The Alex Cora Managerial Decision Thread

[oldtimer]

Might be so. But Hembree belongs on a AAA team. Never want to see him again.

 

Players maintain a spot on the roster by getting the job done when called upon. Anyone can have a bad day here and there, but repeated incompetence gets you off the roster as soon as someone comes along who looks better. The relief pitching corps is soon to have Thornburg to consider. My guess is Hembree is the one to lose his spot when that happens.

[Maxbialystock]

All his creation, by not having a pinch hitter for Vazquez. He wasted Holt and his catcher already.

 

You do know, I hope, that the Sox pinch hitters are 0 for 14 this year.

[S5Dewey]

You do know, I hope, that the Sox pinch hitters are 0 for 14 this year.

 

They're due!!

[Bellhorn04]

You do know, I hope, that the Sox pinch hitters are 0 for 14 this year.

 

Pinch hitting in general is a surprisingly ineffective tactic.

 

In MLB this year to date, 1185 plate appearances, pinch hitters are 211/317/294 for a fairly putrid 611 OPS.

[Fan_since_Boggs]

Is it the pitchers ??? Is it the catchers with those pitchers ??? Who's not doing there homework on opposing hitters ??? I'm done with Hembree for sure but I'm also done with Vaz and Sandy ....Id give up a lot for JT Realmutto at this point .

 

The Red Sox don't have the minor league talent to acquire Realmuto IMO. I don't know why they don't give Swihart a start or two behind the dish. He might be weaker defensively than Vazquez and Leon, but why not take a look at him? Are you really going to wreck your season by playing an average or below average defensive catcher for one or two games?

 

Cora treats Swihart like he is the plague. In the meantime, Vazquez is an automatic out who can't even hit the ball to the outfield and Leon has always been an incompetent hitter.

 

In addition, watching Devers play 3b is like watching some little league kid play 3b. You can't insert Swihart at 3b every so often? I can't imagine Swihart being worse defensively at 3b than Devers.

Edited May 11, 2018 by Fan_since_Boggs

[Slasher9]

I still say bringing in Kimbrel was a desperation move. With one out , the tying run could score from third any number of ways. If that happens , you have your closer pitching in the eighth inning , in a tie game on the road. Barnes and Smith already used , and wanting to stay away from Kelly. I think Cora was hoping for a strikeout there. If the game was considered so vital that you would use Kimbrel for five outs , why not just use him for six ?

 

i hear you dgale. i think they didn't bring him in for 6 because it was the bottom of the order coming up. granted the bottom of some orders are not like the bottom of others. the real mistake was bringing barnes into a high leverage game situation vs the Yankees.

putting kimbrel into the game in the 8th was 100% a desperation move by our rookie manager. two terrible decisions in the same inning. hopefully he learns. and it seems like he has as evidence by last nights game.

Barnes used in a low leverage spot vs NYY? check

Kimbrell used in a clean 9th? check.

[Bellhorn04]

The Red Sox don't have the minor league talent to acquire Realmuto IMO. I don't know why they don't give Swihart a start or two behind the dish. He might be weaker defensively than Vazquez and Leon, but why not take a look at him? Are you really going to wreck your season by playing an average or below average defensive catcher for one or two games?

 

Cora treats Swihart like he is the plague. In the meantime, Vazquez is an automatic out who can't even hit the ball to the outfield and Leon has always been an incompetent hitter.

 

In addition, watching Devers play 3b is like watching some little league kid play 3b. You can't insert Swihart at 3b every so often? I can't imagine Swihart being worse defensively at 3b than Devers.

 

When your team is 26-11 and in a death battle for the division it's not really the time to do a bunch of experimenting.

 

Swihart hasn't had many chances, but when he does get one he fails to capitalize.

 

He will get some more chances.

[S5Dewey]

Ok. We lost 2 of 3 to the MFY, but let's try to keep it in perspective. While it would be nice to have more offense IMO it's not necessary against most teams we're going to be playing. Therefore if Cora's going to insist on sacrificing some defense in CF (and LF) to get Moreland's bat into the order it's not necessary to also weaken the catching defense by inserting Swihart there. Our D is weak enough as it is!

