The Alex Cora Managerial Decision Thread

[sk7326]

In 27 innings how many runs have this team scored ???? Bzzzzz not enough 3-1 could be 0-4 easily .start playing Swihart.

 

And they could easily be 5-0 barring one catastrophic inning.

 

What is interesting is that Cora clearly managing to lineup turnover. It's not as simple as "18 batter limit", but once you get to the 3rd time through - there is going to be an exit plan. There is some finesse there - Sale and Price will get a bit more rope than Velasquez - but I expect that pattern to largely hold. It has been a league-wide thing too, at least from the first weekend of results.

[kenmeister]

I was quite surprised to see JD Martinez not in yesterday's lineup, but it definitely worked out. So far so good. I think Cora left Kelly in there intentionally in the first game to see whether he has the ability to get his stuff together or not.

[Bellhorn04]

I like Cora a lot already, myself.

[mvp 78]

I'm still going to buy a Cora shirsey. Not a red one though. Whenever I buy a red one, the guy is off the team the following year.

[Spudboy]

Yeah Cora is okay by me so far.

[cp176]

ditto for - he was a middle infielder - whats not to love

[StephenCurry30]

Cora with the decision to bench betts today instead of Bradley for a rest day, when we are off Wednesday, Friday and Monday, is absolutely f***ing stupid. I'm sure you statheads will come up with metrics then says betts will perform better on july 28th due to this off day in april though.

[Spudboy]

Cora with the decision to bench betts today instead of Bradley for a rest day, when we are off Wednesday, Friday and Monday, is absolutely f***ing stupid. I'm sure you statheads will come up with metrics then says betts will perform better on july 28th due to this off day in april though.

 

lol

[notin]

Cora with the decision to bench betts today instead of Bradley for a rest day, when we are off Wednesday, Friday and Monday, is absolutely f***ing stupid. I'm sure you statheads will come up with metrics then says betts will perform better on july 28th due to this off day in april though.

 

Hey crazy thought. Maybe Cora actually talked to Betts and Mookie thought he needed the day off. Managers do have the chance to do that. ..

[StephenCurry30]

Cora with the decision to bench betts today instead of Bradley for a rest day, when we are off Wednesday, Friday and Monday, is absolutely f***ing stupid. I'm sure you statheads will come up with metrics then says betts will perform better on july 28th due to this off day in april though.

yeah, managers usually do that, then pinch hit with them and let them play multiple innings of defense in extras. its a good strategy.

[notin]

yeah, managers usually do that, then pinch hit with them and let them play multiple innings of defense in extras. its a good strategy.

 

 

I'm sure thats happened before. Or are you saying you're positive he made this decision without talking to Betts?

 

It looks like sitting Betts was the right move. If Cora sat Martinez or Benintendi, the Sox likely would have lost this game in nine...

Edited April 4, 2018 by notin

[S5Dewey]

I'm sure thats happened before. Or are you saying you're positive he made this decision without talking to Betts?

 

It looks like sitting Betts was the right move. If Cora sat Martinez or Benintendi, the Sox likely would have lost this game in nine...

 

The parallel question is are you sure he did talk to Betts before he made the decision?

 

We don't know what "maybe" happened. All we know is what did happen. Any manager I had made the decisions without getting permission from his employees.

 

But "maybe" Cora does have to ask permission from his players prior to giving them the day off.

[cp176]

The parallel question is are you sure he did talk to Betts before he made the decision?

 

We don't know what "maybe" happened. All we know is what did happen. Any manager I had made the decisions without getting permission from his employees.

 

But "maybe" Cora does have to ask permission from his players prior to giving them the day off.

 

LOL - I like that!

[Maxbialystock]

Why do I get the feeling that you will continue to argue about game 1 until game 162, unless everyone agrees with you. Argue away. Cora made a mistake in game 1. It wasn't Kelly's day. He just didn't have it. His mother probably could have told Cora to get him out of there after the second walk. Managers make plenty of mistakes. You tend to think that any criticism of a managerial move is a complete condemnation of the manager as evidenced by the last sentence of your post about Cora being "a solid pick." No one has said otherwise, but he screwed the pooch in game 1, which is in the rear view mirror after a 4-1 start. There is plenty of inexplicable managerial stupidity in dugouts throughout the major leagues. Cora doesn't have the market cornered on that aspect. Hey, maybe he left Kelly in, because he didn't have anyone warming in his bullpen.

 

I don't think your thesis holds up too well when the evidence so far is that Cora has been terrific with the bullpen,which has now pitched 23 innings in 6 games, and, indeed, that Smith and Kelly, including a save by Kelly in a 1 run game, have both pitched well since the eighth inning of game 1. I just don't think the same guy can be a blithering idiot in one game and pretty darn good in five other games. You appear to be saying, "of course he can." We get out of that infamous 8th with a 4-2 lead if Smith (not Kelly) gets Denard out instead of giving up that bases clearly triple. Since Denard, Smith has been pretty good. Our stupendous closer, on the other hand, has pitched three innings and had 2 baserunners in two of those innings. Cora to me has done a terrific job getting the right arms into games at the right times.

[Bellhorn04]

Cora said up front he was going to be giving guys rest days and using the bench a lot. Apparently he meant what he said.

[cp176]

Cora said up front he was going to be giving guys rest days and using the bench a lot. Apparently he meant what he said.

 

The philosophy is great. I just hope that they don't already have the dates circled on the calendar for when each player gets his off day. I still like just a little spontaneity. I like Cora and think that he is going to be fine but the decision to rest Betts on this particular day still is puzzling. They have plenty of rest days coming up.

