Alex Cora is back!

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

My guess is that management spoke to Cora about the strategy they want to pursue to build a consistently competitive team, but I would doubt they would promise to go after specific players, whether in trade of through the FA process. Cora is especially good with Latino players and we know how many of those are in the majors these days. Having him in place is a help as the team decides who to keep, trade away and for and who will be on the 40 man. He should complement Bloom and they should make an effective team. I am glad that this is settled since we have free agency in process and the Rule 5 draft will need to be settled by Nov 20th and the non-tender deadline Dec 2nd. I don't expect the Sox to make rash moves under Bloom and now Cora.

 

I can agree with no promises, per say, but Cora's input will certainly be a consideration with the rebuild. I also expect his connection with available players on other teams to be a factor.

[jad]

Come on! The nerve that anyone could think Manfred's investigative report last winter had anything to do with politics...

 

(I think you missed the reference to a previous poster here.)

[harmony]

Cheaters should be held accountable.

 

Alex Cora was held accountable.

 

Welcome back.

[moonslav59]

Cheaters should be held accountable.

 

Alex Cora was held accountable.

 

Welcome back.

 

Redemption.

[Kimmi]

@JonHeyman

Breaking: Alex Cora is back as Red Sox manager

 

Woot! Let's go!

[Kimmi]

The players are happy, and happy players play happier.

 

To hear how happy the players are to have him back says a lot. That alone is enough to tell me that Cora is the right choice.

[Kimmi]

I'm hearing that Cora's deal is for two years + two team options.

[Larry Cook]

If we could not get Lombard, then I am glad it is Cora!

[harmony]

Yankee fans can be as petty as ... well, fans of other teams:

 

https://yanksgoyard.com/2020/11/06/red-sox-alex-cora-hire/

[notin]

Yankee fans can be as petty as ... well, fans of other teams:

 

https://yanksgoyard.com/2020/11/06/red-sox-alex-cora-hire/

 

I don't see the fuss.

 

The Sox area bad team right now, and not a manager away The Tigers hired Hinch. No uproar there?

[Bellhorn04]

I don't see the fuss.

 

The Sox area bad team right now, and not a manager away The Tigers hired Hinch. No uproar there?

 

That article is hilariously stupid.

 

This whole 'bury the news in the election news' idea is especially foolish. The election crap has been going on quite a while and may be going on quite a while longer.

[Bellhorn04]

From The Athletic (I'm a paid subscriber. My apologies to Harmony for the copy and paste. I won't do it often.)

 

How Alex Cora and the Red Sox reunited: ‘It wasn’t a dog-and-pony show’

By Chad Jennings Nov 6, 2020

 

When the interview process started, Alex Cora was not considered internally to be the favorite to return as Red Sox manager. In fact, many in the organization fully expected someone else to get the job.

 

The Red Sox knew Cora, they liked Cora, and many of their top decision-makers wanted him back, but the final say-so was in the hands of chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, and there was little certainty he would ever come around to the same conclusion. When initial interviews revealed an impressive group of eight other candidates — a much stronger candidate pool than when Cora was initially hired in 2017 – a reunion seemed even less likely.

 

According to team sources, though, the hiring process began to shift in the past week as Bloom and Cora talked many times both on the phone and face-to-face. Bloom asked tough questions and openly discussed Cora’s strengths and weaknesses. Cora addressed his role in the Houston sign-stealing scandal and talked about the lessons he’d learned in the fallout. At one point, according to one source, Cora flatly asked Bloom, “Do you trust me?” If not, Cora told him, Bloom should hire someone else. Bloom said he did.

 

By Thursday morning, Bloom requested a final Zoom call with his top lieutenants: general manager Brian O’Halloran and assistant general managers Raquel Ferreira, Eddie Romero and Zack Scott. He wanted to talk through, once again, his thoughts on Cora and the possibility of bringing him back. By Thursday night, Bloom’s decision was made. News of Cora’s hiring broke on Friday morning and was announced officially on Friday night. It’s a two-year contract with a team option for two more.