 

I still think we should give Swi a chance this year. I'd suggest giving Swi some starts against some of the bottom feeders in the league (with our "A" team in the OF) to see if he can hit their pitching and with the knowledge that we can probably score enough runs to win in spite of having his D behind the plate. That's a fairly risk-free chance to see what he's got.

[Emp9]

Ok. We lost 2 of 3 to the MFY, but let's try to keep it in perspective. While it would be nice to have more offense IMO it's not necessary against most teams we're going to be playing. Therefore if Cora's going to insist on sacrificing some defense in CF (and LF) to get Moreland's bat into the order it's not necessary to also weaken the catching defense by inserting Swihart there. Our D is weak enough as it is!

 

I still think we should give Swi a chance this year. I'd suggest giving Swi some starts against some of the bottom feeders in the league (with our "A" team in the OF) to see if he can hit their pitching and with the knowledge that we can probably score enough runs to win in spite of having his D behind the plate. That's a fairly risk-free chance to see what he's got.

 

Was kinda hoping they’d give Swi a look at 2B. Cora has to learn to not to sit half our regulars when he wants to hand out playing time. It doesn’t have to be that way. Say if he did start Swi at 2B (as an example), don’t sit Betts and put Nunez in RF. Cora hasn’t done this, but it seems like something he’d do.

[Maxbialystock]

The Red Sox don't have the minor league talent to acquire Realmuto IMO. I don't know why they don't give Swihart a start or two behind the dish. He might be weaker defensively than Vazquez and Leon, but why not take a look at him? Are you really going to wreck your season by playing an average or below average defensive catcher for one or two games?

 

Cora treats Swihart like he is the plague. In the meantime, Vazquez is an automatic out who can't even hit the ball to the outfield and Leon has always been an incompetent hitter.

 

In addition, watching Devers play 3b is like watching some little league kid play 3b. You can't insert Swihart at 3b every so often? I can't imagine Swihart being worse defensively at 3b than Devers.

 

Sox are tied for the best record in MLB, and Cora is an idiot for not rescuing them by using Swihart? Give me a break.

[Maxbialystock]

Was kinda hoping they’d give Swi a look at 2B. Cora has to learn to not to sit half our regulars when he wants to hand out playing time. It doesn’t have to be that way. Say if he did start Swi at 2B (as an example), don’t sit Betts and put Nunez in RF. Cora hasn’t done this, but it seems like something he’d do.

 

Sox are tied for the best record on MLB--and you know better than Cora?

[User Name]

Sox are tied for the best record in MLB, and Cora is an idiot for not rescuing them by using Swihart? Give me a break.

 

Common sense right here.

[Dalas21000]

I don't mean to criticise JD Martinez but can someone tell him to move up in the batters box a bit....He is generally a good hitter but make it easier on yourself and move up in the box....Idk how he can catch up with fastballs on the outside corner....In fact, I saw him strikeout on a changeup pitch on the outside corner today.....With a little bit of tweaking I think he could be that much better...I know this is an Alex Cora thread but I didn't see a better place to post....maybe Cora should be the one advising him of this considering he was a hitting coach....

[Dalas21000]

I don't mean to criticise JD Martinez but can someone tell him to move up in the batters box a bit....He is generally a good hitter but make it easier on yourself and move up in the box....Idk how he can catch up with fastballs on the outside corner....In fact, I saw him strikeout on a changeup pitch on the outside corner today.....With a little bit of tweaking I think he could be that much better...I know this is an Alex Cora thread but I didn't see a better place to post....maybe Cora should be the one advising him of this considering he was a hitting coach....

 

In addition to what I posted....Idk if anyone saw this but it seems JD looks rather uncomfortable when batting...I think he still needs to adjust to playing in Boston....Don't get me wrong, he's not doing bad so far but I think he would feel a lil more comfortable if he wasn't standing so far off the plate

[Bellhorn04]

In addition to what I posted....Idk if anyone saw this but it seems JD looks rather uncomfortable when batting...I think he still needs to adjust to playing in Boston....Don't get me wrong, he's not doing bad so far but I think he would feel a lil more comfortable if he wasn't standing so far off the plate

 

He's hitting .338, man. What do you want?

