th. Of course we could sit Moreland and play JBJ with Martinez at DH. Entirely possible, but then we have what were two very spotty hitters at the bottom of the lineup. Will Cora value offense or defense more?

[cp176]

Our best hitter last year was Nunez and last I heard, he is back! I assume he will start the season hitting 3rd. I see the lineup batting order as starting in the first 6 positions pretty much as you show it.

 

Betts

Beni

Nunez

Martinez

Devers

Rameriz

 

Vasquez will probably hit 7th or 8th so that leaves two spots. Bogey will play but will it be JBJ or Moreland as the final field player? I suggest the possibility that JBJ sits while Bogey bats last until he proves himself to be hitting again and Moreland bats 7th. Of course we could sit Moreland and play JBJ with Martinez at DH. Entirely possible, but then we have what were two very spotty hitters at the bottom of the lineup. Will Cora value offense or defense more?

 

I think that your opinion is solid but when Cora was asked where Hanley was going to hit, his reply was 3rd.

[mvp 78]

i don’t think his inconsistency has been injury related. I think he has a huge hole when it comes to the slider. I hope that I am wrong.

 

He was noticeably injured last season. How would having an injured hand not affect his consistency?