 

“Our conversations were lengthy, intense, and emotional,” Bloom said in a released statement. “Alex knows that what he did was wrong, and he regrets it. My belief is that every candidate should be considered in full: strengths and weaknesses, accomplishments and failures. That is what I did with Alex in making this choice.”

 

The reunion came at the end of a lengthy process, one that introduced the Red Sox to promising young baseball minds but brought them eventually to a familiar candidate many observers believed to be an obvious choice. Although the final decision seemed inevitable, those inside the organization say it was never that simple.

 

“It wasn’t a dog-and-pony show,” one source insisted.

 

In the earliest stages of their search, the Red Sox vetted many names, some of them grizzled managers and others less experienced coaches. They settled on eight initial candidates: Phillies director of integrative baseball performance Sam Fuld, Marlins bench coach James Rowson, Pirates bench coach Don Kelly, Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza, Diamondbacks bench coach Luis Urueta, Twins bench coach Mike Bell, Padres associate manager Skip Schumaker, and Cubs third base coach Will Venable.

 

The Red Sox also decided they would reach out to Cora when his suspension was lifted at the end of the World Series, but Bloom “didn’t yet know if it made sense to consider him for the job.” If any candidate were getting a courtesy interview, some thought it might be Cora.

 

True to their word, the Red Sox ownership group basically stayed out of the process. It was no secret that owner John Henry, chairman Tom Werner and president Sam Kennedy liked Cora — they’d said so publicly many times since he was let go in January — but sources said ownership did not pressure Bloom to bring Cora back. They were in the loop, of course, but it truly was Bloom’s decision. The feeling within the organization was, if Bloom wanted someone else, ownership would support that choice.

 

One thing ownership made clear was it had no objection to the optics of Cora returning after two sign-stealing scandals, including one the Red Sox were punished for, and a season-long suspension. The negative public relations side of Cora’s return was never a significant hurdle.

 

“He owns, and has learned from, his past mistakes,” Kennedy said in the team’s statement, “and with his incredible talent, he will build on the deep bonds he’s fostered over time to make us better in the years to come.”

 

That said, Cora’s ties to illegal sign-stealing were impossible to ignore. The issue had to be discussed and considered, especially since the Red Sox themselves had been found guilty of a lesser sign-stealing infraction when Cora was manager in 2018. To bring him back, Bloom and the Red Sox had to feel confident Cora would not leave them vulnerable to another scandal and further humiliation.

 

Ultimately, they came to believe that Cora understood the gravity of the situation and had come to terms with his own role in what happened in Houston. If something similar were to happen again on Cora’s watch, his career in baseball would be finished. Cora knew that. The Red Sox believed they could trust him not to let that happen.

 

“This past year, I have had time to reflect and evaluate many things, and I recognize how fortunate I am to lead this team once again,” Cora said in his own official statement. “Not being a part of the game of baseball, and the pain of bringing negative attention to my family and this organization was extremely difficult. I am sorry for the harm my past actions have caused and will work hard to make this organization and its fans proud.”

 

Bloom and Cora had worked together for three months last winter, so their interview process was not an introduction, but it was an opportunity to address issues left lingering after Cora’s sudden departure. Bloom and O’Halloran flew to Puerto Rico to meet with Cora face-to-face last Friday, and Bloom and Cora kept talking after Bloom’s return to Boston.

 

In the final days of the search, the decision came down to three finalists: Cora, Fuld and Rowson. One of the Red Sox executives who pushed for Cora throughout the process told Bloom he ultimately would be happy with any of the options. All three had impressed the organization. All three seemed to be deserving managers. All three came with upside as leaders of the Red Sox clubhouse. But Cora was still that executive’s top choice when Bloom asked his inner circle to rank the final three candidates.

 

Of the nine candidates the Red Sox interviewed, Cora was the only one with major league managerial experience, and that experience — with all its ups and downs, its flaws and its championships — wound up being a factor in his favor.

 

“He’ll be a better manager than he was in 2018 (because of his experience),” one source said.

