Poll and discussion about Alex Cora's managing job in 2022

Things I haven't liked:

Duran playing all those innings in CF

Needed to figure out that Arroyo can't play OF before spring training ended. Would have been nice if he could have spared us Travis Shaw's 0-19. The season would have played out a lot differently if Refsnyder was in the majors all year long.

He's pathologically afraid of using crappy relievers with a lead. This makes him do crazy stuff like sticking with Rich Hill the third time through the order while he's visibly injured (this happened twice in a month!). The game doesn't result in an automatic forfeit if a reliever with a four and a half ERA enters the game with a three run lead.

Overworking John Schreiber, who they have for four more years, after the season was dead.

So - 11 C or D so far, 3 A or B.

Given that we are grading his handling of the team, realizing what the challenges have been - is he on the hot seat? As I mentioned a few times, Toronto canned their manager when the team was above .500 - and it's been all up from there.

Bad year up and down the organization. Cora hasn't been an exception to that.

Interesting info just posted above. Looking at the team with the most injured, Minnesota (29), Tampa (28), Phila (26) all solid teams or better.

As far as games lost, Dodgers, Twins and Rays all had more - and look where they are.

We're at 27% A or B, 73% C or D - including 19% D grade.

Seems Cora is being realistically evaluated - not a great average grade for a popular manager.

I vacillated between B and C and ultimately gave him a B, which I know is probably too high a grade, I just feel like Bloom didn't do him any favors with his cast of misfit toys and then for the second time in his career here he was hung out to dry at the trade deadline ultimately having to do the public speaking for the baseball ops side, which he clearly is frustrated with.

I agree with benoglivesbrother regarding fundamentals though. The defense has been to put it nicely, porous since 2018 basically. This team seems to have more quit than fight in them, whether that is the byproduct of injury or constantly getting kicked in the cajones, I can't quite say. It looks like a lack of effort, but honestly the whole team looks like it has PTSD.

It's been an ugly summer for Boston fans, and I cannot wait to put it in my rearview.

I was semi-generous and gave Cora a C. The ridiculous amount of injuries are not his fault. He has so very little talent available. I think Bloom is more at fault for 2022 than Alex Cora is. I doubt that Cora and Bloom are on the same page.

I'm tired of seeing Duran in CF and Cordero at 1b. Today we get Dalbec at SS, instead of Kiké Hernandez. But again, is this really Cora's fault or is this more Bloom for leaving the Sox in such disarray?

I haven't cared for Cora's pitching decisions, but then again Bloom gave him a limited bullpen, so is it Cora's fault that he's blowing Schreiber. He should have used him as a closer instead of burning him out as an every day two inning reliever. Of course he has no other options to win a game.

His outfield defense is awful. Of course his best defensive outfielder who was miscast as a regular outfielder and now that they could have used him for late inning defense, he was released. Again, not Cora's fault.

So I really can't fairly judge Cora on managerial strategy.

So it comes down to the demeanor of the team, etc.

He is a great communicator as far as I can tell, but the play of this team is frustrating.

They have played like zombies for most of the season. They have zero heart. Again, not all Cora's fault, because you can see that the team leader is Bogaerts who has play in his walk year has been marred with injuries and disillusionment, which I really can't blame him for - here's a guy who really wants to stay with the Sox and knew he was underpaid for his talent level and performance, yet the offer given by Bloom kind of soured him. Not that he is a negative presence but it has spilled into the semi-dour demeanor of the team.

This is not a scrappy hustling team. It's very easy to tune this team out. I find that I have much better entertainment options that watching this team get their brains beat in as often as they do and it's not like they're pulling off exciting win after exciting win. If they're down in the 9th by a run you get the feeling they'll lose. If they're up a run in the 9th you get the feeling that they'll blow it. They're not a fun team to watch.

How much of that is on Cora? Probably some, but then again, not all his fault.

It's a bad situation in which he hasn't been able to help. I'm not sure anybody else could have done much better, so I have no problem with him returning.

But at some point, either he or Bloom might not see eye to eye or Cora might simply have enough of lackluster play like this and move on.

Cora, no. Unless he was letting Xander play through an injury that a 10 day IL stint could have cured. Arroyo and Story I believe are both injury concerns. It's part of the package. Downs improved his play at SS, but his bat isn't worth him in the lineup at this point so to me it doesn't really matter if he's hurt or not, even in a pinch.

But Cora had a broken team this year, that's not his fault and it wouldn't be a good year for many managers. That doesn't excuse very sloppy fundamentals, the team not looking ready to go at times, and of course eye occasional in-game decisions that every arm chair fan can second guess for every manager. I don't think he's been exceptional in any one area.

Hmm that's interesting. The narrative of him being hurt though seems to be there though.

roxpile.com/2021/05/28/colorado-rockies-trevor-story-injury-history-updates/

We can all agree that Cora was not dealt a strong hand. And no manager is perfect. Baseball does not allow that.

But the list of Cora’s shortcomings does not begin this year. And if he were not so popular with so many of his players, he might well be on his way out. I am ready to see him gone, but I am guessing that he will see his way through the winter.