The Alex Cora Managerial Decision Thread

[oldtimer]

I think that's a valid point. I posted elsewhere that if anything, I think I would have pinch hit for the, at times, overanxious Devers, but what would that have done to his confidence? I'm good with Cora leaving the original hitters in.

 

Moreland has been nursing a sore knee so he wasn't really available.

[Kimmi]

Moreland injured and unable to pinch hit last night. I'm sure, absolutely sure, people will learn the lesson here.

 

Sure.

 

There is so much going on with the players (and the stats) that we are completely unaware of. I don't always understand his decisions, but I know that he has some good rationale for making them.

 

It's also interesting to note that Cora purposely did not divulge this information so that he wouldn't give the Twins any advantage in bullpen usage.

[Kimmi]

Hey Cora.....let me clue you in on something.....

Do NOT...and I mean NOT...use the leprechaun for more than a 1 inning save.

Thank you for your compliance.

End of line

—————————————————————————————————

 

 

I questioned that decision as well. Not that I necessarily have a problem with Kimbrel getting 4 outs, but I don't think it was needed in that situation.

[Kimmi]

Cora blew the game last night by not having anyone warm up while Kimbrel was obviously struggling to find the plate. I was watching it talking to him through the TV to get someone warmed up but he didn't respond. Good thing the Sox won.

 

Past two games demonstrate that on field decisions are absolutely crucial to the results of a game.

 

Do we know that the outcomes would have been any different had Cora made a different decision?

[Kimmi]

Moreland has been nursing a sore knee so he wasn't really available.

 

Yup. With that information, Cora's decision makes 100% sense.

 

Cora did state that even if Moreland were healthy, he would not have used him as a pinch hitter.

[notin]

I suspected Moreland was not 100%.

 

So this looks like it may have been one of the very, very rare instances where the inside information that the manager had turned out to be part of the decision...

[oldtimer]

Yup. With that information, Cora's decision makes 100% sense.

 

Cora did state that even if Moreland were healthy, he would not have used him as a pinch hitter.

 

Based on Moreland's recent performance, he was not the best matchup either. Better not to give a slap in the face to JBJ for a questionable improvement, even had he been healthy.

[FredLynn]

Based on Moreland's recent performance, he was not the best matchup either. Better not to give a slap in the face to JBJ for a questionable improvement, even had he been healthy.

 

Moreland is 6 for 10 for his career against Rodney. If he was healthy (and I am not sure we have been given the truth about his condition) he would have been a better choice than Bradley.

[cp176]

There is absolutely no rational reason why anyone shouldn't be able to expect Kimbrel to give you 4 outs. The question is whether making a change at the time he made it was the right move. Kimbrel isn't cursed. It just wasn't his night.

[notin]

There is absolutely no rational reason why anyone shouldn't be able to expect Kimbrel to give you 4 outs. The question is whether making a change at the time he made it was the right move. Kimbrel isn't cursed. It just wasn't his night.

 

Boom. Yes.

 

+10

[a700hitter]

There is absolutely no rational reason why anyone shouldn't be able to expect Kimbrel to give you 4 outs. The question is whether making a change at the time he made it was the right move. Kimbrel isn't cursed. It just wasn't his night.

He was awful. 3 BB's and no k's. He didn't get a lot of swings and misses like he usually does. Just a bad night for him.

[Hitch]

There is so much going on with the players (and the stats) that we are completely unaware of. I don't always understand his decisions, but I know that he has some good rationale for making them.

 

It's also interesting to note that Cora purposely did not divulge this information so that he wouldn't give the Twins any advantage in bullpen usage.

 

Yeah definitely. Decisions that seems strange to us will always have been made with a plethora of information we are not privy too. If fans remembered this, there'd be a lot less frothing at the mouth.

[a700hitter]

Most of us who questioned why Moreland didn't pinch hit for Bradley also questioned whether Moreland was injured. If Moreland was hurting, the move made more sense. If Moreland was just resting the move made no sense. The fact that the following night that Moreland was sitting against a RHP made it obvious that he must be hurting. no confirmation needed from Cora.

[Dalas21000]

Can someone explain why Jackie Bradley Jr is batting 5th today???