[Jasonbay44]

In addition to what I posted....Idk if anyone saw this but it seems JD looks rather uncomfortable when batting...I think he still needs to adjust to playing in Boston....Don't get me wrong, he's not doing bad so far but I think he would feel a lil more comfortable if he wasn't standing so far off the plate

Can you please stop trolling? He's hitting .338 and he's been one of the most consistently good hitters the last 4 years.

[Dalas21000]

He's hitting .338, man. What do you want?

 

I agree, he's a good hitter, but I think he's a solid .400 hitter with a little tweaking

[Bellhorn04]

I agree, he's a good hitter, but I think he's a solid .400 hitter with a little tweaking

 

A .400 hitter!

[Jasonbay44]

Yeah man, I think JD Martinez with a little bit of advice from talksox could easily be a .400 hitter.

[Dalas21000]

Can you please stop trolling? He's hitting .338 and he's been one of the most consistently good hitters the last 4 years.

 

Who tf is trolling lol?......Boston just gave up a 7.5 game lead in the division and lost 2 out of 3 to NY....Considering the talent that NY has Boston better be on top of their game in every aspect bc they're not gonna get anywhere playing mediocre baseball

[Dalas21000]

Yeah man, I think JD Martinez with a little bit of advice from talksox could easily be a .400 hitter.

 

I'm sorry, but I know the game very well.....I don't take the game lightly....Have you ever played baseball before???

[Jasonbay44]

Who tf is trolling lol?......Boston just gave up a 7.5 game lead in the division and lost 2 out of 3 to NY....Considering the talent that NY has Boston better be on top of their game in every aspect bc they're not gonna get anywhere playing mediocre baseball

I know. We need JD Martinez to hit .400. I don't know why Cora doesn't read your advice. Can you please share how we can get Mookie to hit .400 also? I know its easy, but I just don't think the coaching staff knows what they're doing and aren't using JD and Mookie to the fullest extent of their abilities.

[Dalas21000]

I know. We need JD Martinez to hit .400. I don't know why Cora doesn't read your advice. Can you please share how we can get Mookie to hit .400 also? I know its easy, but I just don't think the coaching staff knows what they're doing and aren't using JD and Mookie to the fullest extent of their abilities.

 

Mookie is at his full potential I think...I don't see anything he can change....Have you ever played baseball before???

[StephenCurry30]

in the history of major league baseball, there has been 20 instances of a player ever hitting .400. the last time it was done was 1941 by ted Williams, and has only been done twice since 1925. if you actually think jd Martinez with some "tweaking" could be a .400 hitter you are a f***ing retard. the only guys to even approach .400 since that era are Rod carew (.377 in 88), ted Williams (.388 in 57), larry walker (.379 in 99) and even that isn't really that close. ichiro broke the single season hit record and was one of the greatest average hitters in mlb history and he only hit .372

[Bellhorn04]

Mookie is at his full potential I think...I don't see anything he can change....Have you ever played baseball before???

 

Look man, you do realize that Ted Williams was the last player to hit .400 - in 1941?

 

In the last 76 years no one else has done it.

 

.338 is a spectacular average for Major League Baseball.

[Bellhorn04]

in the history of major league baseball, there has been 20 instances of a player ever hitting .400. the last time it was done was 1941 by ted Williams, and has only been done twice since 1925. if you actually think jd Martinez with some "tweaking" could be a .400 hitter you are a f***ing retard. the only guys to even approach .400 since that era are Rod carew (.377 in 88), ted Williams (.388 in 57), larry walker (.379 in 99) and even that isn't really that close. ichiro broke the single season hit record and was one of the greatest average hitters in mlb history and he only hit .372

 

George Brett made a run at it. So did Tony Gwynn but it was the strike year.

[StephenCurry30]

brett did hit .390, but he missed a lot of games that season.

[Jasonbay44]

Mookie is at his full potential I think...I don't see anything he can change....Have you ever played baseball before???

 

Yes, I played baseball, through high school, that has literally nothing to do with this thread, or with your absurd speculations about JD Martinez.

[Bellhorn04]

brett did hit .390, but he missed a lot of games that season.

 

Yeah, you're right. I didn't realize he missed that many.

[Dalas21000]

Look man, you do realize that Ted Williams was the last player to hit .400 - in 1941?

 

In the last 76 years no one else has done it.

 

.338 is a spectacular average for Major League Baseball.

 

I agree....I just think JD has a lot of potential...