Alex Cora Q & A

Jul/02/07 09:50 AM

Diehard spoke recently with Alex Cora for a story on the Red Sox reserves that appears in the August issue of Diehard. In this Q&A, Cora discusses why it’s easier for a bench player to get playing time on a contender, his daily routine and how he’s successful but not satisfied as a reserve. (FREE PREVIEW OF PREMIUM CONTENT!)

Diehard: How tough is it to build a cohesive bench with players who can handle their roles?

Alex Cora: I think winning helps a lot [laughs]. People talk about chemistry and all that. Chemistry comes with a three-game winning streak. There’s no magic thing. You win and it’s fun to come to the ballpark.

It’s tough when you’re not winning. You don’t play a lot. It seems like people that run teams, they panic a little bit and they want to throw nine guys out everyday. And it doesn’t work that way.

DH: Why is it easier to get playing time on a contender?

AC: It seems like when you’re winning, I think the way they think is [if] they can get an off-day here [for a starter], you can take it. For me, personally, that’s the way it works. [Teams] don’t want a losing streak and they don’t feel confident in [the] bench. But if you’re winning, it seems like it’s contagious and it seems like everybody helps.

DH: Have you talked to Wily Mo Pena and Eric Hinske, who are each under 30 and not far removed from their days as regular players?

AC: Yeah, we talk about it. It’s not easy, but I think it helps [when] we talk about it. Everybody knows that you don’t have great days everyday. Sometimes, you come to the ballpark and you’re like ‘Wow, I’m not going to play today.’ But we talk about it and we pick each other up and that’s why we have such a good routine going here. It doesn’t give you time to wonder what if, what would happen [if he played everyday].

Alex Cora and Boston Action Team High School Leaders Go to Bat for Inner City Youth

Jun/18/07 09:32 AM

BOSTON, June 14 PRNewswire-USNewswire — Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox teamed up with Volunteers of America and high school student leaders from the Boston Action Team youth volunteer corps today to highlight the need for meaningful summer volunteer activities for Boston youth. Cora joined several local high school students who are members of the Boston Action Team at Fenway High School to encourage inner city youth to get involved in their communities by volunteering in and around Boston during the summer. Volunteers of America's programs in Massachusetts support and empower the area's most vulnerable groups, including at-risk youth, adults and adolescents in recovery from substance abuse, and elders in need of affordable housing and mental health services.

Alex Cora and Boston Action Team High School Leaders Go to Bat for Inner City Youth

Jun/14/07 06:03 PM

BOSTON, June 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox teamed up with Volunteers of America and high school student leaders from the Boston Action Team youth volunteer corps today to highlight the need for meaningful summer volunteer activities for Boston youth. Cora joined several local high school students who are members of the Boston Action Team at Fenway High School to encourage inner city youth to get involved in their communities by volunteering in and around Boston during the summer. Volunteers of America's programs in Massachusetts support and empower the area's most vulnerable groups, including at-risk youth, adults and adolescents in recovery from substance abuse, and elders in need of affordable housing and mental health services.

"It's a great honor to join the Boston Action Team Captains to help promote summertime volunteering activities," said Cora. "Summertime is a great time for high school students to support causes they believe in, and to help some of their neighbors in need. The Boston Action Team Captains have done a great job getting their peers to volunteer, and all Major Leaguers are extremely proud of the job Action Team high school students all across the country are doing to help train and inspire the next generation of volunteers."

Cora! Cora! Cora!

May/17/07 10:23 AM

The Red Sox finally lost last night, dropping the second game of their four game set with the Tigers . Tiger phenom Justin Verlander silenced the Red Sox bats over 7 and 2/3 innings, and the 7-2 decision marked the end of their 11 game winning streak.

Yes, I am aware that the Sox have played 38 games, so far this season. I’ll even concede that they have come out on the losing side 12 times. However, none of the other 11 losses had come after manager Terry Francona had scribbled 13 Cora onto his lineup card to start the game. Up until last night the Red Sox had been a perfect 11-0 with Cora as a starter.

In reality, that 11-0 is a misleading stat, as his stellar .392 batting average. To be sure, this is Cora’s best start to a season (I haven’t done any research, but it seems likely), and the fact that he has terrific stats has only served to call attention to a guy who plays the game the right way and is able to excell in a reserve role. One of the keys to winning a championship is having a deep bench with guys that are versatile and can produce despite not getting regular at bats. In Alex Cora, the Red Sox have just such a player.

Column: Cora is a true Patriot

May/02/07 01:39 PM

BOSTON — Why can't the Boston Red Sox be more like the New England Patriots?

You've heard it before. In fact, if you're honest, you've probably said it before. Of course, you forget about guaranteed contracts and the game's obsession with statistics, which end the discussion immediately.

The inference is most Patriots players care more about winning than, say, getting a paycheck. Of course, that is not true, but you get the message. Patriots players take orders from Bill Belichick and they seem to follow them to a T.

But these first-place Red Sox are more like the Patriots than you think.

Exhibit A: Alex Cora.

Valuable Cora continues to be put to good use

Apr/30/07 11:00 AM

NEW YORK -- Is it time to stir up a second base controversy?

