The Red Sox are less than a month away from the start of Spring Training and have yet to hire a replacement for fired manager Alex Cora. Fans on social media have had some wild ideas on who should captain the ship in 2020.
Boston sports fans appreciate when players show us blue-collar work ethic and unmitigated passion. We value the underdogs who play hard and leave it all on the field. For the most part, Red Sox fans are an extremely dedicated and loyal bunch.
But does that unwavering loyalty sometimes cloud our judgment and cause us to overvalue guys in our organization? Absolutely yes.
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That’s why entering the world of Red Sox fan social media is a wild ride. Lopsided trade proposals, arguments for marginal players to be in the Hall of Fame, and outrage over who is and who isn’t a “real fan” are topics that run rampant on Facebook groups and Twitter hashtags.
With the recent firing of Alex Cora as skipper, Red Sox fans have taken to social media to voice their opinions on who should manage the team in 2020 and let me tell you…some of these posts are Theatre of the Absurd to the highest level.
Although some candidates you could make a case for (Jason Varitek), I’d prefer to delve into the weirdest and wackiest suggestion, a “greatest hits” of managerial misses if you will.
Before the slideshow begins, keep in mind that the highest-paid managers in 2019 were Bruce Bochy of the Giants (now retired) and Joe Maddon of the Cubs (now with the Angels) who each made $6M in 2019. Bochy won three World Series titles with the Giants during his time in San Fransico (2007-2019) and Maddon has managed in two World Series, winning one with the Cubs in 2016.
Dennis Eckersley
Dennis Eckersley is refreshingly honest and critical as the color commentator for Sox broadcasts on NESN. We love his Eckisms like “moss” (hair), “cheddar” (fastball), and “salad” (a not-so fastball with little movement). His easy-going demeanor and likable approach in the booth has created a fandom that rivals that of broadcast legend Jerry Remy.
But can you imagine Eck in the same clubhouse as David Price, who berated the beloved broadcaster during a team flight because Eck criticized an Eduardo Rodriguez start on TV? Price famously quipped that Eck didn’t know “how hard this game is.”
Eckersley, a six-time all-star who boasts career stats of 197 wins and 390 saves would probably disagree considering he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2004. Although a great player, Eck has never coached or managed at any level of baseball. Plus, you can’t have your manager butting heads with your highest-paid player in Price ($30M per year).
The Price/Eck spat, which resurfaced during last year’s joyless season, would undoubtedly happen again, and it’s a good bet that the players take Price’s side and Eck loses the clubhouse.
Carl Yastrzemski
80-year-old famous recluse and curmudgeon Carl Yastrzemski was suggested by more than one fan in various Facebook groups. I just want to reiterate that Yaz is EIGHTY YEARS OLD. Can you imagine Yaz trying to crunch modern day stats, breakdown video for players that are sixty years younger than him?
Folks, the game had passed Bobby Valentine by in 2012 and he was only 62 at the time. Plus Yaz was famously snippy with the media during his playing days. Can you imagine the back and forth between him and Dan Shaugnessy after an especially uninspiring Sox performance?
Yaz leads a quiet, private life and wouldn’t have considered the job in 1990 never mind 2020. People who want Yaz to manage this team are probably the same folks who called for the Red Sox to trade All-Star and MVP Mookie Betts to the Giants for his grandson, Mike Yastrzemski.
Furthermore, all you fans out there that gave young Yaz a standing ovation after he homered at Fenway while the team was slogging through a miserable season need to turn in your Red Sox Nation cards immediately.
Anyone from the 2004 World Series team
Some of my favorite posts were fans reorganizing the entire coaching staff. Usually, it went a little something like this:
Manager: Jason Varitek (again…this is at least considerable), Pitching Coach: Pedro Martinez, Hitting Coach: David Ortiz, Bench Coach: Trot Nixon (certified Dirt-Dog)
Brian Daubach, Tim Wakefield, Kevin Millar, and Manny Ramirez (!) were all suggested by fans. The only members of the 2004 Red Sox I would want to manage my team in 2020 are the two guys who HAVE ACTUALLY BECOME MLB MANAGERS!
Dave Roberts (Dodgers) and Gabe Kapler (Giants) are both current managers and have some experience under their belts. But they’re also under contract with other teams so it’s not going to happen.
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Just because these “Idiots” broke the curse in 2004 doesn’t mean they’re ready to just take over a team with less than a month till spring training in 2020. Plus, no one on the 2004 Sox squad will ever have to buy a beer in New England for the rest of their lives. Why would anyone want to tarnish that accomplishment on a chance of failure as a manager?
What if Tek goes 62-100? Is he still our beloved Captain? David Ortiz was just shot, people! Do you think he wants to MANAGE A BASEBALL TEAM? He’s too busy rolling in money pitching salsa, beer, sneakers, and Dunkin’ to the American consumer. What the heck…let’s get crazy! Pokey Reese for manager!
(Fun aside: So many fans are posting “Bring back Terry Francona” I’m sure after the smear campaign the Red Sox levied against Tito, he’d let bygones be bygones, break his current managerial contract with the Indians and come back here with open arms! Insert eye roll emoji here).
Dustin Pedroia
With yesterday’s news of Dustin Pedroia yet again suffering a major setback in his quest to return to action following multiple knee procedures, fans have been clamoring to “make Pedey the coach.”
First of all, it boils my bologna when fans call managers “the coach.” Additionally, fans have suggested to just roll his salary over to manage. Pedroia will make about $16M in 2020, which is $4M more than the aforementioned Bochy and Maddon’s COMBINED salaries.
Secondly, Pedey hasn’t decided whether he’s retiring or not. That doesn’t matter to most fans, because before news of his injury relapse even broke, they wanted him to be named player-manager, which hasn’t happened in baseball since Pete Rose assumed the role with the Reds in 1984, which was thirty-six years ago.
Pedroia has shown he is prone to lapses of leadership (calling out manager Bobby Valentine publically, shouting to the Orioles bench “It’s not me it’s them” accusingly about teammates who decided to plunk Manny Machado after he slid hard into Pedroia in 2017).
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Don’t forget, both he and Jason Varitek were on the famous chicken and beer team that collapsed in 2011. Pedroia might make a fine manager or coach someday. But throwing him to the wolves after a two-year-long attempted comeback seems like a horrible idea.
Brock Holt
Speaking of player/managers, someone on Facebook suggested to re-sign Brock Holt and hand him that role. Let me repeat that. Someone wants the Red Sox to give a player/manager position to a 31-year-old free-agent utility infielder.
Holt is seeking a multi-year PLAYING deal in free agency, which should net him around $5M per. The Brockstar seems like a great guy. He’s personable, amiable, and clearly has fun playing the game. He’s had some memorable moments in a Sox uniform and has a cute son who wears glasses.
But how cringe-worthy will it be watching skipper Holt jump up and down and hug J.D. Martinez after a second-inning home run against the Royals in April? This may literally be the craziest suggestion by any fan in the history of crazy suggestions by fans.
While people pine for cherubic fan-favorite Holt to hold together a clubhouse, I’m thinking his free and easy personality at the podium would be like throwing chum into the shark-infested waters that is Boston media.
The Red Sox need to hire a capable manager that can hold down the fort until Chaim Bloom can get one of his own guys to man the helm on a long term basis.