During the 2018 season, manager Alex Cora pushed all the right buttons including some electronic ones that may have contributed to a regular-season record 108 team wins. Game and roster management was exceptional, especially when Dave Dombrowski didn’t fortify a tattered bullpen with additional reinforcements. Players were kept fresh, involved, with no internal clubhouse issues surfacing.
If 2018 was a template for managerial perfection, the 2019 season did the opposite starting in spring training. Cora took a different path, especially with the delicate psyche and arms of his staff. Preparation became more of an extended vacation than gearing up for a title defense.