Boston Red Sox: Ron Roenicke faces tough challenge as new manager

The Boston Red Sox announced Ron Roenicke as their interim manager of the future on Tuesday.

The Boston Red Sox are currently are in the middle of their most tumultuous offseason in recent memory. The Mookie Betts trade has officially been held up; their pitching staff is just as unproven as it was last year, and this damn cheating scandal won’t go away.

To top off this apocalyptic time period in Red Sox history, the organization has decided to sign Ron Roenicke as interim manager. The 63-year-old was brought in by Alex Cora in 2017 to serve as the team’s bench coach for the last couple of years.

More from Chowder and Champions

Prior to that, Roenicke was a coach for the Los Angeles Angels and the Los Angeles Dodgers, and most notably amassed a 342-331 record as a manager for the Milwaukee Brewers from 2011-2015.

This decision basically solidifies the notion that Cora was the mastermind behind both cheating scandals. If he wasn’t, then the Sox would’ve been more inclined to branch outside of the organization to find its successor.

Then again, there weren’t many manager options anyway, especially since we’re entering the period where most teams are already set to enter spring training fully loaded.

Boston’s situation is unique in its disastrous ramifications. Two years ago, they were reaping the benefits as one of the greatest teams in franchise history. Now, they’re scraping pennies without an all-time outfielder and a stable pitching staff.

Not to mention, Roenicke’s last stint as a manager was quite inconsistent. After acquiring a division title with a 96-66 record in 2011, the Brewers failed to reach 90 wins again and sulked in mediocrity for Roenicke’s final few years. It all culminated in a firing after a horrid 7-18 start in 2015. He hasn’t managed a team since.

The Red Sox are also problematic in the GM department, as Dave Dombrowski is now gone, and Brian O’Halloran carried out one of the worst trades in modern sports history.

Somehow, everyone within the organization seems to be living in their own fabricated world where everything is okay. Chairman Tom Werner apparently thinks the team could be better than last year’s, which talent-wise, comically makes no sense. He also will apparently mock anyone who thinks otherwise.

It’s weird to witness much of the higher entities come from a place of such insecurity. I suppose it’s fair to say that dipping under the luxury tax for the 2020 season isn’t the worst idea in the world.

Next. Boston Red Sox: The exit of two legends, 100 years apart. dark

But on the other hand, not re-signing a top five talent is. This whole debacle is Boston’s undoing; no one else’s. Hopefully Roenicke can mitigate the ignorance.

Home/Boston Red Sox