Alex Cora won the World Series in 2018 in his debut season as manager of the Boston Red Sox but has been linked this offseason to two sign-stealing schemes—but he owes much of that success to the things he learned the previous season as a bench coach for the Houston Astros.
Namely—how to get away with stealing signs from opposing teams.
Yeah, it’s no coincidence that the man that sat as bench coach for the 2017 World Champion Houston Astros and was also the head coach the following season for the World Champion Boston red Sox in 2018—and that both teams are at the heart of the MLB’s sign stealing scandal.
And it is also no surprise that the Red Sox connected those dots and decided they didn’t want Cora connected with the team anymore and announced last night that Cora had mutually agreed to part ways with the team.
The 44-year-old slash unemployed Cora now awaits discipline from MLB for his role in a sign-stealing scheme by the Astros and is still under investigation for a different sign-stealing scheme that is said to have occurred with the Red Sox in 2018.
In MLB's findings on Houston announced Monday, Cora is described by commissioner Rob Manfred as being "involved in developing both the banging scheme and utilizing the replay review room to decode and transmit signs. Cora participated in both schemes, and through his active participation, implicitly condoned the players' conduct."
Manfred said he was withholding discipline for Cora until MLB completes its investigation into the allegations against the Red Sox, but he is expected to receive a harsh penalty.
But it is surely coming, and many believe it will be at least two years if not a lifetime ban.
Source:ESPN