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The Alex Cora Managerial Decision Thread

StephenCurry30

By StephenCurry30
in Boston Red Sox Talk

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bosoxmal FCL Red Sox

bosoxmal

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I've seen and followed them all since Joe Cronin. The debate as to his being the best Red Sox manager ever, is anchient history. Now the conversation can begin, will he eventually be considerd the best of them all. Incuding McGraw, Stengel, McCarthy, etc.

 

The job he did this year was mind-boggling!

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a700hitter Cooperstown

a700hitter

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I've seen and followed them all since Joe Cronin. The debate as to his being the best Red Sox manager ever, is anchient history. Now the conversation can begin, will he eventually be considerd the best of them all. Incuding McGraw, Stengel, McCarthy, etc.

 

The job he did this year was mind-boggling!

It really was mind boggling. It is hard enough for a manager to be on top of every inning of the entire season and process correctly the data and reconcile that with what he is seeing on the field to make the right in game decisions taking into account the long view of a 162 game season. In addition to that, very often the right decision rubs wrong one or more egos in the clubhouse when you have so much talent. He was masterful in getting his entire roster to buy into his program over the entire season. There was never a hint of strife in the clubhouse. That is extraordinary. I really don’t want to hear jack s*** about Kevin Cash. Cora is the best manager in baseball this season, and it is not even close.
S5Dewey FCL Red Sox

S5Dewey

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It really was mind boggling. It is hard enough for a manager to be on top of every inning of the entire season and process correctly the data and reconcile that with what he is seeing on the field to make the right in game decisions taking into account the long view of a 162 game season. In addition to that, very often the right decision rubs wrong one or more egos in the clubhouse when you have so much talent. He was masterful in getting his entire roster to buy into his program over the entire season. There was never a hint of strife in the clubhouse. That is extraordinary. I really don’t want to hear jack s*** about Kevin Cash. Cora is the best manager in baseball this season, and it is not even close.

 

Some people are very good at doing that. The last few years before I retired we had a new department head come in and Cora reminds me very much of him. He was honest, fair, and a good communicator. He managed to take all of our personal strengths and mold them into one cohesive unit. We didn't always like what he had to say but we'd run through a wall for him. I got the feeling the Red Sox players would do the same for Cora.

moonslav59 GOAT

moonslav59

Old-Timey Member
Posted
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Some people are very good at doing that. The last few years before I retired we had a new department head come in and Cora reminds me very much of him. He was honest, fair, and a good communicator. He managed to take all of our personal strengths and mold them into one cohesive unit. We didn't always like what he had to say but we'd run through a wall for him. I got the feeling the Red Sox players would do the same for Cora.

 

Precisely!

 

This is one reason why I think Cora is our best manager ever.

Kimmi Boston Red Sox

Kimmi

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I am not one to throw compliments at managers. If you have been on this site for a few years, you know that. Even when we win, I don't hold them in high esteem, but this guy Cora is a special manager. His handling of the pitching staff (except for opening day LOL!!) has been great. The way that he used his starters in relief was something that no other Red Sox manager would have had the guts to do. Even if they had the guts, none of them could have gotten the starters to buy in. There is a lot of ego being a starter, and he had them anxious to pitch out of the pen. Just outstanding!!!

 

As I have said many times, it's what a manager does off the field that matters far more than the tactical moves during the games. Cora has been brilliant in that regard, by all accounts, starting from Day 1.

Kimmi Boston Red Sox

Kimmi

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The last 4 Red Sox first year managers either won the World Series or were named Bobby Valentine. It's a really funny quirk.

 

LOL sk.

Bellhorn04 MVP

Bellhorn04

Community Moderator
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That was great! The hatred is coming back to the rivalry. I love it.

 

Alex is trying to goad Hal Steinbrenner into a spending spree. :cool:

sk7326 FCL Red Sox

sk7326

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Cora is the greatest Sox manager of all time. Am I still alone on this?

 

He's only done what any half-decent Red Sox manager has done in his first year this century. :)

Kimmi Boston Red Sox

Kimmi

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Posted
Cora is the greatest Sox manager of all time. Am I still alone on this?

 

Yes, you're still alone.

 

Cora had the single greatest season of any manager of all time, I will grant you that. Cora might very well be on his way to being the greatest Sox manager ever.

