The Alex Cora Managerial Decision Thread

[sk7326]

Isn't SS Nunez's natural and best position?

 

He's basically a poor man's Tony Phillips. He can play a lot of positions badly (bad for someone who is playable at the position).

[Spudboy]

Did you expect a term paper giving you calculations on mass, velocity, friction and gravity etc. I finished in the top of my class in physics in high school and college, but that was 35 years ago, and I am probably rusty. But thanks for being a dickhead.

 

Besides science is very much over-blown.

 

It's all in God's hands!

[Bellhorn04]

Besides science is very much over-blown.

 

It's all in God's hands!

 

And not even God can bowl a 300 game every time.

[a700hitter]

And not even God can bowl a 300 game every time.

It has been eons since God took Physics.

[cp176]

And not even God can bowl a 300 game every time.

 

Without the special oil and stuff you think Bell?

[SoxnCycles]

The things that I have stated as fact, are indeed fact.

 

Give it up.

It doesn't matter what the subject may be, he either is or knows an expert in the field.

[mvp 78]

I'd choose Lin. Cora may choose Holt and use Lin in the late innings.

 

Here's a wild and maybe crazzzy thought:

 

Nunez at SS and Holt at 2B.

 

Why is that wild? Isn't that what was reported?

[mvp 78]

Robot umps now!

 

Now and forever.

[illinoisredsox]

Give it up.

It doesn't matter what the subject may be, he either is or knows an expert in the field.

 

You mean he's the bald guy from Pawn Stars?

[SoxnCycles]

You mean he's the bald guy from Pawn Stars?

 

LOL Maybe!

[Kimmi]

Robot umps now!

 

LOL Nope. I love the randomness. It's what makes the sport so beautiful.

[oldtimer]

I could have managed the team to a win tonight. I love the aggessiveness at the plate the year and credit Cora for that change. Great win over the Yankees with Betts on fire and the top of the order not making outs. Hope they stay hot as Bogaerts won't return until around the 24th.

[notin]

He's basically a poor man's Tony Phillips. He can play a lot of positions badly (bad for someone who is playable at the position).

 

Very poor man's. Phillips was an OBP machine...

[notin]

am an attorney, so my science studies didn't go very far. My daughter and son in law are are engineers, but thankfully they are not dickheads. Since you are an engineer, you should be able to do all the necessary calculations on the physics in bowling. Take some time and post it when you are ready. There are a lot of good articles on the physics of bowling available on the internet to give you a start.

 

Yet you still argue physics with engineers?

[a700hitter]

Yet you still argue physics with engineers?

Yep, one who admitted that he was rusty on his physics, or did you miss that? Are you going to be the prick of the night?

[oldtimer]

Time to move away from the bickering and bring up a different subject.

 

It is my opinion that the Sox have one of the best hitting lineups that they have had in years and that Cora and his staff is at least partly responsible for that in stressing being aggressive early in the count when balls are in the strike zone. Some of the credit for the emergence of the offense has to go to the improved health of Betts, Bogaerts and Rameriz as well. I'll let Moon go on with his statistics if he wants but I will go strictly on the basis of observations this season to date.

 

Betts has excellent hand eye coordination and has a very quick bat. He is being more aggressive and hitting in the one hole he is producing at an amazing rate. It's unlikely to continue at such a rate but with his pop and speed, we have one of the premier lead off hitters in the game.

 

Beni has good plate discipline a very nice swing and can go either to left or can pull the ball. He will draw walks and when the weather warms and he gets to play in Yankee stadium, camden Yards or the like, I expect to see him go deep and be a threat there as well. I believe he can hit lefties as right handed batters have learned to hit right handed pitchers. His OPS will climb and be very respectable as the season progreesses and having another speed guy up front has got to be helpful.

 

Hanley's health is better now and he is thriving in the third hole with JDM behind him. He has always had good pop, but I also notice he is shortening his swing and going to right wihen down on the count. He doesn't seem to have that disinterested look that so often showed up last season.

 

JDM impresses me as a guy who resets after every pitch and has a hitting plan that he follows. Obviously he has a lot of power and would have more home runs already in the weather was warmer. I expect him to become more comfortable in a Red Sox uni and start to produce at a higher rate as the season moves along.

 

Devers has a lot of pop, good bat speed and good hand eye coordination. At this point his pitch recognition is not the best and he will have a lot of swing and miss situations but his natural talent will keep him firmly in the lineup. Don't try to get a fasball past him on the plate as he will kill it.

 

Bogaerts (while out briefly) got over his wrist injury, took to the idea of being more aggressive and seems also to have changed his swing mechanics. Love what I see from him as he has become a truly dangerous hitter and one that can hit for average and also decent power. Hope he can get back soon and he is a big part of the order.

