Alex Cora apologized to the Red Sox organization at his re-introductory press conference on Tuesday afternoon and took ownership of the Houston Astros for his involvement in the embezzlement scandal.
The Red Sox manager – who is rejoining the club on a two-year contract with two-year club options for 2023 and 2024 – is back in January 2020, less than a year after he was fired. .
Cora, who is coming off a season-long suspension, helped lead the Red Sox to a 2018 World Series title. He addressed the media along with media and CEO Sam Kennedy, Chief Baseball Officer Cham Bloom, and General Manager Brian O’Leary. Assuming it’s been a “difficult year”.
“I deserve what happened this year,” Cora said. “That’s something I’m not proud of.”
He said he put the Red Sox in a difficult position and regretted what he did. While he was spending time with his family, he noticed that he was home for the wrong reasons.
Cora said he was “humbled” by the situation and had “learned a lot” throughout the year.
“This situation is part of who I am for the rest of my career, ”said Kora. “As a man, I have to deal with it. I don’t want people to think it’s a good comeback story. ”
Live: Blank press conference at Fenway. https://t.co/GYZIdNRpaz
– Red Sox (RedsOx) November 10, 2020
Cora then notes that he plans to use his shock to help others and better the people around him. He said, “Alex is still”, and he still loves the game and loves what he does.
Although many believe that Cora’s return to Boraton was a forgotten outcome, Cora said she “never saw that day.” Once his suspension ended after the World Series, however, Bloom reached out via text and set up a phone call.
The conversation got deeper and deeper, and Cora said he found out Thursday afternoon that the Red Sox were interested in bringing him back. He thought he might be able to manage again in two or three years, but he did not expect the change to be so quick and fluid.
“Soon? I’ve never seen it,” Kora said.
Cora said he always wanted to get back into the game, but he wasn’t sure how fast it would happen. When Bloom reached out, however, Cora’s brain began to run.
Bloom said he first contacted Cora because they hadn’t spoken since January, and he wanted to catch them both and find out where Cora was. He didn’t know Kora at all, but he wanted to know her as a person.
The conversation was “intense” as Bloom found it, and he finally decided that Corra was the right man for the job – largely because of his mutual skills and understanding of baseball.
“Alex doesn’t need to be introduced here,” Bloom said. “We all know him as a smart baseball mind who can lead and inspire, as well as everyone in the game. He has shown that he can get the best out of the players, and we are looking forward to a better future under his leadership. ”
Sequel pic.twitter.com/SRrs9c3XFv
– Red Sox (RedsOx) November 10, 2020
Cora said he would not speak to Bloom if he did not feel ready for the time to come – in the case of a negative reception from others in Major League Baseball and fans from rival parks. He knows it won’t be easy, but he feels ready for the challenge because he has those people in his corner.
He said the organization had made it very clear that he would be out of the game if he allowed a similar situation to develop in Boston. Cora said he has chosen what the Astros did with the Red Sox for the first time, he doesn’t plan on bringing it, and he plans to leave it this time around.
For baseball itself, Core said in a discussion of the Red Sox ‘current situation that his team in 2019 and last year’s team were not deep enough to make the playoffs. He said he became a fan this summer and it was hard to see. Kora hopes that this year’s team can take positive steps and get back on track.
“We’re in a position where yes, we want to do better, we want to win the World Series, but we want to stay consistent year in and out,” Cora said.
