The Red Sox are beginning to narrow the list of managerial candidates they’re considering, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (via Twitter). While five finalists have been previously reported — former manager Alex Cora, Phillies director of integrative baseball performance Sam Fuld, Pirates bench coach Don Kelly, Marlins bench coach James Rowson and Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza — Heyman characterizes Cora and Fuld as the favorites.
Alex Speier of the Boston Globe also suggests that the search is nearing a conclusion, reporting that Mendoza and one other finalist have been informed they’re no longer in the running. Cora and Fuld are indeed among the three remaining finalists, per Speier, who adds that a decision is expected to be made “soon.” While the widespread expectation has been that the Red Sox will simply re-hire Cora, Heyman notes that Fuld is seen as having a “very real” chance at winning the gig.
Fuld’s name was only linked to the Boston job less than a week ago, though the 38-year-old has past ties to Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom since both were members of the Rays organization (Fuld as a player, Bloom in the baseball operations department) from 2011-13. Multiple teams have expressed interest in Fuld for managerial positions in the past but he has declined interviews, so the fact that he has been speaking with the Red Sox is perhaps itself notable. Fuld was hired to his current position by former Phillies GM Matt Klentak, though since Klentak is no longer running Philadelphia’s front office, this could hint at why Fuld may now be open to exploring job opportunities on other teams.
Fuld has never worked as a coach or manager at any level, making him an interesting contrast to a World Series-winning manager like Cora. The unknown candidate, whether it’s Rowson or Kelly, would also be a first-time manager. Rowson has worked as Miami’s bench coach for a season and over a decade of experience as a Major League hitting coach and minor league hitting instructor. Since retiring from playing after the 2016 season, Kelly spent two season as a scout for the Tigers before moving onto coaching roles with the Astros and Pirates.
I have to say this again:
Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.
We won’t get Fuld again.
Who is the manager?
Are we speaking in haikus now?
Yes we are my friend
Though really it’s not his fault
He is ignorant
It’s not October
Haiku month is over now
It’s now November
I agree good sir
I wanted to make a point
Cheaply but it’s done
Well played !
Priceless first comment!
Great song.
FWIW, I’m rooting for Fuld.
Has to be Cora. Why even go there if you aren’t going to hire the guy. If they didn’t want him I suspect they would have released some kind of statement saying they appreciated him but had moved on. Taking negative press and not actually hiring him doesn’t make much sense. Only scenario that would make some sense is if they were waiting on Fuld to accept or decline and they are keeping Cora around in case he declines. But I suspect Fuld knows whether he wants to manage the Red Sox by now
The more likely scenario is that Bloom wants to go with his own guy (Fuld) but there’s a significant number of current players who want Cora back. Trying to navigate that gets tricky.
@kingken – you know, taking into account those significant number of players, contract situations, and recent performance, I wouldn’t care about it. Bigger issue is ownership may want him or have promised some return either for silence or if he was cleared.
Go through it – benny, (poor performer) Devers (the error machine); jbj gone; nobody @2B; chavis (middling); JDM (stunk up the joint once he lost in game video); Verdugo & dalbec (new); nobody on bench to worry about; Bogey and Vazquez did their job. Pitching staff… what staff? Everyone is new, overpaid named eovaldi, injured named sale, or questionable on a final year named Erod.
If there’s a diva or two in there that gets in a tizzy then either we save money/get better without them, or, they’re easily tradable if they want out.
Seth: I agree. The Red Sox going to Puerto Rico looks like they are recruiting him….for something. Could be for manager or maybe they are trying to sell him on taking a different role in the organization. I don’t think they would need to recruit him to be manager. My other thought was they took the trip to tell him in person that he won’t get the manager job as a gesture so they can keep the door open in the future. Whatever is going on, looks like we will find out soon.
Go Sam Go…go directly to the managerial office.
Go Cora Go. Go directly to jail. Do not pass go…Cheaters have no business leading a baseball team when the league is married to FanDuel.. Baseball’s integrity is on the line.
Good to see someone will be in the fuld soon
Hire Fuld. Cora is not Bloom’s guy, can’t change that crucial detail. Let Cora start over with another team – best of luck to AC.
Agreed.
Ownership wants cora, maybe as part of a discussion or promise when he left.
GM wants someone new, edge to Fuld.
Impasse? Benefit is, no real competition right now so they can kind of take their time.
I’m beginning to think the Cora talk is for publicity. If he was going to be brought back, wouldn’t it have been done already!
Bring him back. Cora is a great baseball mind. The best candidate should get the job. Alex Cora is the best candidate. The players love and respect him. Thats who i would hire if it were up to me.
If he was such a great baseball mind, he wouldn’t have cheated for 2 different teams!
Such a great baseball mind that he has no idea how to manage a spring training so a team is ready…
Cite to: wasted 2019 season that was cora’s fault.
