Alex Cora Will Make Sure His New Red Sox Have Fun With Baseball
BOSTON (CBS) -- If one thing is clear, Alex Cora is going to make sure the Boston Red Sox have fun playing baseball.
After being introduced as the team's 47th manager on Monday, Cora took a few minutes to chat with WBZ-TV's Dan Roche about his new gig. The new skipper is already thinking ahead to Spring Training, as he asked Rochie if we can expect a return of WBZ-TV's "Cookie Off" down in Fort Myers. Cora was a utility player on the team when he and his Red Sox teammates had to vote for their favorite cookies, which were provided from the favorite bakeries of Roche, Gabe Kapler and/or Kevin Youkilis. It's been a while since the last "Cookie Off," but it certainly sounds like Cora would like to see the culinary showdown back in the Boston clubhouse.
Yes, these Red Sox are going to have fun playing for their new manager.
"I'm going to tell the guys to show emotion. Who cares, have fun with it," Cora told Roche of his approach in the clubhouse. "At the end of the day, hopefully that music is playing -- that means we win. They're going to enjoy it.
"To win a big league game is tough," Cora continued. "Every win we're going to celebrate, and hopefully it's 100-plus. If we do that, that means we're going to have a parade here in Boston."
Cora said he doesn't see his managerial debut coming in a baseball-crazed city like Boston as a challenge, but rather more motivation to be the best manager he can be.
"That's what pushes players in this city to be great. I'm looking forward to the opportunity," he said. "I'm looking forward to managing this team and to winning championships."
Cora inherits a team that won the AL East for the second straight season, but also got sent home in the ALDS for the second straight year. This year, it was Cora's Houston Astros that started Boston's offseason early, en route to their first World Series championship in franchise history.
"It took a special team to beat them," Cora said of his former team beating the 2017 Red Sox. "You win 93 games and lose to the world champs, you have a good team. It's just a matter of making a few adjustments."
Perhaps a return of the "Cookie Off" will be the start to something special this year.
Check out Dan Roche's full 1-on-1 with Red Sox manager Alex Cora in the video above!