 

But, IMO, it's hard to give that title to Cora after only one season. What if the team only wins 80 games next year and misses the playoffs, with mostly the same players back? Is Cora still the greatest manager ever?

Kimmi Boston Red Sox

Kimmi

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
Yes, you're still alone.

 

Cora had the single greatest season of any manager of all time, I will grant you that. Cora might very well be on his way to being the greatest Sox manager ever.

 

But, IMO, it's hard to give that title to Cora after only one season. What if the team only wins 80 games next year and misses the playoffs, with mostly the same players back? Is Cora still the greatest manager ever?

 

And I say this as a huge Cora fan since Day 1.

notin MVP

notin

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
Yes, you're still alone.

 

Cora had the single greatest season of any manager of all time, I will grant you that.

 

Exactly.

 

Saying Cora is the greatest Sox manager of all time is like saying Roger Maris is the greatest home run hitter in American League history...

moonslav59 GOAT

moonslav59

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
Yes, you're still alone.

 

Cora had the single greatest season of any manager of all time, I will grant you that. Cora might very well be on his way to being the greatest Sox manager ever.

 

But, IMO, it's hard to give that title to Cora after only one season. What if the team only wins 80 games next year and misses the playoffs, with mostly the same players back? Is Cora still the greatest manager ever?

 

It's not just about winning a ring: I called him the greatest before the ring.

 

The players are focused. They believe in him and themselves.

 

The players radically changed the amount of blunders and mental mistakes from last year to this.

 

We broke the team wins record and then went 11-3 in the playoffs, which included an 18 inning loss.

 

Tito was great for a long time, but he lost control. I know Cora's sample size small, and I'm sounding hypocritical with this proclamation, but I really think Cora is the best.

 

Could that change? Yes.

 

Do I think it will? Most likely not.

 

I'm not going to criticize anyone who still thinks Tito is, but my opinion differs.

moonslav59 GOAT

moonslav59

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
Exactly.

 

Saying Cora is the greatest Sox manager of all time is like saying Roger Maris is the greatest home run hitter in American League history...

 

No, because Maris had a larger body of work that proved he was not.

 

If and until Cora loses control of his team, 2, 3 or 7 years from now, IMO, he's the best.

notin MVP

notin

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
No, because Maris had a larger body of work that proved he was not.

 

If and until Cora loses control of his team, 2, 3 or 7 years from now, IMO, he's the best.

 

Sorta the point. Let’s wait until Cora gets a larger body of work...

moonslav59 GOAT

moonslav59

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
Sorta the point. Let’s wait until Cora gets a larger body of work...

 

I'm willing to wait, but as of now, he's the best. He's had no meltdown.

notin MVP

notin

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
I'm willing to wait, but as of now, he's the best. He's had no meltdown.

 

That might not be all of the criteria for being GOAT. If it is, I’m in the running here...

Bellhorn04 MVP

Bellhorn04

Community Moderator
Posted
Posted
Cora is the greatest Sox manager of all time. Am I still alone on this?

 

I do know where you're coming from. He seems like the guy who has the chance of being the perfect Sox manager.

Bellhorn04 MVP

Bellhorn04

Community Moderator
Posted
Posted
I'm willing to wait, but as of now, he's the best. He's had no meltdown.

 

If you're referring to Tito in 2011, it kind of weakens your point, because that was his 8th season with the team. 8 seasons is an eternity in this job.

SoxnCycles Draft Eligible

SoxnCycles

Verified Member
Posted
Posted
Yes, you're still alone.

 

Cora had the single greatest season of any manager of all time, I will grant you that. Cora might very well be on his way to being the greatest Sox manager ever.

 

But, IMO, it's hard to give that title to Cora after only one season. What if the team only wins 80 games next year and misses the playoffs, with mostly the same players back? Is Cora still the greatest manager ever?

 

Yup, Cora could be the greatest down the road, but for me it's still Francona.

BillyWilliams Draft Eligible

BillyWilliams

Verified Member
Posted
Posted
Yes, you're still alone.

 

Cora had the single greatest season of any red sox manager of all time, I will grant you that. Cora might very well be on his way to being the greatest Sox manager ever.

 

But, IMO, it's hard to give that title to Cora after only one season. What if the team only wins 80 games next year and misses the playoffs, with mostly the same players back? Is Cora still the greatest manager ever?

 

There, I fixed it for you.

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