McAdam: On Red Sox clinching night, symbolism was everywhere for Alex Cora

CLEVELAND -- For most Red Sox fans, the fact that the Red Sox succeeded in clinching the team's third straight American League East title at Yankee Stadium was an additional bonus. For the second time in three years, the Red Sox got to conduct their celebration in Yanks' visiting clubhouse, delivering an exclamation point to their season and, at the same time, rubbing it in the faces of their chief rivals.

Alex Cora appreciated the setting, too, but for entirely different reasons.

Last October, he first interviewed for the Red Sox managerial vacancy at The Palace, the Manhattan hotel the Red  Sox use as their New York headquarters. On both Thursday night and again Friday afternoon, Cora recalled how anxious he was when he walked into that suite, filled with ownership, upper management and nearly the entire Baseball Operations staff.

His nervousness was misplaced, of course, since Cora fielded a job offer days later from Dave Dombrowski, which he eagerly accepted.

Just being in New York, then, and watching his team cement the division title in the same city in which his journey to becoming the 47th manager in Red Sox history first took flight, brought everything "full circle,'' according to Cora.

"It's fitting that we clinched (in New York),'' said Cora. "I still remember that Sunday (when he was interviewed), between Game 2 and 3 (of the ALCS). I walked into the suite and I was a little intimidated. But in the end, I felt very comfortable. I figured, 'I've got a shot.' So it's fitting that it's here.''

Cora said Friday that, though he's only 42, he felt like a proud father, watching his players celebrate their achievement earlier in the morning in New York. He mostly stayed in the background, allowing the players to relish in the division title.

On Friday, he made it a point to reach out to two baseball executives: Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen and Texas Rangers GM Jon Daniels.

Hazen was the one who, two offseasons ago, advised him to get major league dugout experience -- the better to prepare himself for the demands of managing. Daniels, meanwhile, was the first GM to interview him for a major league managerial opening.

"Sometimes,'' reflected Cora, "it's a process and a frustrating one. Some of the (interviews), you feel that they're not real interviews. But you've got to go through the process.''

(In an incredible bit of irony, Cora reached out to thank Daniels on the very same day that the Rangers fired Jeff Banister, whom the team had chosen over Cora and others nearly five years ago). He spoke or texted with family members Friday, including his older brother Joey, a coach with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

From the start, Cora has seemed to do almost everything right. Inconsequential or not, the Red Sox finished with the best record in the Grapefruit League, helping to set the proper tone for the regular season to begin. Then, after a crushing Opening Night loss, the Sox went on to win 17 of their next 18 games, building an early-season cushion for themselves.

Even now, some six months later, they've yet to lose more than three in a row and it's been a fait accompli that they will finish the season with the best record in baseball. Cora stands a chance to break the record for most wins by a rookie manager; with eight games remaining; the record is 109, set by Ralph Houk with the 1961 Yankees.

And beyond the symbolism of clinching in New York, there was another matter tugging at Cora's heart: Thursday, the day they clinched, was the anniversary of the start of Hurricane Maria, which ravaged his native Puerto Rico, where his mom and other family members still reside.

Cora took part in several humanitarian efforts on the island, and the tie-in to what he referred to as "the second step'' in the Red Sox postseason -- clinching a postseason spot the week earlier being the first -- on the anniversary of the storm clearly moved him.

"That's a good one,'' he nodded solemnly when reminded of the date. "I think for our country, it's great. There's a lot of people who are proud of me, but I'm prouder of them. For me to be standing here, on my own two feet, and being able to clinch this, on this date, I know it means a lot to them and a lot of fans in the stands. They're happy, they're happy. Every time we win, somebody's happy back home and I'm proud of them.''

In the post-game mayhem early Friday morning, team president Sam Kennedy noted that "it's hard to believe it was less than a year ago that we were interviewing Alex and talking about bringing him back home to the Red Sox, where he belonged. I'm sure if we didn't grab him, another team would have. He's done a tremendous job.''