McAdam: Managerial search won't be easy for Red Sox

Managerial searches are, by definition, never easy.

Managerial searches in January and February, on the eve of spring training, are virtually unprecedented.

And yet, that's where the Red Sox find themselves, needing to find a replacement for Alex Cora, and needing to do so quickly.

"There's no question it's an unusual time to be doing a managerial search,'' said Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom. "At the point of the winter that we are, being this close to spring training, it's impossible for that not to be a factor in how we proceed. But it's not going to be the only factor; we want to make sure we do this justice.''

Under more normal circumstances,



the Red Sox might look internally and promote bench coach Ron Roenicke. Roenicke managed four full seasons and part of a fifth with the Milwaukee Brewers and has a lot of minor league managerial experience to boot.

Further, Roenicke is well respected for his knowledge of personnel and game strategy and is popular with the players, having served on the Sox coaching staff for the past two seasons.

But precisely because he served on Cora's staff in 2018, the period of time for which the Sox are currently under investigation, the Sox don't know if MLB's report will implicate Roenicke at all. The only thing worse than parting ways with a manager for circumventing rules is having to move on from his replacement for doing the same thing -- before he's had a chance to manage a single game.

If the Red Sox don't want to deal with asking permission of another organization to interview a candidate, they could target a veteran manager currently out of work. Among the possibilities: Buck Showalter, Dusty Baker, Mike Scioscia or Bruce Bochy -- all of whom are experienced with long track records of success.

Any of those four would bring immediate credibility to the position, to say nothing of a certain sense of gravitas.

But there are two roadblocks there.

First, an older, more established manager may cast too large a shadow for Bloom. Bloom is probably in search of a younger candidate with whom he could partner as he implements his vision for the organization.

Secondly, older managers are less likely to be analytically inclined and more traditional in the way they view lineup construction, game management and other variables.

"We haven't ruled anything in or out,'' noted Bloom. "This is a unique situation. There are going to be unique things that stem from this situation and certainly from the timing of it, that I think you want to make sure whoever is in that chair next has the ability to handle.''

It's far more likely, one baseball source suggested Wednesday, that Bloom turns to someone with whom he has familiarity, someone who could grow into the job.

While both chairman Tom Werner and team president Sam Kennedy maintained that the Sox view the 2020 Red Sox as contenders, that's likely an overly generous view of the roster and one not shared throughout the game.

Sam Fuld, whom Bloom knows from their time together with the Rays and who is currently the Philadelphia Phillies' major league player information coordinator, could be one such candidate. Fuld, a native of Durham, N.C. played eight seasons in the big leagues, and like Bloom, is viewed as highly intelligent (Phillips Exeter Academy, Stanford University) and is considered one of the game's most innovative thinkers.

Eduardo Perez, who impressed New York Mets ownership last winter before the team decided to hire Carlos Beltran, could also be a candidate. Like Cora, he's bilingual and has an extensive media background, having worked at ESPN for a number of years. That comfort in front of microphones shouldn't be underestimated, at a time when managers are increasingly being asked to become the face of their franchise.

Former Red Sox infielder Mike Lowell -- another with TV experience -- could be a solid choice, though Lowell has, in the past, been reluctant to commit to a position which requires him to be away for home for much of the year now that he has children in high school.

While Jason Varitek is the first choice of many fans, one baseball source didn't see Varitek as a good fit, and like Lowell, he, too, has expressed a reluctance to make the kind of time commitment that managing demands.