2019 injuries to Sale, Price, and Eovaldi, which crushed the season, had to be in part because of the lack of preparation in spring training.
In 2018 the Red Sox won 14 of their last 15 spring training games, which set them up to go 17-2 to start the season on their way to a WS title.
In 2019 Cora acted like the RS team was so good that they did not need spring training. The only starter which had a normal spring was Eduardo Rodriguez who ended up going 19-6. I do not think this was coincidence.
I personally watched every game in 2018 and 2019 and do not think Cora is that good at in game managing particularly the bullpen. That said the players love him and play well for him especially the Latin players.
So who should manage………? I personally am tired of the debate. RS just pick someone and be done with it…
Kudos
Lol bring back the guy who is a cheater. At least have him restart somewhere else. Bad look for the Red Sox. Shows no remorse for their decisions.
MLB was going to let Arod buy a team. A guy who sued everyone, including doctors, MLB, the union (his “brothers”), trying to destroy them and their reputations to save himself. How is that for a look?! I don’t think MLB cares much about how it looks.
I don’t want Cora back, but he served his punishment, although it wasn’t nearly long enough. He did it. He is free to work again. The players absolutely loved him. I can see why they would consider it. I will be disappointed if they do.
Neither does the NFL nor the NBA re how they look. They’re in it for their own (business) interest.
Agreed
So is the Fuld that’s being mentioned Sam Fuld?
Joe Fuld
Elmer Fuld
Yuben Fuld
My guess that Bloom wants Fuld but ownership wants Cora back.
If management is that stupid, then they deserve all the backlash they get…..
And there will be plenty.Fuld please.
please let us keep Fuld for the love of all good things
Sam Fuld was born in New Hampshire. He already has New England roots! I agree with the statement above… time to hire someone new and let Alex Cora get a fresh start somewhere else.
Agreed 100%. I’ve read many times Fuld is a smart dude, he’s from NE area and Bloom is familiar with him from their time spent together with the Rays.
Ignoring the bad optics of hiring a two-time scandal manager, Cora is Henry’s choice, Fuld is Bloom’s choice. Red Sox fans want Cora, but they really should be rooting for Fuld because it will confirm Bloom is in charge and not a puppet of ownership.
Disagree.
Most sox fans DON’T want cora, although many have a premature penchant for varitek – he’s not interested, yet – or pipe dreams to make some settlement with pedroia or something equally silly.
Cora isn’t 1st Choice for many sox fans at all… or at least not the serious ones.
What world are you in? The true RS fans want Cora cuz he’s best for the team, the players adore him. You are not a RS fan or you would want what is good for the team n not based on your holier than thou opinion. Most RS fans know humans make bad choices n live to regret it. He is the only choice to lead this team in transition. ERod was over the top happy, and I’m happy for him n his team mates.
Lord99: Exactly.
I don’t know anyone who wants Cora.
Sam Fuld makes too much sense for the Red Sox and CBO Chaim Bloom. If Boston doesn’t hire him then Fuld becomes a top candidate wherever Theo Epstein winds up following the 2021 season. Fuld would also make sense for the Cubs as a bench coach or in their front office with Jed Hoyer under the presumption that the latter climbs the ladder and replaces Epstein as the organization’s next PBO. I could also see Fuld remaining in the Phillies front office and just wait for city native Bloom to take over the reigns there as the top baseball executive with Epstein returning to his beloved Red Sox. If none of this materializes then Fuld could wind up in Los Angeles working for Andrew Friedman or in Texas for Jon Daniels.
All these predictions make sense but mostly they fit my cockamamie conspiracy theory of the young Jewish Mafia taking over MLB and somehow returning the game to its rightful place as America’s true #1 pastime! lol
That last paragraph really wasn’t necessary and wasn’t funny. Just my two cents.
Easy there. Aaron is Jewish and playfully pointing out a tribal link between Bloom/Fuld isn’t off base. That aside, Fuld had a reputation for FO/Managerial role in his future while a player.
Just to clarify for those who aren’t familiar with the Yiddish word “cockamamie”, one that has become a commonly used English word along with so many others, it translates to the following synonyms: ludicrous, ridiculous nonsensical and implausible. 🙂
You know, I don’t see Theo ever going back to the red sox.
You know where is a good fit for theo? San Diego and ditch Preller.
Prellers hot seat cooled significantly after 2020
Really pulling for Fuld here, I enjoyed his playing days and Cora doesn’t deserve a 3rd chance to cheat in this business.
Shame on Boston for even considering him again, smh.
tgovey: I agree, you should “smh”. Who are you to decide how many chances Cora (or anyone else for that matter) DESERVE? How many 2nd, 3rd chances have you been given in your life? I’m PRETTY SURE that you’ve made PLENTY of bad choices (decisions) in your life. Your iniquities just aren’t on public display. Neither are mine. Thank you Lord. For we have all fallen short.
