Article: How Does Alex Cora Stack Up Against Other 2000s Red Sox Managers?

[Dan Fraser]

Alex Cora is a good coach — but how good is he in comparison with others?

In his inaugural year with the Boston Red Sox, manager Alex Cora guided the team to a World Series championship, posting a stellar 108-54 regular season record en route to the title.

Since then, however, the Red Sox under Cora have compiled a 404-387 record, achieving just two winning seasons after 2018. The team has not reached the playoffs since their ALCS run in 2021. But is this decline typical, and how does Cora's tenure compare to other Red Sox managers in recent history?

John Farrell (2013-2017)

Much like Cora, John Farrell won a World Series title in his first season with the Red Sox and posted his best managerial record that year. Over the next four seasons, Boston experienced two losing seasons and two winning campaigns, with a low point in 2014 when they went 71-91. Overall, Farrell's managerial record with Boston was 432-378 (.533). He was dismissed in October 2017 following the team's second straight ALDS exit.

Bobby Valentine (2012)

Bobby Valentine's brief tenure with Boston lasted just one season, following the departure of Terry Francona. The 2012 Red Sox had a rough year, finishing fourth in the AL East with a 69-93 record — the team's worst since 1994. Valentine’s forgettable season is often left out of discussions for good reason.

Terry Francona (2004-2011)

Terry Francona, or "Tito," ranks second all-time in wins as Red Sox manager, boasting a remarkable 744-552 record. True to the trend, Francona led Boston to a World Series championship in his first season (2004) and repeated the feat in 2007. He remains one of the most revered managers in franchise history, having famously ended the 86-year “Curse of the Bambino”.

Grady Little (2002-2003)

Grady Little's two-year stint with Boston resulted in a solid 188-136 record, with both seasons being winning ones. In 2002, the Red Sox narrowly missed the playoffs, finishing six games behind the Angels, despite a 93-69 record. In 2003, they reached the ALCS but suffered a heartbreaking Game 7 loss to the New York Yankees, a moment etched in Red Sox lore.

Evaluating Alex Cora

It’s reasonable to consider Cora a good manager for the Red Sox, but not a great one. Sustaining success has been a challenge, and at times, Cora's managerial style appears too relaxed and disengaged. When compared to his predecessors, I’d rank Cora third among the five managers mentioned, trailing Francona and Farrell. While Cora and Farrell's resumes are close, Farrell's ability to make the playoffs in his final two seasons with a struggling roster edges him slightly ahead. Cora has dealt with a less than ideal lineup, but hasn’t been able to fire on all cylinders because of it.

Cora, who recently signed a contract extension through 2027, still has time to elevate his standing. With a promising young core emerging, Cora has an opportunity to prove whether this extension will pay off, and perhaps cement himself as the second-best Red Sox manager of the 2000s. However, he will need to guide the team back to the postseason and beyond to achieve that status.

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[Bellhorn04]

I like Cora a lot and I think he's probably a better manager than Farrell.  

I also understand that 3 straight seasons of mediocrity and August collapses put the hot lights on Cora a bit.  

It's my opinion that ownership and the front office are the ones responsible for the mediocrity.

I think the cases where a manager really comes into question are where the team has clearly fallen short of expectations.

I don't think the 2022-2024 teams have done that.  Realistic expectations should have very modest based on our rosters.

[Old Red]

3 hours ago, Bellhorn04 said:

I like Cora a lot and I think he's probably a better manager than Farrell.  

I also understand that 3 straight seasons of mediocrity and August collapses put the hot lights on Cora a bit.  

It's my opinion that ownership and the front office are the ones responsible for the mediocrity.

I think the cases where a manager really comes into question are where the team has clearly fallen short of expectations.

I don't think the 2022-2024 teams have done that.  Realistic expectations should have very modest based on our rosters.

I like Cora, but I think he’s way overrated as a manager. Take out 2018, and this season isn’t over yet, but if the postseason isn’t made this will be three years in a row. Thrown in that the ball club has been bad fundamentally, and have a losing record at Fenway for the second year in a row too. I know most blame the ownership, and front office more than Cora, but Cora has plenty to be blamed for too like the things I mentioned. Cora has said we’ve got to do better 100’s of times, but that only goes so far without showing it.

[mvp 78]

Tito>Cora>Farrell>Williams>Little>Valentine>Kerrigan

[Old Red]

24 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Tito>Cora>Farrell>Williams>Little>Valentine>Kerrigan

Williams>Tito>?

[mvp 78]

55 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Williams>Tito>?

Jimmy Williams was not better than Terry Francona. 

[dgalehouse]

I think Cora is a good manager. It's true he had a great team when he won it all in 2018, but it still counts. A poor manager can screw up even a great team.  The last few years have not been good, but I think Cora has gotten all that could be expected out of what he has had to work with. I would say he compares favorably to recent Sox managers. Of course Francona will always get recognition for being at the helm when the curse was broken. 