 

Nunez is a professional hitter and we havee seen what he can do from last year. It is a testament to the team that a guy with his ability is in the hole. I expect him to hit close to 300 and add decent pop from the 7th position.

 

Vaz is a good catcher and surprised me when he started to hit for average last season and is continuing to look decent at the plate this year. He will probably get to start 125 games this year if he can remain healthy. Tough for a catcher with all the tipped balls but Cora appears to believe in giving guys a rest from time to time and he has Leon and Swihart on the teaam as backup.

 

JBradley had a bad September hitting under his weight and is contiuing into this year. He takes a big cut at the ball and his contact rate is low. At his experience level, he should be hitting better if he was going to. My hope is that the coaches can help him as a hitter but it is up to him to want that. He brief hot periods seem to indicate he has it in him but it doesn't seem to be realized.

 

That is for certain a scary lineup for any pitcher to face and when Pedey gets back, his hitting is likely to get back into the 300 BA region. Someone currently in the lineup will have to become the utility man and that is likely to be Nunez. He can get a lot of ABs substituting and giving the rest that Cora seems to advocate. Moreland is a professional hitter and will get his time and produce well enough to be used to rest Hanley. Holt still seems to be hitting in the Farrell era. He is patient and then takes called third strikes on the plate. Not impressed with his hitting. Leon can get hot but is likely to be a lower 200 hitter. Swihart is a bit of an unknown.

 

Who goes down when Pedey is ready and Bogaerts back? Clearly Lin and possibly Holt. Our best hitter in the minors is Travis but he doesn't have the positional flexibility to be brought up so seems to be stuck there.

[moonslav59]

Time to move away from the bickering and bring up a different subject.

 

It is my opinion that the Sox have one of the best hitting lineups that they have had in years and that Cora and his staff is at least partly responsible for that in stressing being aggressive early in the count when balls are in the strike zone. Some of the credit for the emergence of the offense has to go to the improved health of Betts, Bogaerts and Rameriz as well. I'll let Moon go on with his statistics if he wants but I will go strictly on the basis of observations this season to date.

 

Betts has excellent hand eye coordination and has a very quick bat. He is being more aggressive and hitting in the one hole he is producing at an amazing rate. It's unlikely to continue at such a rate but with his pop and speed, we have one of the premier lead off hitters in the game.

 

Beni has good plate discipline a very nice swing and can go either to left or can pull the ball. He will draw walks and when the weather warms and he gets to play in Yankee stadium, camden Yards or the like, I expect to see him go deep and be a threat there as well. I believe he can hit lefties as right handed batters have learned to hit right handed pitchers. His OPS will climb and be very respectable as the season progreesses and having another speed guy up front has got to be helpful.

 

Hanley's health is better now and he is thriving in the third hole with JDM behind him. He has always had good pop, but I also notice he is shortening his swing and going to right wihen down on the count. He doesn't seem to have that disinterested look that so often showed up last season.

 

JDM impresses me as a guy who resets after every pitch and has a hitting plan that he follows. Obviously he has a lot of power and would have more home runs already in the weather was warmer. I expect him to become more comfortable in a Red Sox uni and start to produce at a higher rate as the season moves along.

 

Devers has a lot of pop, good bat speed and good hand eye coordination. At this point his pitch recognition is not the best and he will have a lot of swing and miss situations but his natural talent will keep him firmly in the lineup. Don't try to get a fasball past him on the plate as he will kill it.

 

Bogaerts (while out briefly) got over his wrist injury, took to the idea of being more aggressive and seems also to have changed his swing mechanics. Love what I see from him as he has become a truly dangerous hitter and one that can hit for average and also decent power. Hope he can get back soon and he is a big part of the order.

 

Nunez is a professional hitter and we havee seen what he can do from last year. It is a testament to the team that a guy with his ability is in the hole. I expect him to hit close to 300 and add decent pop from the 7th position.

 

Vaz is a good catcher and surprised me when he started to hit for average last season and is continuing to look decent at the plate this year. He will probably get to start 125 games this year if he can remain healthy. Tough for a catcher with all the tipped balls but Cora appears to believe in giving guys a rest from time to time and he has Leon and Swihart on the teaam as backup.

 

JBradley had a bad September hitting under his weight and is contiuing into this year. He takes a big cut at the ball and his contact rate is low. At his experience level, he should be hitting better if he was going to. My hope is that the coaches can help him as a hitter but it is up to him to want that. He brief hot periods seem to indicate he has it in him but it doesn't seem to be realized.