[Bellhorn04]

The philosophy is great. I just hope that they don't already have the dates circled on the calendar for when each player gets his off day. I still like just a little spontaneity. I like Cora and think that he is going to be fine but the decision to rest Betts on this particular day still is puzzling. They have plenty of rest days coming up.

 

You can call it New Age managing philosophy, I guess. I think maybe it includes the idea that a travel day isn't a true rest day.

 

I also think the Red Sox looked at how the team bombed out in the first round the last 2 years and decided that they wanted to try a really different approach this year.

 

I'm just trying to figure it out myself, to be honest. But I'm willing to think Cora might have a good idea what he's doing.

[Natick to NC]

Ok let's cut the crap Cora is trying to appease JD only ...this had nothing to do with Mook getting time off ...he had that today ...so by his own philosophy he gives our hottest bat yesterday and today and Thursday off ???? That's stupidity putting him on ice ....kind of farrelesque....Now if was to play say Swihart behind the plate to give Vaz a night off and use Sandy late I get that ....But JD can't move he's as Slow as Panda out there ....He took a solid route to a deep fly late but that was too late . Edited April 4, 2018 by Natick to NC

[cp176]

You can call it New Age managing philosophy, I guess. I think maybe it includes the idea that a travel day isn't a true rest day.

 

I also think the Red Sox looked at how the team bombed out in the first round the last 2 years and decided that they wanted to try a really different approach this year.

 

I'm just trying to figure it out myself, to be honest. But I'm willing to think Cora might have a good idea what he's doing.

 

I agree with you for the most part. I also agree that a travel day isn't necessarily a rest day although I'm pretty sure that that plane ride affects me more than it does them. I also realize that it is a 162 game season - very long (too long). I think that I probably place more significance on early season games than some do. That's just me. With respect to getting plenty of rest before the playoffs begin, that is where I know that I see things differently than some. I just don't think that you assume you are going to make the playoffs regardless of how good you tend to think your team is. Lots of things can happen and you have to get to the playoffs first. I believe in resting players and keeping them fresh as much as the next guy, I just wouldn't plan their days off weeks in advance. I hope that that isn't happening. I'm "old age" - lol - Great day tomorrow for us - Sox open at home and THE MASTERS!

[Bellhorn04]

Ok let's cut the crap Cora is trying to appease JD only ...this had nothing to do with Mook getting time off ...he had that today ...so by his own philosophy he gives our hottest bat yesterday and today and Thursday off ???? That's stupidity putting him on ice ....kind of farrelesque....Now if where to play say Swihart behind the plate to give Vaz a night off and use Sandy late I get that ....But JD can't move he's as Slow as Panda out there ....He took a solid route to a deep fly late but that was too late .

 

Is Mookie off Thursday?

[moonslav59]

I agree with you for the most part. I also agree that a travel day isn't necessarily a rest day although I'm pretty sure that that plane ride affects me more than it does them. I also realize that it is a 162 game season - very long (too long). I think that I probably place more significance on early season games than some do. That's just me. With respect to getting plenty of rest before the playoffs begin, that is where I know that I see things differently than some. I just don't think that you assume you are going to make the playoffs regardless of how good you tend to think your team is. Lots of things can happen and you have to get to the playoffs first. I believe in resting players and keeping them fresh as much as the next guy, I just wouldn't plan their days off weeks in advance. I hope that that isn't happening. I'm "old age" - lol - Great day tomorrow for us - Sox open at home and THE MASTERS!

 

The only days off I might try to plan ahead on would be games at NL parks. That's when I'd give Beni, Betts and JBJ their rest, so JMart can play more. It's also a good time to give JMart or HRam a day off.

[Natick to NC]

We have to get Homefield to win the World Series it's a must ...This time off crap is fine if it's done for the right reason not I repeat not to appease some brat Millionaire who still thinks he can man a position ..JD is a DH now take it or hit the Road .

[Natick to NC]

Is Mookie off Thursday?

 

Over zealous post sorry still steamed .

[mvp 78]

You can call it New Age managing philosophy, I guess. I think maybe it includes the idea that a travel day isn't a true rest day.

 

I also think the Red Sox looked at how the team bombed out in the first round the last 2 years and decided that they wanted to try a really different approach this year.

 

I'm just trying to figure it out myself, to be honest. But I'm willing to think Cora might have a good idea what he's doing.

 

Yup. Sometimes new things are scary and weird. I'm glad that Cora has been empowered to be different and make this team his own. A lot of times, Farrell was seen as a puppet of the GM and not really able to take control of the team. This year, it's really evident that Cora is pulling a lot of strings (Poyner, Walden, resting players, early hooks, etc.).

[mvp 78]

Over zealous post sorry still steamed .

 

How can you possibly be mad? They just won 5 in a row.

[greenwell]

I was a little surprised by benching Betts. I was more surprised that Cora didn't do a double switch when he brought Smith in. Extra innings already looked likely, it would have been good to get more than one batter out of him.

[Maxbialystock]

Tough crowd. When the Sox lose, it's because of Cora. When they win, it's in spite of him. Me, I give a lot of leeway to a new guy whose team has gone 5-1 on their first road trip.

[sk7326]

The philosophy is great. I just hope that they don't already have the dates circled on the calendar for when each player gets his off day. I still like just a little spontaneity. I like Cora and think that he is going to be fine but the decision to rest Betts on this particular day still is puzzling. They have plenty of rest days coming up.

 

The NL road games were always naturals to sit OFs.

[Slasher9]

I like Cora a lot already, myself.

 

i think i'm falling into this category too.

[cp176]

The NL road games were always naturals to sit OFs.

 

I agree but I think you know what I am saying. I think that there are many things that enter into when and where you choose to sit your players so that they are rested. I don't think that planned rest days for anyone should be determined very far into the future and I hope that that is not the case here.