[Old Red]

39 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Jimmy Williams was not better than Terry Francona. 

Jimmy? I threw in Dick Williams who was the manager of my favorite team the 67 Red Sox just to make it more interesting. Sorry for the confusion, and the add on, but that to me was the best job of managing of any Red Sox manager I’ve seen, and I couldn’t leave him out.

[Hugh2]

I'm not trying to take away anyones thunder, and I'm certainly not old enough to have more any real memories of anyone before Butch Hobson and even that's vague but to a large extent these managers get judged by the talent they get to manage. 

 

I think Alex Cora is a good manager, I think the Sox would have a much worse record with the White Sox roster, he'd probably still lose over a 100 games.  Which is a crazy thought. Sox are on pace to lose 126 games this year.  What if a really really good manager could manage that team to something like only 100 loses? a 26-game swing would be insane, but no one would ever call him a good manager. 

[Hugh2]

Good managers should still get a ton of credit for winning the world series even if it's true they were gifted with talent.

Winning a 7 game series against another team who beat everyone else to get there is much more impressive than winning 100 games with a loaded roster.  Every pitching change, every at bat, every shift, every moment matters. 

[notin]

Francona owns the top spot.

I put Farrell ahead Cora.  Farrell is the only manager in team history with three AL East pennants.  That has to mean something.

i know spending was cut under Cora,, but the spending done for Farrell’s teams (Sandoval, Rusney, Hanley) wasn’t always helpful…
 

[mvp 78]

51 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Jimmy? I threw in Dick Williams who was the manager of my favorite team the 67 Red Sox just to make it more interesting. Sorry for the confusion, and the add on, but that to me was the best job of managing of any Red Sox manager I’ve seen, and I couldn’t leave him out.

He was before my time. Tito is the best manager of my lifetime IMO. Morgan Magic was cool, but fleeting. Hobson did so much blow that he ended up being uncool. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Standings can't be the deciding factor -- not in the total absolute dichotomy of the John Henry ownership. Francona was lucky to manage Boston when times really were full throttle. Cora has already been in charge for more years of half-full bottle.

Both won it all with great clubs -- and proved they could finish the deal in dramatic postseasons -- but Cora has also gone far in the playoffs with an underdog group, and kept several last-place rosters in contention a lot longer than expected.

Plus, it's arguable that the 2007 Red Sox were even more talented than the '18 Sox (yes, '07, not '04), and had an overall stronger team, position-by-position. The '07s put themselves in a hole in the LCS, but otherwise dominated that postseason.

The '18s had tougher competition and faced stress in every round -- when Cora did some serious managing: regularly using the rotation to fortify the bullpen, pinch-hitting three different guys to win the World Series, and finding the right game to let a utility man hit for the cycle.

 

 

[moonslav59]

4 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Tito>Cora>Farrell>Williams>Little>Valentine>Kerrigan

I might flip Williams with Farrell and would flip Bobby V w Kerrigan.

IMO, the talent these guys had really matters when grading.

[Bellhorn04]

2 hours ago, dgalehouse said:

I think Cora is a good manager. It's true he had a great team when he won it all in 2018, but it still counts. A poor manager can screw up even a great team.  The last few years have not been good, but I think Cora has gotten all that could be expected out of what he has had to work with. I would say he compares favorably to recent Sox managers. Of course Francona will always get recognition for being at the helm when the curse was broken. 

Perfect take, Denny.

[Bellhorn04]

57 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

The '18s had tougher competition and faced stress in every round -- when Cora did some serious managing: regularly using the rotation to fortify the bullpen, pinch-hitting three different guys to win the World Series, and finding the right game to let a utility man hit for the cycle.

 

 

Yes.  Excellent analysis of things Cora did that postseason.

[Maxbialystock]

I like Cora more than Francona, but have to admit Francona is the best manager in Sox history.  

The OP and others are idiots when they don't recognize that JH has been a major factor in how much talent the Sox have, and this has been especially true during most of Cora's tenure because, after DD was fired in 2019, the Sox payroll has gone steadily down.  More specifically, JH has refused to pay for big contracts for starters.  From 2003 through 2020--which includes all of Francona and Farrell's tenures--the Sox payroll was consistently in the top 3 in MLB.  From 2021 to this year, it has gone steadily down and is now 11th.  

On top of that, Breslow singlehandedly tried to destroy the Sox 2024 rotation by dumping Sale and acquiring Giolito.  The Sox current rotation of Houck, Crawford, Pivetta, Bello, and Criswell has a combined salary of about $10M, which is less than the closer Jansen's $16M.  

[moonslav59]

9 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

I like Cora more than Francona, but have to admit Francona is the best manager in Sox history.  