 

The Red Sox are about to find out just how much better. They’re planning to reintroduce Cora in a virtual news conference next week. He’s already the second manager Bloom has hired.

 

In his first year on the job, Bloom has proven to be deliberate and thorough in his decision making, and also collaborative in his process. His decision to bring back Cora, sources said, was not forced upon him, and it was never inevitable. Cora is back as manager only because Bloom was truly convinced Cora was the right person for the job.

 

“He loves the Red Sox and the game of baseball,” Bloom said in the team’s statement, “and because of that we believe he will make good on this second chance. I join our whole organization in welcoming Alex back to Boston and Fenway Park.”

[moonslav59]

Thanks, bell.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

https://www.radio.com/weei/sports/red-sox/why-i-thought-of-lindor-when-red-sox-brought-back-alex-cora

 

I approve of this message.

[cp176]

From The Athletic (I'm a paid subscriber. My apologies to Harmony for the copy and paste. I won't do it often.)

 

How Alex Cora and the Red Sox reunited: ‘It wasn’t a dog-and-pony show’

By Chad Jennings Nov 6, 2020

 

When the interview process started, Alex Cora was not considered internally to be the favorite to return as Red Sox manager. In fact, many in the organization fully expected someone else to get the job.

 

The Red Sox knew Cora, they liked Cora, and many of their top decision-makers wanted him back, but the final say-so was in the hands of chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, and there was little certainty he would ever come around to the same conclusion. When initial interviews revealed an impressive group of eight other candidates — a much stronger candidate pool than when Cora was initially hired in 2017 – a reunion seemed even less likely.

 

According to team sources, though, the hiring process began to shift in the past week as Bloom and Cora talked many times both on the phone and face-to-face. Bloom asked tough questions and openly discussed Cora’s strengths and weaknesses. Cora addressed his role in the Houston sign-stealing scandal and talked about the lessons he’d learned in the fallout. At one point, according to one source, Cora flatly asked Bloom, “Do you trust me?” If not, Cora told him, Bloom should hire someone else. Bloom said he did.

 

By Thursday morning, Bloom requested a final Zoom call with his top lieutenants: general manager Brian O’Halloran and assistant general managers Raquel Ferreira, Eddie Romero and Zack Scott. He wanted to talk through, once again, his thoughts on Cora and the possibility of bringing him back. By Thursday night, Bloom’s decision was made. News of Cora’s hiring broke on Friday morning and was announced officially on Friday night. It’s a two-year contract with a team option for two more.

 

“Our conversations were lengthy, intense, and emotional,” Bloom said in a released statement. “Alex knows that what he did was wrong, and he regrets it. My belief is that every candidate should be considered in full: strengths and weaknesses, accomplishments and failures. That is what I did with Alex in making this choice.”

 

The reunion came at the end of a lengthy process, one that introduced the Red Sox to promising young baseball minds but brought them eventually to a familiar candidate many observers believed to be an obvious choice. Although the final decision seemed inevitable, those inside the organization say it was never that simple.

 

“It wasn’t a dog-and-pony show,” one source insisted.

 

In the earliest stages of their search, the Red Sox vetted many names, some of them grizzled managers and others less experienced coaches. They settled on eight initial candidates: Phillies director of integrative baseball performance Sam Fuld, Marlins bench coach James Rowson, Pirates bench coach Don Kelly, Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza, Diamondbacks bench coach Luis Urueta, Twins bench coach Mike Bell, Padres associate manager Skip Schumaker, and Cubs third base coach Will Venable.

 

The Red Sox also decided they would reach out to Cora when his suspension was lifted at the end of the World Series, but Bloom “didn’t yet know if it made sense to consider him for the job.” If any candidate were getting a courtesy interview, some thought it might be Cora.

 

True to their word, the Red Sox ownership group basically stayed out of the process. It was no secret that owner John Henry, chairman Tom Werner and president Sam Kennedy liked Cora — they’d said so publicly many times since he was let go in January — but sources said ownership did not pressure Bloom to bring Cora back. They were in the loop, of course, but it truly was Bloom’s decision. The feeling within the organization was, if Bloom wanted someone else, ownership would support that choice.

