Cora on Yanks rivalry, Kiké, Clemente and more

In a recent sit-down with MLB.com at Yankee Stadium, Red Sox manager Alex Cora answered questions on subjects ranging from the 2022 Red Sox to the Astros' 2017 sign-stealing scandal.

MLB.com: I’m talking to you right before the third game of the three-game series between the Red Sox and Yankees. How do you feel about this rivalry? Is it everything you thought it would be?

Alex Cora: For me, the rivalry is fun again. When we play teams in the playoffs, [the rivalry] comes out again. The Red Sox had a rivalry with the Yankees in ‘03 and ‘04, and it didn’t happen again until ‘18. You have that Division Series and then you had the Wild Card Game [last year]. You can feel it. You start looking at the regular season and it’s almost even, but when you play meaningful games in October against a rivalry, [the intensity] happens again.

MLB.com: Everybody talks about how good the Yankees are, but the American League East is a tough division.

Cora: I said it last year. I’ll say it again. It’s one of those divisions where every game counts. It’s not a cliche; it’s real. We lived it last year, right? We clinched the last day of the season. The Yankees clinched the last day of the season. It’s four good teams and a lot of offense, too. Good pitching, too. We have to play each other 19 times.

Baltimore is ... trying to get back [in the race], but it’s still the big leagues. They have some good pitching, too. Last year we lost three in a row against them [to start the season]. We lost two out of three [against them] toward the end of the season. The division is tough, but it’s fun.

MLB.com: Every time I see you, Alex, you look like a kid in a candy store. You always have a smile on your face. Why?

Cora: I was in a bad place a few years ago [the sign-stealing scandal], with the suspension and all that. Obviously, I made a huge mistake, and I paid the price. I promised myself that I’m not going to take this game too seriously. I still have a family and I learned so much from them during the suspension and pandemic. I promised myself, no matter what happens here, I’m still going to be me. I’m still going to enjoy it. I’m still going to let my family enjoy this. If they don’t see me smile, they figure there is something wrong.

I’m just blessed. Somebody gave me the opportunity to come back to the big leagues, do the things that I love. It just so happens to be the organization that I fell in love with in 2007. I love every minute of it. There are certain cities that fit you. You know what Boston wants from its teams -- the Patriots, Revolution, Celtics, Bruins and Red Sox. It’s win or go home. You have to win, and it’s the expectation that I have. I really enjoy it. The media is not easy. Every game is Game 7 of the World Series with the coverage and all that. But I enjoy it.

MLB.com: You mentioned your family. What did you learn from them during your suspension?

Cora: How much they suffered. I put them in a bad spot, and they didn’t even know it. They didn’t know what was going on. When everything came out, I had to open up. It was tough on them. ... People screamed at me. You can scream all you want, you can be upset with me. I did it. But for my family to suffer that … I put them through a lot. You know October is family time. They enjoy it. We bring everybody. Last year I made a point to enjoy [life] and to see my family smile and enjoy what we almost accomplished last year. It was a blessing.

MLB.com: What does your family mean to you?

Cora: They mean the world. My girlfriend and the kids are my world. My mom is the one who runs the family. She is 82. She keeps getting better and better. But I do believe the person who is the foundation of the family is [my brother, Mets third-base coach] Joey [Cora]. Joey is the man. When my dad passed away when I was 13, Joey was my brother, best friend, favorite player and my dad. He has been amazing to me. To see him working now for an organization like the Mets, it means the world to me.

They have a really good chance to make the playoffs. I’m pulling for him. The other day, [Mets manager] Buck [Showalter] texted me and he said, “Thank you for your brother.” He thanked me because we talked in December. What [Joey] is doing over there is impacting people.

My two sisters, Iris and Lydia, are MVPs, too. But Joey was the one running the show.

MLB.com: You said Joey was a dad to you. What did he do to make you idolize him?

Cora: It wasn’t easy. It was follow him. He does everything right. I know we have heroes and most of them live outside your house. But my hero was right there. He was eating rice and beans just like me. He did everything. He went to college. He was a big leaguer, he was a coach. Just follow his lead and you are going to be OK, and so far I’ve been doing OK.

MLB.com: How good are the ‘22 Red Sox, and why do you think they can go all the way this year?

