Looks Like it's Official

The Red Sox had a small window. Major League Baseball likes to keep the World Series pure and clean. (Aside from naming rights, apparently.) So they prefer teams don't make any major announcements during the Series. That makes sense. It's their premier event. You don't need anyone taking away from the moment by, say, announcing that they're opting out of a contract during the deciding game. So if the Red Sox wanted to name a new manager, it was now or never. After all, it seems that other teams were poking around their guy. How awkward would it be if while the Sox were politely waiting for the Series to end, the Mets made their guy an offer twice the size of theirs? So get it over with.

Which is why the Red Sox officially announced that they had hired Alex Cora as their new manager. They used that short window right after the ALCS ended but before the World Series began. It worked real slick.

But, was it the correct choice?

I'm pretty sure I have absolutely no idea. I know that the media is really high on him. But, that might just be because he used to be one of them. It also scares me a bit when the media longs for a guy. Is it because he's good for the Sox, or good for the articles. They're the ones that always say they "don't root for a team, they root for the story". They were all real excited about the stories Bobby Valantine would bring too. They are also excited about what Cora will bring to the clubhouse. Of course, most of them felt that John Farrell had a problem dealing with the clubhouse. I didn't see that, so I have a hard time giving Cora a "plus" for that. They like to mention that he's bilingual. That it'll help communicating, again in the clubhouse. I have to assume that's true. Although, again, Bobby Valentine was bilingual too.

So is Cora a good choice?

Yeah. Sure. Whatever.

He's a fresh start. He's something different. I don't think he'll sink the team to the second division or anything. But, it's not like I expect him to come down from on high and deliver a 110 win season. I will mention, though, that two of the last three managers of the Red Sox won the World Series in their first years. 

He's worked under and played under some pretty good managers over his years in the game. I have no doubt that he can put together a lineup. I bet he knows where the bullpen phone is.

So I'm ready to see it in action. Let's see what he can do with the reigning division champs.

What do you think?