FORT MYERS, Fla. -- As is typical at the start of spring training, Alex Cora addressed the media with an overview of the team and his expectations for the 2023 season.
Among the highlights:
* On the contents of Winning Fixes Everything, a look at the 2017 Houston Astros sign-stealing methods.
"I've been talking about this whole situation for three years. I've been very open about it. My focus is on (this) year. Obviously, the timing of this is kind of like awkward, but it is what it is. I mentioned a few years ago, there's going to be books, there's going to be stories. But as of now, I don't want to comment. My focus is on the Red Sox, my family and keep moving forward.
"It's always hurtful because I have to go back to (my) kids, back to the family (and say) 'This is coming out, we have to talk about it.' I don't want to say they're used to it. But I've been open with them about the whole situation and they understand that stuff like this is going to come out and we have to just keep going forward. I made a big mistake in '17. I'm paying the price but at the same time, I have to keep moving forward. I cannot live in the past.
"I've been very honest about the situation, been very apologetic. That's what I can control....I knew it was coming. Probably, there's more books coming out and people are going to have their side of the story. They're going to talk about it. But from my end, I think I've been very open about this. I feel comfortable with who I am. The things that I did, I'm not proud of it. But at the same time, we have to keep moving forward. I'm not here to talk about the book; that's the last thing I'm going to do.''
Cora added he had no plans to read the book.
* On the plans for the rotation, with seven potential major league starters in camp:
"Keep everybody healthy and make decisions toward the end of camp. We cannot get ahead of ourselves. Obviously, there's a lot of question marks, a lot of red flags, but as of now, everybody's on track. Everybody feels good about themselves, physically they're OK. We just have to keep building up and see where we're at in a few weeks, and then after that, we'll make decisions.''
Cora added that Chris Sale will throw a bullpen Wednesday and Saturday before facing hitters next week.
* On the team's power supply:
"I do believe last year, we struggled offensively. I know we scored a lot of runs, but we weren't as consistent as we usually are. (This) is a different group, a different dynamic. We've got guys who will make contact -- (Justin Turner), (Masataka) Yoshida, (Triston) Casas after a handful of at-bats, he's going to feel comfortable...(Adam) Duvall is looking forward to hitting at Fenway 81 times.
"From my end, I like doubles and some of those doubles are going to turn into homers. But I think Turner and Duvall, in that environment, hitting a few fly balls to left field and see where they go, that's going to help them out. At one point last year, we struggled with men in scoring position. We struggled hitting the ball out of the ballpark. But at the same time, it's not the only weapon that we missed last year.
"It's ironic that I'm going to say this (after the loss of J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts), but offensively, we should be better. The approach is going to be different. We have to dominate the strike zone. In September, we led the league in on-base percentage and we did a good jjob grinding at-bats. If we can do that and have a lot of traffic, then we can cash in.
"We need traffic....The value is putting the ball in play is important and the value of getting on base is important. We've got a few guys who will do that. We're going to have a lot of traffic. Obviously, the three-run homer is great, but you still have to get two on to hit the three-run homer and we didn't do that enough last year.''
* On the construction of the batting order:
"Not even close (to deciding that). We have a bunch of lefties and we have to find a way to balance that...We have to find a way. We have to split up Yoshida and (Rafael Devers).''
* On Kiké Hernandez's comments about needed changes to the "clubhouse culture.''
"Talking to him, I think it was about the people who left and we need character guys and can we accomplish that? We lost a lot of guys -- we lost Christian (Vazquez) and Xander and J.D. We love those guys, they're great. But we have to turn the page. The people that we have here -- don't take it the wrong way, but they could care less about what happened last year or the year before, or in '18 They don't care -- they just care about this year and moving forward.
"I think that Kiké meant, with all the people who left, we have to build a new clubhouse. I think we have the right guys.''
Cora did take issue with Hernandez's contention that the team was too "comfortable'' for a last-place team.
"I don't agree with that one. I don't agree with that one. I saw it. I wasn't comfortable. I don't think the group was comfortable...I take pride in what we did last year. We played all the way until the end, regardless of the results. Those last three games at home against Tampa, with a team that was going to the playoffs, it was good. (But) it wasn't enough. At the end of the day, here, '18 is the only great season that we had. (The 2021 season) was cool, but it wasn't great. We play for championships and that's something we know. Regardless of the standings last year I think we played hard until the end. It didn't happen, but as far as the process and the way we went about our business, we did a good job.''
On his message to the fans:
"(We have to) just get better. I'm not going to come here and say that we're going to play (into November), but we're going to get better. We've got a bunch of guys who've done it before. Some of them, they've been together in other venues and they were successful and hopefully we can accomplish that here in Boston.
On expectations for Alex Verdugo:
"Step one, he checked a box. Physically, he's a lot different. Step one, we accomplished that. We just have to maintain that. He had a good second half of the season. He controlled the zone, hit for average. I think we're at a stage with Dugie, forget about hitting homers -- hit 45-50 doubles, he can do that. As everybody knows, four or five years ago, everybody thought this guy was a complete, five-tool player. We're trying to get that guy again.''