Player Evaluation: Alex Cora

As part of our report card feature for Diehard Magazine, we asked Red Sox players to evaluate their 2006 performance. Some declined to participate and found it difficult to analyze themselves, but many took part in the survey. Over the next two weeks, we’ll be running the exclusive and complete self-evaluations of the participants along with the Diehard report card. Today: Alex Cora.

UTILITY INFIELDER
Alex Cora (.238, 1 HR, 18 RBI, .312 OBP, 6 SB)

Defensively, Cora is as good a backup middle infielder as anyone in the big leagues, but the impending free agent hurt his stock with a miserable second half at the plate. Cora hit .293 with a .397 on-base percentage in 99 at-bats prior to the All-Star Break but just .193 with a .238 on-base percentage in 135 at-bats the rest of the way.

Cora, who turned 31 in October, is still viewed as a valuable asset by the Sox, but he’s young enough to find work as a full-timer—particularly in the NL, where his minimal power would make him a fine no. 8 hitter.

2006 GRADE: C.


PLAYER EVALUATION: “‘A’ in the first half and an ‘F’ in the second one. I was consistent in the first one and inconsistent in the second one. Just…average all season. .250 for a utility guy anywhere else is pretty good, but I think the way I was playing, [he] can’t have a letdown like that.”


Diehard managing editor Jerry Beach can be reached at [e-mail]. To receive a free issue of Diehard, call 888-979-0979.