No, no, please no, said Alex Cora, who had a two-run homer, a run-scoring infield out, and a triple that came within 2 feet of being a homer during yesterday's 7-4 Red Sox conquest of the Yankees.

"Not at all," he protested when asked if he thought he should be starting over the struggling Dustin Pedroia. "I don't make decisions. You go in, see your name on the card, and go do your best."

Cora's best is always pretty good, but lately his best has been superb. This was the third time he's had a direct hand in winning a game in a 10-day stretch that began with the game-winning triple in Toronto April 19, continued with the game-winning base hit off Mariano Rivera the following night, and then rolled merrily along with yesterday's scintillating performance in Yankee Stadium.

Cora keeps on sluggin’

Apr/26/07 08:54 AM

BALTIMORE - The first thing new Red Sox [team stats] hitting coach Dave Magadan did when he got ahold of Alex Cora [stats] was ask him to forget the slap hits, squeakers through the infield and bloops just beyond the reach of defenders’ gloves.

Magadan’s message: Remember how you hit those 10 homers in 2004.

Last night Cora had no problem flashing back to those days in Los Angeles, sending his first home run of the season 375 feet over the right field fence in the third inning of the Sox’ 6-1 victory over the Orioles at Camden Yards.

“He was very positive from the get-go,” Cora said of his new hitting coach. “I’m not a huge guy, but I’m not the smallest either. It seems like I’m driving the ball. I feel stronger (than ’04), but back then I was playing all the time, so you could get a rhythm. Now you just work, work, work and hope for the best.”

He’s hard-Cora: Utility man does it all

Apr/20/07 07:55 AM

TORONTO - Alex Cora [stats]’s adrenaline was pumping, and he put it to good use.

Just moments after being upended by a questionable Lyle Overbay slide on a momentum-changing double play to end the eighth inning, Cora laced a go-ahead RBI triple in the Red Sox [team stats]’ 5-3 victory over the Blue Jays yesterday.

“If he needs to make a play, he makes a play,” manager Terry Francona said. “The little things ended up being big things on a day like today.”

Cora’s first key contribution yesterday came in the field with one out and runners on the corners in the eighth inning of a 3-3 game. Aaron Hill laced a comebacker to Mike Timlin [stats], who turned and fired high and wide to second.

Sox pay to retain Cora

Mar/26/07 09:11 AM

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.— The simplest way to determine the value the Red Sox place on Alex Cora is to look at how they’re paying him.

A little more than two weeks after the end of the last World Series, before he even could get a sniff of what he was worth on the open market, the Sox signed Cora to a two-year, $4 million deal. He can earn an additional $1 million per year, depending on how many games he plays — $250,000 extra starting with 110 games, with an additional quarter-million at every 10-game increment up to 140 games.

Cora, a 31-year-old backup infielder, is being paid an average salary this season that is higher than the median salary of all but eight teams last season. The median salary of 17 teams last season was under $1 million. Mark Loretta, who started at second for the Sox last season, got only a one-year, $2.5 million deal from the Astros, who plan to use him in a utility role. Ronnie Belliard, who played second base for the world champion Cardinals, signed a minor league deal with the Nationals ($750,000). Miguel Cairo, the Yankees’ backup second baseman, is getting the same money in a big-league deal with the Bombers. Damion Easley is making a tick more ($850,000) from the Mets.

Cora a core figure

Mar/15/07 12:46 PM

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Much has been made of the offseason acquisitions of big-money free agents J.D. Drew, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Julio Lugo by the Boston Red Sox.

When you commit to spending a combined $209.1 million on three players, it’s easy to see why.

Still, lost in the Sox spending spree was a quiet little signing on Nov. 22 that could prove just as important to Boston’s pennant hopes in a much less obvious way.

Remember Alex Cora? You know, the guy who was going to be either the starting shortstop or second baseman before Lugo signed his $36 million deal and rookie prospect Dustin Pedroia was told second base was his job to lose.

Cora asks some time for Boston

Mar/11/07 10:23 PM

08-03 | 15:19 hs. - According to the Puerto Rican, Boston will have to deal with many changes in the staff, where it stands out Joel Piñeiro's inexperience in the bullpen, and Daisuke Matsuzaka's, who will make his debut as pitcher in the Major Leagues.

In spite of this, Cora knows about the commitment of his franchise and he sees a stronger and more solid Boston in comparison to last year, for which he is willing to rule the Eastern Division of the American League and then the World Series.

During the winter recess, the Red Sox spent 160 million dollars in reinforcements and Alex Cora believes that it is the player's turn to fulfill the expectations.

(batanga.sportsya.com)

Boras lends Cora, Red Sox a hand

Mar/03/07 10:03 AM

FORT MYERS, Fla. - It was well into a hot Florida afternoon, late enough that the rest of the Boston Red Sox major leaguers had already exited the team's minor league complex.

But out on Field No. 5, two men were doing all kinds of awkward-looking drills involving cones, rubber bands and other devices. Alex Cora and his trainer, Jose Cruz, were executing the plan laid out by a most unlikely director.

Scott Boras, of all people, has shown Cora the light.

"Scott and I talked about it and he said if you keep your legs and range, you're going to keep making money," the Sox utility infielder said. "I turned 31, but if I keep doing what I'm doing, there will be a few options out there, not breaking the bank, but making some money."