Is Alex Cora a cheater? Pretty good chance he’s about to be busted

Alex Cora has three World Series rings. But how many of them did he cheat to get? Cora played in 83 games for the 2007 Red Sox. That ring is most likely legit. Let’s hope we can say the same for the 2018 ring he earned as the manager of the Sox. But that might be a bit in question.

It’s been widely reported that Cora was a central figure in the group of cheaters who allegedly stole signs to help the Astros win it all in 2017. Did he bring his devious and underhanded ways to Boston one year later?

Major Lease Baseball is investigating and Commissioner Manfred has promised to put the hammer down on those involved in the 2017 Astros scandal. That could mean Cora.

According to Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich of The Athletic, Cora played a “key role” in Houston’s scheme. Cora was the right hand man to Houston manager A.J. Hinch, serving as the team’s bench coach. They report the team had a camera set up in center field at Minute Maid Park, aimed at the opposing team’s catcher behind the plate, which was shown on a monitor set up between Houston’s dugout and clubhouse.

Astros employees would watch the catcher’s signs throughout the game, figure out when a pitcher was about to throw a changeup, and pass that along to whoever was at bat by banging on a trash can.

The Astros went 8-1 at home that postseason.

While he may not have been the one actually beating on the trash can, as Astros bench coach there’s a pretty good chance he was involved in the scheme.

Cora is innocent until proven guilty in the Astros case. And let’s hope that similar allegations don’t surface from his time in Boston. Remember John Farrell and members of the Sox were caught relaying signs from the replay room to a trainer in the dugout in 2017 using Apple Watches. MLB fined the Sox. No big deal. But Manfred warned of more serious sanctions, including the loss of draft picks, for future violations.

It seems the Astros might be in some big trouble. Hinch might be suspended. He and the Astros will be fined and lose draft picks. Good.

What will happen to Alex Cora? It seems a fine is in order if proven guilty. He is one of the lowest paid managers in the game at $800,000 per year. A heavy fine could hurt. As it should.

Of course baseball is all about suspensions as punishment. Will the Sox be without their manager to start the season. That would be surprising. But not as surprising as a scheme that involves beating on trash cans near the dugout to cheat.

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Jeff Solari

About Jeff Solari

Jeff Solari is the president and founder of the Sports Chowdah, Maine’s only free, weekly sports e mail newsletter. Recently, the Mount Desert Island native was the co-host of "The Drive" on 92.9 FM in Bangor.