Some Major League Baseball managers have been around for quite some time, but Alex Cora doesn’t want to be the next Tony La Russa or Mike Scioscia.
Scioscia managed the Los Angeles Angels for 19 seasons, and La Russa managed for 34 years in various organizations before retiring and then returning to the managerial position for Chicago White Sox in 2020.
Cora became manager for the Boston Red Sox ahead of the 2018 campaign, leading them to a franchise-best 108 regular-season wins and a World Series title. The two sides mutually agreed to part ways in 2020 due to Cora’s involvement in the 2017 Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal before being re-hired in 2021.
While the Red Sox skipper loves what he does, he made it clear when he wants to stop.
“I love the game, I love what I do, I love managing here in this city,” Cora said during his appearance Wednesday on WEEI’s “Merloni, Fauria and Mego,” as transcribed by Audacy. “But my boys turn 5 in July, and it’s going to get to the point where you want to be part of Little League or basketball or football or whatever they decide to do, you want to be a part of it. I don’t see myself managing as long as (Terry Francona), Tony (La Russa), Mike Scioscia, those guys. I respect them, but it’s very hard. Can you imagine managing in Boston for 20 years doing this? It’s not easy.”
Expectations always are high for Boston’s sports teams and managing under that type of pressure probably isn’t easy. But maybe there’s still a role in baseball for Cora whenever he is done managing.
“One of the things that always intrigues me is building a team. I was a GM in winter ball in Puerto Rico, I was the GM for our national team in the last (World Baseball Classic),” Cora said. “So we’ll see, time will tell what I’ll do in this sport. I’ll always be around, but one thing is for sure: I’m not going to be the guy that works as a manager for 20 years.”
For now, Cora’s focus is trying to get the Red Sox back on track and make it two straight wins when they welcome the Seattle Mariners to Fenway Park for a four-game set that begins Thursday night at 7:10 p.m. ET.
