For years, new Red Sox skipper
Alex Cora was hailed as a 'manager-in-waiting'—a cerebral guy with natural leadership skills. During his tenure as a utility infielder for Boston, he kept his nose clean, kept his mouth shut (for the most part) and did his job—
really well. He even mentored a young
Dustin Pedroia during his early-season rookie slump—even though Cora would have been the default option at second base. So, can he right
The Good Ship Carmine Hose—reeling from two straight early playoff exits? As
The Boston Herald's
Steve Buckley rightly points out,
Cora's biggest challenge will be clubhouse accountability. Even team owner
John Henry—in a rare moment of lucidity—said this:
"In Alex we have found a natural leader to guide our clubhouse." Let's hope this is the case. While the 2017 Red Sox were not exactly
'Chicken And Beer' surly, they were
not happy campers.
John Farrell could not rein in the troops and, thus, got no respect in the clubhouse. It seems that Cora—younger, bi-lingual, tough, smart—is the right guy for the job. Soon enough, we shall see.
