Alex Cora and the Red Sox parted ways in January, but he still has supporters in the organizationGETTY IMAGES
Ron Roenicke will not return as Red Sox manager next season, and Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom, who "will be charged with vetting candidates, did all he could to distance himself from the idea" of Alex Cora returning, according to Peter Abraham of the BOSTON GLOBE. Going back to February, Bloom several times has said that the Red Sox "'parted ways' -- their euphemistic term -- with Cora in January based on his prominent role" in the Astros' cheating scandal in '17. The fact the Red Sox were "subsequently cleared of any meaningful wrongdoing during the 2018 season under Cora didn't change anything." While it is "clear Bloom does not see Cora returning," Red Sox Owner John Henry, Chair Tom Werner and President & CEO Sam Kennedy "could overrule him." Cora "still has plenty of supporters in the organization." The "moral high ground the Sox claimed in January has eroded." The Red Sox also have "alienated a large segment of their fan base with a series of missteps." Bringing Cora back "wouldn't cure that, but it would signal they're serious about winning again" (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/28).
TWO SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT: In Boston, Jason Mastrodonato writes, "Read between the lines of Bloom's 22-minute conference call with reporters on Sunday and yes, it's more likely than not Cora will be the manager in 2021 and beyond." The bottom line is that the Red Sox "either screwed up by handing Roenicke a job they knew he wasn't going to keep, or they had a plan all along for a manager in 2021." Cora would "re-energize a largely apathetic fanbase that grew disinterested in watching one of the worst MLB pitching staffs in 25 years" (BOSTON HERALD, 9/28). Also in Boston, Sean McAdam wrote while others "may be measuring the drapes in the manager's office for Cora II, it may not necessarily by a fait accompli." Bloom could be "intent on bringing in someone of his own choosing" like Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro, who is "viewed as a promising managerial candidate, and with whom Bloom has a long work relationship." Bloom also "will have a far bigger pool of candidates to interview than he did last winter" (BOSTONSPORTSJOURNAL.com, 9/27). The BOSTON GLOBE's Alex Speier writes under the header, "Who Will Be The Next Red Sox Manager? A Look At Potential Candidates" (9/28).
