Turnkey Red Sox roster, ready to win, could help team land Cora in crowded managerial field

The Red Sox managerial search kicked into high gear over the weekend, with the club interviewing Alex Cora Sunday in New York and making plans to interview Ron Gardenhire at some point this week.

President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told the Boston Herald the meeting with Cora, the Houston Astros bench coach, “went fine,’’ without disclosing any other impressions.

That the Sox chose to interview Cora first -- and in the middle of the ALCS, in which his Astros are currently involved -- could be telling, as it would seem indicate a high level of interest in the former Boston infielder.

Cora could be in the running for any of the other three managerial openings with the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets and Detroit Tigers, which could create a competition between the interested clubs.

But the Red Sox could have two distinct advantages if the bidding for Cora heats up:

First, Cora spent nearly four full seasons with the Red Sox, and has a familiarity with both the market and the organization, even if few people remain with the franchise from his playing time here.

Second, while the Phillies, Tigers and Mets are all in various stages of rebuilding, Cora would inherit a roster ready to compete in 2018 and beyond.

Most teams hiring managers do so after a losing season.  The Mets lost 92 games last season, while the Phillies lost 96 and the Tigers lost 98, tying them for the worst record in baseball.

It’s conceivable the Mets could rebound in 2018 if their injury-depleted starting rotation can regain health and perform to expectations.  The Phils and Tigers, meanwhile are, at minimum several seasons away from fielding a playoff-worthy team.

Not so the Red Sox, who are the outlier here and dismissed John Farrell last week largely because Dombrowski wished to have someone of his own choosing in the dugout and believed it was time to make a change.

Boston won 93 games for the second straight season and captured the A.L. East title in each of the last two years. And while the Sox will have their hands full in the division next season with a strong New York Yankee roster, they can reasonably expect to be a playoff contender again.

The team’s potential losses in free agency -- Mitch Moreland, Addison Reed, Eduardo Nunez -- are significant, but not overwhelming.

In short, of the four teams with an interest in hiring Cora, the Red Sox are by far the best positioned to success, now and in the near future.

It was precisely this same scenario that the Red Sox were in following the 2003 season. Boston had lost in crushing fashion to the Yankees in Game 7 of the ALCS and elected to let manager Grady Little go.

A long search process led them to Terry Francona, who inherited a team which had won 95 games and came within a run of winning the American League pennant and advancing to the World Series.

In his first season, Francona directed the Sox to a 98-win season and, ultimately, the organization’s first world championship in 86 years.

None of which is to suggest Cora will automatically choose the Sox over other suitors, or that his hiring will result in an immediate return to October glory.

It's also possible that the expectation to win immediately could act as a disincentive for Cora, who may prefer to develop a club at his own pace rather than the pressures that would await him as a first-year manager in Boston

But it does emphasize the important edge the Sox may have in recruiting Cora if the competition for his services escalates.