 

That is for certain a scary lineup for any pitcher to face and when Pedey gets back, his hitting is likely to get back into the 300 BA region. Someone currently in the lineup will have to become the utility man and that is likely to be Nunez. He can get a lot of ABs substituting and giving the rest that Cora seems to advocate. Moreland is a professional hitter and will get his time and produce well enough to be used to rest Hanley. Holt still seems to be hitting in the Farrell era. He is patient and then takes called third strikes on the plate. Not impressed with his hitting. Leon can get hot but is likely to be a lower 200 hitter. Swihart is a bit of an unknown.

 

Who goes down when Pedey is ready and Bogaerts back? Clearly Lin and possibly Holt. Our best hitter in the minors is Travis but he doesn't have the positional flexibility to be brought up so seems to be stuck there.

 

Funny how adding one guy turns us into one of the best in years.

 

(Of course, we added full seasons from Devers & Nunez, and Betts, Bogey & HRam all look over their injuries from 2017.)

[a700hitter]

Funny how adding one guy turns us into one of the best in years.

 

(Of course, we added full seasons from Devers & Nunez, and Betts, Bogey & HRam all look over their injuries from 2017.)

The non-existent cascading effect?

[moonslav59]

The non-existent cascading effect?

 

Yes, that's what funny! Signing JMart magically made HRam, Bogey and Betts get over their nagging 2017 injuries!

[a700hitter]

Yes, that's what funny! Signing JMart magically made HRam, Bogey and Betts get over their nagging 2017 injuries!

Maybe he introduced them to a new balm.

[S5Dewey]

Maybe he introduced them to a new balm.

 

Or maybe having JDM in the order provides protection for them.

[oldtimer]

Funny how adding one guy turns us into one of the best in years.

 

(Of course, we added full seasons from Devers & Nunez, and Betts, Bogey & HRam all look over their injuries from 2017.)

 

Yes, we had Ortiz in the past and that made us better and so will JDM. Having three guys over their injuries and a 4th in Pedey returning has got to make us better. Having coaching changes result in changes in aggressiveness appear to have made an improvement. You may not see what I see in Bogaerts, but I believe he has changed his swing mechanics and is now hitting the ball harder than virtually any time in his past career. In addition, Hanley's attitude appears more upbeat for whatever reason. Maybe just being in a winning environment.

 

Last year we had a talently team which underperformed, almost across the board. Perhaps this year we will have a team where the players have haad their right buttons push and will perform closer to their best. I can hope.

[SoxnCycles]

Or maybe having JDM in the order provides protection for them.

 

Yup, opposing pitchers are clearly terrified of that .275 OBP, so far.

I'm sure they'll start to pitch around him as the season goes on and he settles in, but now?

[cp176]

Or maybe having JDM in the order provides protection for them.

 

I'm with you on this one. The guy hits balls of the fists farther than most do off the fat of the bat. I think that his teammates are pretty pleased that he is in the middle of our lineup.

[mvp 78]

I'm with you on this one. The guy hits balls of the fists farther than most do off the fat of the bat. I think that his teammates are pretty pleased that he is in the middle of our lineup.

 

JDM has been pretty unlucky so far with some hard hit balls. He's going to mash this summer.

[cp176]

JDM has been pretty unlucky so far with some hard hit balls. He's going to mash this summer.

 

There is no question about that in my mind. The ball he hit about as far as you can one without having it go out last night still looked to me like his swing was cramped.

[mvp 78]

There is no question about that in my mind. The ball he hit about as far as you can one without having it go out last night still looked to me like his swing was cramped.

 

2 ft to the right and it's out. 2 ft to the left and it's out.

[S5Dewey]

2 ft to the right and it's out. 2 ft to the left and it's out.

 

10 degrees warmer and it's out.

[cp176]

10 degrees warmer and it's out.

 

lol

[Kimmi]

Yes, we had Ortiz in the past and that made us better and so will JDM. Having three guys over their injuries and a 4th in Pedey returning has got to make us better. Having coaching changes result in changes in aggressiveness appear to have made an improvement. You may not see what I see in Bogaerts, but I believe he has changed his swing mechanics and is now hitting the ball harder than virtually any time in his past career. In addition, Hanley's attitude appears more upbeat for whatever reason. Maybe just being in a winning environment.

 

Last year we had a talently team which underperformed, almost across the board. Perhaps this year we will have a team where the players have haad their right buttons push and will perform closer to their best. I can hope.

 

IMO, the aggressive approach is making the biggest impact with our hitters so far, not letting those middle-middle pitches go by and getting into a pitcher's count. Being healthy has played a big part too. Plus good old plain regression.