 

One thing ownership made clear was it had no objection to the optics of Cora returning after two sign-stealing scandals, including one the Red Sox were punished for, and a season-long suspension. The negative public relations side of Cora’s return was never a significant hurdle.

 

“He owns, and has learned from, his past mistakes,” Kennedy said in the team’s statement, “and with his incredible talent, he will build on the deep bonds he’s fostered over time to make us better in the years to come.”

 

That said, Cora’s ties to illegal sign-stealing were impossible to ignore. The issue had to be discussed and considered, especially since the Red Sox themselves had been found guilty of a lesser sign-stealing infraction when Cora was manager in 2018. To bring him back, Bloom and the Red Sox had to feel confident Cora would not leave them vulnerable to another scandal and further humiliation.

 

Ultimately, they came to believe that Cora understood the gravity of the situation and had come to terms with his own role in what happened in Houston. If something similar were to happen again on Cora’s watch, his career in baseball would be finished. Cora knew that. The Red Sox believed they could trust him not to let that happen.

 

“This past year, I have had time to reflect and evaluate many things, and I recognize how fortunate I am to lead this team once again,” Cora said in his own official statement. “Not being a part of the game of baseball, and the pain of bringing negative attention to my family and this organization was extremely difficult. I am sorry for the harm my past actions have caused and will work hard to make this organization and its fans proud.”

 

Bloom and Cora had worked together for three months last winter, so their interview process was not an introduction, but it was an opportunity to address issues left lingering after Cora’s sudden departure. Bloom and O’Halloran flew to Puerto Rico to meet with Cora face-to-face last Friday, and Bloom and Cora kept talking after Bloom’s return to Boston.

 

In the final days of the search, the decision came down to three finalists: Cora, Fuld and Rowson. One of the Red Sox executives who pushed for Cora throughout the process told Bloom he ultimately would be happy with any of the options. All three had impressed the organization. All three seemed to be deserving managers. All three came with upside as leaders of the Red Sox clubhouse. But Cora was still that executive’s top choice when Bloom asked his inner circle to rank the final three candidates.

 

Of the nine candidates the Red Sox interviewed, Cora was the only one with major league managerial experience, and that experience — with all its ups and downs, its flaws and its championships — wound up being a factor in his favor.

 

“He’ll be a better manager than he was in 2018 (because of his experience),” one source said.

 

The Red Sox are about to find out just how much better. They’re planning to reintroduce Cora in a virtual news conference next week. He’s already the second manager Bloom has hired.

 

In his first year on the job, Bloom has proven to be deliberate and thorough in his decision making, and also collaborative in his process. His decision to bring back Cora, sources said, was not forced upon him, and it was never inevitable. Cora is back as manager only because Bloom was truly convinced Cora was the right person for the job.

 

“He loves the Red Sox and the game of baseball,” Bloom said in the team’s statement, “and because of that we believe he will make good on this second chance. I join our whole organization in welcoming Alex back to Boston and Fenway Park.”

 

This was a very enjoyable read for me. Sounds as though Bloom and the organization in general did a very thorough job before making the final offer.

[Kimmi]

From The Athletic (I'm a paid subscriber. My apologies to Harmony for the copy and paste. I won't do it often.)

 

How Alex Cora and the Red Sox reunited: ‘It wasn’t a dog-and-pony show’

By Chad Jennings Nov 6, 2020

 

There has been a lot of speculation that Bloom didn't really want Cora, that he would have preferred bringing in 'his guy' (Fuld), and that he was pressured by ownership into hiring Cora. It's nice to read that none of that seems to be the case.

 

I think Cora is absolutely the right choice, based on the way his players respond to him. Even Price, obviously no longer with the team, commented on how good a decision it was to bring Cora back. But beyond his ability to manage the players, Cora has great baseball smarts as well.

[Bellhorn04]

There has been a lot of speculation that Bloom didn't really want Cora, that he would have preferred bringing in 'his guy' (Fuld), and that he was pressured by ownership into hiring Cora. It's nice to read that none of that seems to be the case.