Who am I? A fan, just like all the others who make this business run, without fans who would they sell to?
Mistakes? What he did is no mistake, he knew exactly what he did was wrong, TWICE!
Pretty sure if I got fire from my job in a comparable manner, they wouldn’t hire me back, especially after learning that it happened twice.
So, if you’re going to comment on my remarks, at least say something constructive or useful, rather than spew garage in the comments section.
Yeah, Sam Fuld wasn’t a superstar, but had speed which I admire and I remember him robbing some Oriole hitters of hits, he had a good glove
He would be an interesting choice
Although, I remember him as a Ray, didn’t realize he was affiliated with the Red Sox
Also, my sister in law knows about him and I asked her how did you know about Sam Fuld since you really are not a baseball fan. She has diabetes and Fuld has it too.
Give him a chance!
Jason Varitek!!!
Timeline
Dodgers complain about cheating.
Red Sox are caught.
Cora is fired and Boston trades Betts to LA.
Dodgers are happy, they end up with Betts, the face of the Red Sox.
They let the issue go.
Cora comes back to the Red Sox.
Hmm…
Hhhmm what?
Even with the cheating accusations aside Cora had the team very under prepared to start the 2019 season. Most of the starting pitchers only got work in on the back fields and it showed. The offense sputtered early because the hitters hardly got any AB’s in exhibition games. Cora is not the great Baseball mind many think he is. John Farrell won a championship with the Sox after the disastrous Bobby Valentine experiment and no one will say Farrell “is a great Baseball Mind”. We had two full seasons of Cora with mixed results, its time for a new voice
Here’s the sad part. People point to 2018 as an outlier. But if you can lop off the first 20 games of unprepared getting up to speed due to cora’s mismanagement and ineptitude..
The team started off 6-14 due to being unprepared. Then the team started beating up on squads, incliding the same ones they were getting killed by in the first 20 games. Including series sweeps.
We all know at the end of the season they threw in the towel and shut guys down who admitted they would’ve kept playing through things except they were so far out of contention.
2019 team would’ve been a playoff entry, possibly challenging for the division crown except for Cora’s errors.
If the team played it’s first 20 games the way it played it’s next 20, against many same opponents, you’re looking at 8-10 more wins there alone. Add a couple more from garbage time when they shut guys down… you’re a 95-100+ win ballclub.
The talent was there in 2019. Cora screwed it up.
GASoxfan: I’m sure that you were on the blame Buckner for Boston losing in ’86, despite what happened earlier AND later in the same game. Plus that was only game 6. The players are the cream of the crop. They should have THEMSELVES ready AND prepared for the season, BEFORE the season. They weren’t little leaguers they’re PROFESSIONALS.
So Prospectnvstr…. I suppose in that train of thought players are to go against the club mandated pre-season routines their contracts insist are followed?
Position players need to hire a team of pitchers to throw live batting and get looks at different speeds, arm angles, etc. Hire someone to hit fly balls and fungoes?
Pitchers need to hire catchers and hitters to have live batting?
Somehow different guys are supposed to have reps with each other to get used to playing together, know which guy throws in high, which needs to be watched in the dirt on fielding plays?
You’re point is a joke. You can only prepare so much in physical conditioning. The rest requires live reps, something cora withheld.
If it’s anybody but Fuld (out of this group), it’s a failure on the Sox leadership.
I think their was a report a few days ago that the top Red Sox brass flew to Puerto Rico to visit with Cora. No organization is going to fly out of the country to visit a candidate if that’s not their guy. Cora will be back.
I mean, Puerto Rico IS part of the country.
It’s less distance to fly from Boston to San Juan that it is Boston to Los Angeles. 1670 miles and spirit air (Henry is cheap lately) is $80 round trip if you pick your days.
That said, any in person meeting is some interest. Could be Henry said: at least go talk to the guy before you decide….
Yeah that’s a big egg on me. Just normally don’t think an owner and GM would fly to a candidate’s house. College coaches do that to recruit.
You really think Puerto Rico is another country?
It’s a United States Territory.
Goof on my part, but point still stands. It’s not often a team hops on a plane to go visit a managerial candidate, especially one they likely already know everything about.
No way!! A Mystery Candidate!!
I vote for Bob Brenly.
Sincerely,
a Rays fan
Sam Fuld….your average 6th outfielder….I find it weird that scrub players and backup catchers make good managers….
Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.
There’s something to be said for sitting on the bench watching the games, players, situations, seeing how managers deploy things and handle situations during the playing days. Plenty of time to study the game.
More successful everyday players are concentrated just on their job and tracking the ball, missing those learning situations.
Also, once you’re retired it’s nice to enjoy your money and do nothing. Managers put an awful lot of time in, maybe more than the players, to make a relatively little amount of money after taxes.
I hear Bobby Valentine might be available….
I would hate to see Cora manage for another team and be successful.