Cora: We have a good team, a team that is very athletic. We did some things last year people didn’t expect. We trust our process. We trust our system. We trust the people in this clubhouse. It’s still a tough division, but we do believe every day, we have to get better in a few things and let’s see where they take us. Everybody knows when I talk about the Yankees, they are really good. When I talk about the Rays, they are really good. When I talk about the Blue Jays, they are really good. Hopefully their managers feel the same way about us. We have good players, more athletic than last year.

MLB.com: No kidding.

Cora: With [infielder] Trevor [Story] in the equation … He helps. He brings a different dimension. He is a good defender. Good offensive player and good baserunner. Bobby Dalbec has one more year under his belt. I believe Rafael Devers is becoming a dude -- the way he is walking around, the way he is doing the things behind closed doors preparing for games.

MLB.com: It seems like the only weakness you have is in the bullpen.

Cora: It’s like every year. I do believe that out of the whole thing -- with the CBA and everything, the season started late, having a shorter spring -- the bullpen has suffered the most, and I think this is around the league. You weren’t able to give the relievers back-to-back [outings] or 30 innings during Spring Training. It was very condensed. The structure was still there, but they would throw one inning on the big field and one inning on the back fields. That’s not the same thing.

There is something about that big field regardless if it’s 2,000 people, 5,000 people or 50,000 people, that is different from the back fields in Spring Training. It was hard for us to do that, because you needed to stretch the starters. We only had a handful of games. It’s just a matter of getting the bullpen to settle down and going from there.

MLB.com: Kiké Hernández has been a pleasant surprise. He came to the Red Sox as a utility player. Now he is your starting center fielder.

Cora: I’ve known Kiké since he was 10. He used to go to our games. His dad used to coach me in winter ball in Puerto Rico, and then we lost contact. Then he played for me in the World Baseball Classic. We didn’t play him, actually. We played Ray Fuentes over him. [Hernández] keeps jabbing me with that.

Hernández’s personality is off the charts. People enjoy being around him. But I told him I want the people in Boston to know him as a player. He is a good baseball player, and he showed the world last year that he is a good baseball player.

MLB.com: I first met you in 2011, when you were with the Nationals, and one thing I can say is that you are a proud Puerto Rican. MLB has the Roberto Clemente patch for the people who have won the Clemente Award. How do you feel about that?

Cora: I know there is a movement to retire 21. I had conversations [with Commissioner Rob Manfred] about this. We have 42 [for Jackie Robinson], and I get it. I hope MLB retires [Clemente’s] number. I love when you go to Pittsburgh, you go to the museum [and it has a nice tribute to Clemente].

As Puerto Ricans, we don’t do enough. I keep saying in the history books, when you are teaching history, there should be a chapter on Roberto Clemente back home and we don’t have that. My stepson, Jeriel, who is older; my daughter, Camila; and we have the twins, Xander and Isander, we make sure they know Roberto Clemete was No. 21. With time, they are going to know who he is. He wasn’t only a great baseball player, he was a better person. He died doing the things he enjoyed, [like helping people].

MLB.com: How many more years do you have in this game?

Cora: That’s a good question. I love what I do. I know I’m missing stuff -- family-wise. They love what I do, too. We’ll see what happens. I have personal goals, too. I love this game. I want to be around for a lot of years, but it’s not easy. It demands a lot.

MLB.com: Terry Francona was a successful manager with the Red Sox. Do you realize you are one of the best Red Sox managers in history?

Cora: I don’t know. We’ve had good teams. With all due respect to those teams that have won it here, that 2018 team, what we did was amazing. It starts with the front office, when you have owners that are willing to put the money into the organization. And now working with Chaim Bloom, it has been a pleasure. The last few years, I have learned a lot from the front office side. [Then-Red Sox GM] Dave Dombrowski gave me a chance to become a big league manager. I learned a lot from him, also. I have had the pleasure of working with two great GMs. They are very different, but they love winning. Those guys are so good.

The coaches are amazing. I learned from Tito when it comes to the coaching staff. He called me Sizzler. He said, “Sizzler, you will manage in the big leagues. You know something you have to do when you manage? Delegate. You have to trust the people around you, because you can’t do it all.” That’s something I try to do. I know everything that is going on, but I have to trust those guys. One person cannot do it by himself.