 

I think Cora is absolutely the right choice, based on the way his players respond to him. Even Price, obviously no longer with the team, commented on how good a decision it was to bring Cora back. But beyond his ability to manage the players, Cora has great baseball smarts as well.

 

Bloom continues to prove he is very meticulous and thorough, but also seems open-minded and willing to listen to others, too.

[moonslav59]

Bloom continues to prove he is very meticulous and thorough, but also seems open-minded and willing to listen to others, too.

 

A rare attribute, these days.

 

I really like the Cora-Bloom dynamic. I can't help but think we will be seeing some very highly successful days under these two- hopefully sooner than later.

 

Although I prefer a longer term approach, not making the playoffs for 3-4 straight years hurts like hell.

[dgalehouse]

My feeling is that Cora was the choice all along. All this other stuff is just window dressing and spin. Only an idiot would take Fuld over Cora.

[dgalehouse]

The phone rings: Bloom : " Hello." Caller: " Hello Chaim , John Henry here." Bloom: " Oh , Hi Mr. Henry. What's up? ". Henry : " Call me John . How are you , Chaim ? And how's the family ?" Bloom : " Fine , John. What's on your mind this morning? ". Henry: " It's about the manager's job. You know me and my associates like Alex Cora a lot . We think he deserves another chance." Bloom: "Yes, John . I agree , but ... ". Henry: " Now don't get me wrong Chaim . I love Alex , but the choice is strictly up to you . Don't let the fact that I sign the checks influence your decision. I trust you completely. I know you like this other fellow , I forget his name , the guy with no experience." Bloom: " Sam Fuld?" Henry: " Yes , yes , that's it. So , think about it, Chaim. It's up to you. I will support any decision you make. Have a nice day." Bloom : " Thank you Mr. Henry , I mean John . I will give you my decision very soon. Have a great day. Goodbye." Henry : " Take care, Chaim." End of call.

[Bellhorn04]

My feeling is that Cora was the choice all along. All this other stuff is just window dressing and spin. Only an idiot would take Fuld over Cora.

 

No, I don't think it's quite that simple. Cora did have a couple of negatives, with the suspension and Restgate.

 

And guys with no previous experience are getting hired as managers now.

[jacksonianmarch]

Cora must really like Boston. The team he left is not the team he has rejoined. Nothing like coming off a suspension for cheating and coming back into a full blown rebuild

[a700hitter]

Will he be switching to steel garbage cans or will he use loud tongue clicks?

[mvp 78]

Cora must really like Boston. The team he left is not the team he has rejoined. Nothing like coming off a suspension for cheating and coming back into a full blown rebuild

 

Yes, what a dumb idea to try to go to a team that is consistently top 5 in payroll!

[Bellhorn04]

Yes, what a dumb idea to try to go to a team that is consistently top 5 in payroll!

 

And they probably pay their manager better than some teams do, too.

[mvp 78]

And they probably pay their manager better than some teams do, too.

 

The team that has the most WS wins over the past two decades? Why would anyone want to manage there???

[notin]

The team that has the most WS wins over the past two decades? Why would anyone want to manage there???

 

Well, it's not like there were a slew of other openings, either...

[moonslav59]

The team that has the most WS wins over the past two decades? Why would anyone want to manage there???

 

One by the very guy who took the job!

 

Everyone knows Henry is committed to winning, and Bloom has a nice resume, too.

 

I'm sure Cora is thrilled to be back and is excited about the challenges ahead, knowing we will be adding better players each year, going forward.

[mvp 78]

Will he be switching to steel garbage cans or will he use loud tongue clicks?

 

Remember how excited you were about the drills Bobby V was running in Spring Training?

[mvp 78]

Well, it's not like there were a slew of other openings, either...

 

Let's see... Limited job market (only 30 positions in the US and no other available openings). Check! Currently have no job. Check! Job pays well. Check! Enjoyed working for employer before. Check! A few grump people who complain about everything anyway will be upset. Damn, looks like I need to find a different career!