Alex Cora
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Red Sox re-sign Cora - Veteran infielder inks two-year deal to remain in Boston

Nov/18/06 02:02 AM
BOSTON -- The Red Sox won't have to worry about replacing dependable and versatile infield reserve Alex Cora. Instead, the club officially announced Friday that it has re-signed the left-handed-hitting veteran to a two-year contract.

In actuality, general manager Theo Epstein struck the deal with Cora's representatives roughly 10 days ago. With Cora in Boston, he held court Friday afternoon in the Red Sox's clubhouse to discuss his decision to stay.

Cora said after the season that the chances of him coming back were 50-50. The one reason Cora might have considered departing the Red Sox would have been to pursue an everyday job.

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Sox close to re-signing Cora - Infielder may get two-year contract

Nov/07/06 08:54 AM
With the Red Sox' middle-infield situation up in the air for 2007, team sources indicate that they are closing in on a two-year deal with Alex Cora, which should protect the Sox in case of an injury or if their offseason pursuits fall short.

Both Alex Gonzalez and Mark Loretta remain free agents, though the Sox have indicated they're not closing the door on either player. The Indians and Mets have expressed interest in Loretta, and the Sox meanwhile are exploring the possibility of free agent Julio Lugo, who basically became a jack of all trades for the Dodgers after he was dealt from Tampa Bay to Los Angeles at the trade deadline.

Sox see Cora file for free agency

Oct/31/06 11:57 PM
BOSTON -- One of Boston's more reliable utility players has filed for free agency.

Alex Cora was the latest Red Sox player to officially test the free agent waters on Tuesday. While hitting just .238 with one homer and 18 RBIs, the 31-year-old again showed his versatility by starting a combined 61 games split between second base, third base and shortstop.

Cora, regarded as one of the steadier reserve infielders in the game, was acquired from Cleveland in exchange for Ramon Vazquez on July 7, 2005, and has served as a late-inning pinch-runner and defensive replacement during his time in Boston.

Player Evaluation: Alex Cora

Oct/29/06 10:21 AM
UTILITY INFIELDER
Alex Cora (.238, 1 HR, 18 RBI, .312 OBP, 6 SB)

Defensively, Cora is as good a backup middle infielder as anyone in the big leagues, but the impending free agent hurt his stock with a miserable second half at the plate. Cora hit .293 with a .397 on-base percentage in 99 at-bats prior to the All-Star Break but just .193 with a .238 on-base percentage in 135 at-bats the rest of the way.

Cora, who turned 31 in October, is still viewed as a valuable asset by the Sox, but he’s young enough to find work as a full-timer—particularly in the NL, where his minimal power would make him a fine no. 8 hitter.

2006 GRADE: C.

(scout.com)

Cora, Red Sox catch a break

Sep/05/06 01:04 AM
BOSTON - A game finally went Boston's way when right fielder Alex Rios slapped the ball the wrong way.

Rios accidentally swatted Alex Cora's fly ball into the stands from about 10 feet in front of the wall for a two-run homer in the seventh inning that gave the Red Sox a 6-4 win on Thursday night and snapped their six-game losing streak.

Cora’s hustle draws rave reviews

Aug/25/06 09:39 AM
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Red Sox manager Terry Francona praised his team for doing the little things in last night’s 2-1 win over the Angels. Given the topic, it should surprise no one that Alex Cora was involved in much of it.

Playing at shortstop in place of the injured Alex Gonzalez, Cora went a modest 1-for-4 with a single. But after seeing 18 pitches in his only two at-bats (both outs) against Angels starter Jered Weaver, Cora was instrumental in producing what proved to be the game’s decisive run.

    With one out, the bases loaded and the Red Sox still holding a 1-0 lead, Cora was at first when Doug Mirabelli hit what should have been a rally-killing double-play ball. Cora, however, beat a hesitant Orlando Cabrera to second base, allowing Mike Lowell to score a run that proved critical.

    “That’s all Cora,” said Mirabelli. “That’s a double-play ball. When I hit it, I was (ticked) off because I knew it was a double-play ball.

Cora knows about length: Played in longest games

Aug/20/06 11:43 AM
Even though he has played in the two longest, nine-inning games in major league history, Alex Cora joked that he is not to blame.

Cora, who was the shortstop in the Red Sox’ record-setting 4-hour, 45-minute loss to the New York Yankees on Friday night, also appeared in the previous longest game on Oct. 5, 2001, for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a victory over the San Francisco Giants at Pac Bell Park.
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