Thursday, October 18, 2018

Sox Can Clinch 14th American League Pennant On Alex Cora's 43rd Birthday

(Getty Images)
Tonight, the Red Sox can claim their fourteenth American League Pennant by beating Justin Verlander and the 2017 World Series Champion Houston Astros. And if they do advance to the World Series tonight, it will be on Manager Alex Cora's 43rd birthday. It would be doubly sweet for the skipper—celebrating his birthday and defeating the team he served as a bench coach just last year, and doing it on their own field. Cora's first year as manager has been a revelation—bringing a new aggressive style to the Red Sox on the field and a calm, self-assured leadership to the clubhouse. As has been said many times before, Cora had long been considered a lock for a manager's spot—throughout his 14-year playing career. In his four years as a player for the Red Sox, Cora appeared in 301 games and delivered a more than respectable .252 batting average. His versatility (2B, SS, 3B) made him an extremely valuable asset—another attribute he has brought to the 2018 Carmine Hose. So, come on guys, "Do Damage" and win this one tonight for the skip.