McAdam: As Red Sox prepare to welcome back Alex Cora, some answers are still due

On Tuesday afternoon, the Red Sox will (re)introduce their manager Alex Cora. It's a hiring that has largely been met with positive reaction from the team's fan base.

After all, Cora is associated with better days for the franchise, having led the Red Sox to their 2018 World Series victory, which followed a dominant regular season. His confidence, leadership skills and unique ability to relate to his players resonated with the fans, making him the club's most popular manager since Terry Francona.

Now that Cora has returned, there's a feeling that the Sox are, once again, headed in the right direction again. Of all the potential additions the team may make this offseason, it's not hyperbole to suggest that they have already made their most significant and popular one.

Still, Cora's triumphant return does not come with a completely clean slate. Following the completion of his season-long suspension by Major League Baseball for his actions during the 2017 season with the Houston Astros, Cora should be forthcoming about his actions then and make clear what steps he'll take to ensure that they don't happen again.

(Cora has partly done this in the team's press release last Friday afternoon, but some carefully worded apology on a piece of paper, some of which was likely guided by others, is insufficient. We need to hear the words from Cora himself.)

This isn't about shaming Cora in any way or suggesting that he's in need of salvation. But at the very least, Red Sox fans are owed an explanation of what happened three years ago and why. Providing this  will only help Cora and his employers move forward.



Notably, the two others who were suspended by MLB for the same infraction have taken significantly approaches in recent weeks and Cora can learn from the divergent paths.

A.J. Hinch, the former Astros manager, was direct and humble in recounting his culpability while being introduced as the new manager of the Detroit Tigers. Hinch answered all questions, expressed his remorse and said he didn't want his new past actions to unfairly stain the reputation of his new club. Bravo.

In stark contrast, former Houston GM Jeff Luhnow has consistently denied any wrongdoing and this week, plans to announce plans to sue the Astros for wrongful termination.

Want to guess which one Cora should emulate when he speaks Tuesday? In the unlikely event Cora is unsure, he could take note that Hinch has already begun the process of image rehabilitation and has a multi-year deal in place to manage while Luhnow is unlikely to succeed in his litigation and almost certainly will not work in the game again.

Since he was suspended last spring, Cora has spoken publicly only twice: once to the Boston Globe and once to ESPN. (A cynic could point out that the former is owned by his once and present boss and the latter was also once his employer). But a more full accounting is due.

Cora should also address what happened with the Red Sox in 2018, too. By any measure, the rule-bending that took place by the Red Sox that year was not anywhere as nefarious as what went on with the Astros the year before. But it was enough to warrant an investigation by MLB, resulting in a suspension for a staff assistant and the team forfeiting its second-round pick in last summer's draft.

If nothing else, the fact that MLB found the need to conduct full-scale investigations into two franchises in consecutive seasons, with Cora the lone link between the two teams, is troubling.

Cora can ease any worrisome thoughts by coming clean on his activities with both franchises. MLB found him largely uninvolved with what went on in Boston but his own accounting of what took place would prove useful.

When Cora is done with his mea culpa, perhaps it will be the Red Sox' turn.

According to the team's press release Sunday night, Red Sox ownership will not take part in Tuesday's media availability, principal owner John Henry apparently having fulfilled his annual public appearance quota last February in Fort Myers.

Without Henry or chairman Tom Werner present to take any accountability, it will fall to team president/CEO Sam Kennedy to do so.

Here's hoping Kennedy will reveal what, exactly, has changed over the last 11 months? In January, the Red Sox were left with no choice but to immediately disassociate themselves from Cora. In a press release at the time, the Sox decided ''that it would not be possible for Alex to effectively lead the club going forward.'' Now, Cora is back and all, it would seem, is forgiven.

Again, to be clear: this isn't to suggest that people don't deserve a second chance. Cora needn't be forced to wear some scarlet letter for the rest of his professional life.

But some explanations from both sides would be nice. Is that too much to ask?