The Red Sox did Major League Baseball鈥檚 version of a news dump when they announced the return of the Alex Cora as manager just as soon as media organizations declared the winner of the United States presidential elections over the weekend. The intent was clear: They wanted as little fanfare 鈥 and, yes, backlash 鈥 as possible to accompany their rehiring of a supposedly disgraced figure. And it would have been a savvy move save for two things. First, their plan to bring him back had long been the subject of speculation. Second, it鈥檚 not as if he鈥檒l be living down his role in not one, but two cheating scandals involving two organizations through two consecutive years anytime soon.
Indeed, the black mark on Cora wasn鈥檛 wiped away by the Red Sox鈥檚 attempt to escape controversy. As the central figure in the Astros鈥 elaborate scheme to break the rules en route to claiming the Commissioner鈥檚 Cup in 2017, he will continue to face intense scrutiny for the foreseeable future. Never mind that he has already served his suspension, or that then-manager A.J. Hinch is likewise back in the Big Show as the Tigers鈥 skipper. Heading into the 2021 season, he and his charges should expect to be deluged with uncomfortable questions regarding the roles he played in the Machiavellian attempts at success.
On the flipside, it鈥檚 a testament to Cora鈥檚 effectiveness in the hot seat that the Red Sox, under new general manager Chaim Bloom, deemed him the most qualified to take it anew. While they did interview quite a number of candidates for the position, the impression was that they couldn鈥檛 stop casting their moist eyes on him. For all his missteps, he did lead the Crimson Hose to the championship in 2018, during which time he developed a reputation for being a player鈥檚 manager. And it certainly didn鈥檛 hurt that he knew his way around members of the media as well.
Make no mistake. The second-guessing won鈥檛 be ending for a while. That said, the Red Sox have clearly decided that they can take the heat for the devil they know. And hindsight shows that they telegraphed their intentions; they were, for instance, profuse in their praise of Cora when they听 reluctantly fired him early this year. Which isn鈥檛 to say his return assures that the winning will, too. To the contrary, he鈥檚 likely to find the going on the field at least as tough as of it. Unlike the ready-made roster he shepherded to the title in his first go-round, he鈥檒l be presiding over one that鈥檚 best described as being rebuilt.
In short, Cora gets his crack at redemption under trying circumstances. But who鈥檚 he to haggle for a better opportunity? Even in a sport where stranger things have happened, he can鈥檛 but look at his comeback as a blessing. And, perhaps, he鈥檒l be thankful enough moving forward to understand the difference between winning and winning with honor.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since 大象传媒 introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
