BOSTON -- Red Sox manager Alex Cora spent part of his off-day on Wednesday shopping at a local Target for some household items as he gets settled into his new Boston digs. Somehow, none of the shoppers knew who he was.
On Thursday, Cora was back at Fenway Park, where his every move will be discussed by a rabid fanbase for the next several months.
As Cora has said all along, he doesn't mind the scrutiny that comes with being manager of the Red Sox. It is a job he feels fortunate to have.
And at least for one day -- Thursday's home opener against the Rays -- Cora was willing to soak it in a bit.
"On a personal note, having my family here and being introduced as Red Sox manager here in Fenway is very special," said Cora, who played in Boston from 2005-08. "And I know I'm going to have good days, bad days, horrible days. I know that, but I'll keep it simple.
"We have a good team, we have a great organization. Playing in this place, this is my office, Fenway Park. Not everybody can say that. The other 29 managers can't say that -- I can. It's a special place and I'm having fun with it, but at the same time, I'm not getting caught up in it.
"It's not that I'm hiding my emotions. It's just that this is how I feel. This is what I was shooting for a while ago and I'm a big league manager, and I feel comfortable doing my job and where I'm at."
The most special part of Thursday for Cora is that his mother, Iris, was at the ballpark. Iris does not like to fly, but she chose braving the early-season cold of Boston rather than taking in the season opener at Tropicana Field last week.
Cora's two sisters also made the trip, and so did his twin babies. But his older daughter Camila had to go to school.
Perhaps Camila's school will be a little more lenient for this one day with electronics during class.
"She asked for my MLB.com At Bat account," Cora said. "She'll be watching while she's in school."