Alex Cora unveils his unfiltered thoughts on Astros' 2017 World Series victory in a new book "Winning Fixes Everything"
Alex Cora allegedly bragged about rigging the 2017 World Series multiple times, according to a new book "Winning Fixes Everything"
Cora is currently the manager of the Boston Red Sox, having joined the team in 2018. Before this stint, he was a part of the infamous 2017 World Series-winning Houston Astros' coaching setup.
According to Evan Drellich's new book, Cora has been loose-lipped about the sign-stealing scandal many times since joining the Red Sox, especially after having one too many drinks.
A few excerpts from the book, as shared by the Boston Herald go as follows:
“We stole that (expletive) World Series,” Cora allegedly said.
“We knew the Astros did [steal signs],” another member of the Red Sox told Drellich, “because Alex Cora told us. He said that when they played the Dodgers, ‘We already knew what everybody was throwing before we even got on base. We didn’t have to get on base.’ And everybody was like, ‘What the hell does that mean?’ ”
The book, apart from the Houston Astros, also sheds light on how other teams, such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox, do not hesitate in blurring the lines for an edge over their competitors. The book will be released on Feb. 14, and will be published by Harper Collins.
Alex Cora's role in Houston Astros Sign Stealing Scandal
After a long period of speculation, The Athletic reporters Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich (the author of the book), published an article detailing the sign-stealing scandal.
Astros players would hit the trashcan to indicate the type of throw that was coming the batter's way, while a center field camera helped them watch the catcher's signs to the pitcher.
Following an investigation by the MLB, it was revealed that Alex Cora played a major part in coming up with the scheme and was speculated to be the only non-playing member involved in the plan.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in the report:
"Early in the season, Alex Cora, the Astros’ Bench Coach, began to call the replay review room on the replay phone to obtain the sign information. On at least some occasions, the employees in the replay review room communicated the sign sequence information by text message, which was received on the smartwatch of a staff member on the bench, or in other cases on a cell phone stored nearby.
"Cora was involved in developing both the banging scheme and utilizing the replay review room to decode and transmit signs. Cora participated in both schemes, and through his active participation, implicitly condoned the players’ conduct."
Alex Cora was suspended by the MLB in 2020 for his involvement in the scandal.