In what hardly could be considered much of a surprise, the Red Sox Monday announced that the club had picked up the options for 2023 and 2024 on manager Alex Cora's contract.
Cora was re-hired by the Red Sox last winter and given a two-year deal (2021-2022) with two team options. Cora led the Sox to a 92-win season and brought them to the ALCS.
"There's so much that you can say about what an organization looks for in a manager,'' said chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom. "I think a lot of it comes down to leadership and partnership. You're seeking a leader, not just for your clubhouse and your dugout but for the entire organization and a partner in our goal of bringing championship-caliber baseball to Fenway Park on an annual basis. In Alex, we have both of those things. He's a tremendous leader and a wonderful partner for what we're trying to do as an organization. We have a lot to proud of from 2021 and a lot of unfinished business and I'm excited that we get to go forward for a long time with Alex, continuing to push toward those goals.
"Alex combines a lot of different qualities that help bring the best out of players. His feel for the game of baseball, his intellect -- the way he notices things on the field -- and is able to combine them with the preparation that he does to maximize what goes on on the field and what happens in every game is as good as anybody. And as a leader and a motivator, he can help take a clubhouse to another level. There's not that many people that bring both of those things to the table in abundance like Alex does. And on top of that, he's just a great guy to work with -- he's charismatic, he's funny, he's real. You need that through the ups and downs of a baseball season.''
The Sox didn't have to act on the options until a year from now, but decided not to wait.
"I think it was clear to me and all of us here that going forward with Alex in a long-term partnership is something that would be good for everybody," said Bloom. "Once we knew that, it made sense to formalize it as soon as possible.''
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Bloom addressed keeping three 40-man roster spots open, while leaving such prospects as Thaddeus Ward and Gilberto Jimenez available in the upcoming Rule 5 draft.
"We had a few tough calls,'' said Bloom. "Some of that is a credit to the depth we built up in the system. Anytime you add someone or leave someone off, in some sense, it's a calculated gamble. The best way way to lose a player is to add somebody that you shouldn't. It might lead to you being in a (numbers) crunch down the road and experiencing that pain of losing a player in some other way -- whether it's that player or somebody else. Knowing that there are other things we'd like to accomplish this offseason with our 40-man roster and players we'd like to bring in -- both during the offseason and as we get into next year, wanting to have as much space as possible.
"That's something you have to factor in to the decisions we make. So there were a few that weren't easy, but ultimately, this is how we felt most comfortable.
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Bloom addressed the team's pitching needs and examining the middle-infield market among free agents.
"We don't have anything that's teed up or close,'' he said. "But we're very active in conversations with a few different (pitchers). We've touch base with a wide variety of players -- just about everyone that's on the market. It's gotten more serious and more involved with some of them. I don't know right now if that's going to lead to anything or when. I think by the time the offseason is over, we will have added pitching of various sorts, including starting pitching. That's something that's a clear goal of ours.
"I don't know what that's going to be or when. I don't know yet.''
On the middle infield class, which includes Carlos Correa, Corey Seager and Marcus Semien among others, Bloom added: "We have enough flexibility and versatility with this roster that it gives us a lot of different ways to add impact and add talent. We owe it to ourselves to look into all those avenues. Sometimes things that may not, on the surface, look as much of a need end up being real good mutual fits and you make yourself better.
"We're trying to stay active with as many groups of players as possible, even if it's in an area where we feel it's more fortifying a strength.''
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The National Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame revealed its new ballot for the Hall, and it features nine former Red Sox players: David Ortiz (first year of eligibility), Carl Crawford (first year), Jonathan Papelbon (first year), A.J. Pierzynski (first year), Jake Peavy (first year), Manny Ramirez, Billy Wagner, Roger Clemens (final year of eligibility) and Curt Schilling (final year).
Other first-year newcomers (with no Red Sox affiliation) include Price Fielder, Ryan Howard, Tim Lincecum, Joe Nathan, Alex Rodriguez, Jimmy Rollins and Mark Teixeira.
Voting must be completed by the end of the calendar year, with results announced on Jan. 25. Induction ceremonies will be held on the weekend of July 22-25, 2002.
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The Sox have vacancies on their coaching staff at first base and an assisting hitting coach, but Bloom said while the team has made progress in interviewing candidates, he had nothing to announce. "We do think we're getting closer,'' said Bloom.