[Dalas21000]

Most of us who questioned why Moreland didn't pinch hit for Bradley also questioned whether Moreland was injured. If Moreland was hurting, the move made more sense. If Moreland was just resting the move made no sense. The fact that the following night that Moreland was sitting against a RHP made it obvious that he must be hurting. no confirmation needed from Cora.

 

Ok, IMO, if he's hurt/sore and not on the DL, he still pinch hits ....A sore Moreland is probably better than JBJ...I know what someone will say next....you don't want to risk further injury but at the end of the day it comes down to how bad you want to win....

[a700hitter]

Ok, IMO, if he's hurt/sore and not on the DL, he still pinch hits ....A sore Moreland is probably better than JBJ...I know what someone will say next....you don't want to risk further injury but at the end of the day it comes down to how bad you want to win....

I don't disagree. Unless it affects his ability to swing the bat or he physically can't jog to 1B, i would have PH him.

[notin]

I don't disagree. Unless it affects his ability to swing the bat or he physically can't jog to 1B, i would have PH him.

 

But the point is, Cora knew the answers to those questions...

[a700hitter]

But the point is, Cora knew the answers to those questions...

And maybe he still made the wrong decision.

[notin]

And maybe he still made the wrong decision.

 

Maybe. But he didn't make a less-informed one than we came on this board...

[a700hitter]

Maybe. But he didn't make a less-informed one than we came on this board...

I never said that he did.

[notin]

I never said that he did.

 

Not you, but this point started with notpinch hitting Moreland as a mistake. Turns out it was a case of informed inaction...

[a700hitter]

Not you, but this point started with notpinch hitting Moreland as a mistake. Turns out it was a case of informed inaction...

And everything a manager does is an informed act. They still make mistakes. And those situations are worthy of discussion.

[Bellhorn04]

When Cora writes a book about managing, I'll be sure to read it. Yup, right after I finish reading Sean Spicer's book about being a press secretary.

 

Hahahaha.

Cora managed like a rookie manager tonight.

 

One person's rookie manager is another person's moron.

 

Except for the one guy who got banned, I don’t think Cora has gotten “crucified “ at all. He isn’t getting anything close to the criticism that was directed at Francona. That being said, discussion of whether he should have PH Moreland (an excellent career PHer and 2018 All Star) for Bradley doesn’t rise to the level of “crucifying”. Goodness what an overstatement.

 

Just for the Talksox record, the posts by Splinter and Slasher were the ones I was referring to with the 'crucify' comment.

[a700hitter]

Just for the Talksox record, the posts by Splinter and Slasher were the ones I was referring to with the 'crucify' comment.

Even that is pretty far from crucifying. Why would anyone want to read a book about a baseball manager? I loved Tito, but his book is not on my list. Saying that he managed a game like a rookie manager is pretty light criticism. Boston is a tough sports town. Cora hasn’t seen anything close to the dark side of Boston Sports coverage, but eventually he will.

[mvp 78]

http://www.espn.com/mlb/standings

 

7 more wins than any other team. Why couldn't Farrell do that?

[notin]

Even that is pretty far from crucifying. Why would anyone want to read a book about a baseball manager? I loved Tito, but his book is not on my list.

 

That comment had nothing to do with any book, but was an attempt to compare Alex Cora to Sean Spicer...

[a700hitter]

That comment had nothing to do with any book, but was an attempt to compare Alex Cora to Sean Spicer...

He said that he would read Cora’s book right after he finished Sean Spicer’s book. What does that mean to you?

[moonslav59]

http://www.espn.com/mlb/standings

 

7 more wins than any other team. Why couldn't Farrell do that?

 

JD>HRam

[Maxbialystock]

I don't disagree. Unless it affects his ability to swing the bat or he physically can't jog to 1B, i would have PH him.

 

It comes down to how bad do you want to win?

 

I would argue that sending Moreland, whose July OPS is 300 points under JBJ's July OPS (.820 vs. .526), in to bat for JBJ was the wrong move, especially when the Sox pinch hitting all season long has been terrible (6 for 34). As it was, Rodney darn near walked JBJ.

[bosoxmal]

Cora is the first baseball manager inhistory to recognine the length of the season. Even with Devers on the DL, he rest Xander. This team was a physical mess in September every year (to say nothing of October!.

 

I can't think of a player on this squad who hasn't improved over last year

 

Who would have imagined Swihart as a member of this squad 3 months ago? And certainly not an IMPORTANT part of the team!