The OP and others are idiots when they don't recognize that JH has been a major factor in how much talent the Sox have, and this has been especially true during most of Cora's tenure because, after DD was fired in 2019, the Sox payroll has gone steadily down.  More specifically, JH has refused to pay for big contracts for starters.  From 2003 through 2020--which includes all of Francona and Farrell's tenures--the Sox payroll was consistently in the top 3 in MLB.  From 2021 to this year, it has gone steadily down and is now 11th.  

On top of that, Breslow singlehandedly tried to destroy the Sox 2024 rotation by dumping Sale and acquiring Giolito.  The Sox current rotation of Houck, Crawford, Pivetta, Bello, and Criswell has a combined salary of about $10M, which is less than the closer Jansen's $16M.  

The payroll went up by $20-30M from 2021 to 2022, depending on looking at the start or end of the year totals. Others passed us, so yes, we kept dropping in ranking, steadily, but not because we have always cut salary.

We also spent more in '23 than '21.

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

The payroll went up by $20-30M from 2021 to 2022, depending on looking at the start or end of the year totals. Others passed us, so yes, we kept dropping in ranking, steadily, but not because we have always cut salary.

We also spent more in '23 than '21.

From 21 to 22, the CBT went up 20M. 

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

From 21 to 22, the CBT went up 20M. 

Yes, and our spending went up- not down.

Our ranking went down, yes, but not spending. 

[mvp 78]

2 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Yes, and our spending went up- not down.

Our ranking went down, yes, but not spending. 

In relation to the CBT, which is JH’s limit, it went down.

[Bellhorn04]

Alex is now under investigation by MLB for "saying the quiet part out loud" about Bello throwing at Judge in the 6th inning of Saturday's game as reprisal for Cole hitting Devers.

Any guesses on what the punishment will be?  Modest fine?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

20 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Alex is now under investigation by MLB for "saying the quiet part out loud" about Bello throwing at Judge in the 6th inning of Saturday's game as reprisal for Cole hitting Devers.

Any guesses on what the punishment will be?  Modest fine?

A billion dollars -- it's AARON JUDGE!!!!!!!

Even though Judge didn't get hit.

Cora is only to blame for telling the truth. 

See if you can guess what I'm thinking right now - will I get punished for my thoughts?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

16 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

A billion dollars -- it's AARON JUDGE!!!!!!!

Even though Judge didn't get hit.

Cora is only to blame for telling the truth. 

See if you can guess what I'm thinking right now - will I get punished for my thoughts?

Alright, I'll tell you: whatever punishment happens to Cora and Bello for throwing at Judge should be doubled for Boone and Cole for actually hitting Devers... and starting the whole thing.

 

[TheSplinteredSplendor]

9 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Alright, I'll tell you: whatever punishment happens to Cora and Bello for throwing at Judge should be doubled for Boone and Cole for actually hitting Devers... and starting the whole thing.

 

I know I might be in the minority on this, but I don't think Cole hit Devers on purpose.

Typically you don't throw a cutter to intentionally hit someone.

[moonslav59]

Here is my top Sox manager list over the last 60 years:

1. Tito

2. Dick Williams

3. Cora

...a very distant 4th and 5th: John Farrell and Jimi Williams

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 hour ago, TheSplinteredSplendor said:

I know I might be in the minority on this, but I don't think Cole hit Devers on purpose.

Typically you don't throw a cutter to intentionally hit someone.

Let's see: Cy Young Award winner (voted to the best pitcher in the league), and the best-paid starter in history when he signed with NY... pitching to a guy he just named this week his number-one nemesis of all-time? 

Check.

But hey, nobody's perfect...

[TheSplinteredSplendor]

2 hours ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Let's see: Cy Young Award winner (voted to the best pitcher in the league), and the best-paid starter in history when he signed with NY... pitching to a guy he just named this week his number-one nemesis of all-time? 

Check.

But hey, nobody's perfect...

None of that means he has perfect control 100% of the time.

Again, if you are going to intentionally hit someone, it's usually not done with a cutter.

Just sayin'

[dgalehouse]

5 hours ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Alex is now under investigation by MLB for "saying the quiet part out loud" about Bello throwing at Judge in the 6th inning of Saturday's game as reprisal for Cole hitting Devers.

Any guesses on what the punishment will be?  Modest fine?

I thought it was really a ha!f-hearted attempt by Bello. Looked like he really did not want to do it. There shouldn't be any punishment for being honest. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 hour ago, TheSplinteredSplendor said:

None of that means he has perfect control 100% of the time.

Again, if you are going to intentionally hit someone, it's usually not done with a cutter.

Just sayin'

I get it, but you do realize a cutter is still a fastball... (which from a righty breaks in on a LHH, making it even easier to plunk him).

The Red Sox' point is that in the very next at bat, Cole refused to even throw a pitch to Devers -- who could only swing with two bad shoulders and no one on base -- which makes it even less feasible that the first AB was a mistake.