Red Sox, Cora ‘part ways’ after role in cheating scandal revealed
Parting ways before Major League Baseball could force their hands, the Boston Red Sox announced Alex Cora is out as their manager, an announcement that came after Cora was heavily implicated in the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scheme.
Cora was the Astros’ bench coach in 2017, when they won the World Series, and according to MLB investigators, played a key role in devising an electronic sign-stealing system that endured even after the league explicitly warned teams against such methods. Monday, MLB handed the Houston Astros a historic punishment for sign stealing, which included year-long suspensions for manager A.J. Hinch and GM Jeff Luhnow. Hinch and Luhnow were ultimately fired by Astros owner Jim Crane.
Cora continued flouting the rules by using electronic surveillance from the replay room to steal signs during the 2018 season when he was named Red Sox manager, according to a report by The Athletic. The Red Sox’s 108-win season culminated with a World Series title, and MLB has been investigating the team’s alleged malpractice; the investigation is a couple of weeks from ending.
Said owner John Henry, chair Tom Werner and club president Sam Kennedy in a joint statement:
“Today we met to discuss the Commissioner’s report related to the Houston Astros investigation. Given the findings and the Commissioner’s ruling, we collectively decided that it would not be possible for Alex to effectively lead the club going forward and we mutually agreed to part ways.
“This is a sad day for us. Alex is a special person and a beloved member of the Red Sox. We are grateful for his impact on our franchise. We will miss his passion, his energy and his significant contributions to the communities of New England and Puerto Rico.”
Said Cora: “I want to thank John, Tom, Sam, the players, our coaching staff and the entire Red Sox organization. I especially want to thank my family for their love and support.
“We agreed today that parting ways was the best thing for the organization. I do not want to be a distraction to the Red Sox as they move forward. My two years as manager were the best years of my life. It was an honour to manage these teams and help bring a World Series championship back to Boston.”
A memo sent from MLB chief baseball officer Joe Torre during the 2017-18 offseason was ultimately Cora’s undoing.
The memo read, in part: “Electronic equipment, including game feeds in the Club replay room and/or video room, may never be used during a game for the purpose of stealing the opposing team’s signs. In this respect, MLBR 1-1 expressly provides that “under no circumstance may electronic equipment or devices be used for the purpose of stealing signs or conveying other information designed to give a Club a competitive advantage.”
Torre even put the following sentence in bold type: “To be clear, the use of any equipment in the clubhouse or in a Club’s replay or video rooms to decode an opposing Club’s signs during the game violates this Regulation. Clubs (and Club employees) who are found to have utilized equipment in the replay or video rooms for such purposes during a game will be subject to discipline by the Commissioner’s Office.”