BALTIMORE — As Red Sox players arrived at Camden Yards for the first game of the post-Alex Cora era Sunday , they remained shellshocked by Saturday afternoon’s series of firings, which included Cora and a handful of coaches. It was clear, too, that alongside the surprise, there was anger.
Two veterans — Trevor Story and Garrett Whitlock — addressed reporters in the visitors clubhouse and made it clear that they were not happy with the events of Saturday. Story, in particular, expressed dissatisfaction with both the firings and the explanations given by chief baseball officer Craig Breslow in a brief team meeting before Sunday’s game against the Orioles.
Story, who isn’t in Sunday’s lineup, is intent on getting a further explanation in the coming hours. When? “Today,” Story repeated — four times. With whom? “Breslow,” he said stoically.
“They spoke,” Story said. “There just have to be more conversations had. I wouldn’t say it was satisfactory.
“We’ll have our talk. We haven’t had it yet.”
Because principal owner John Henry, team president/CEO Sam Kennedy and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow fired Cora and his coaches at the team hotel after Saturday’s win, the Red Sox didn’t have a chance to get their players together until Sunday morning. Story found out about Cora’s firing when the ex-manager called him to share the news. Story then FaceTimed Whitlock with the news, beginning a game of telephone that spread through the Inner Harbor, where many players were out to dinner. Many found out through social media .
On Sunday morning, the organization had an all-hands meeting at Camden Yards. According to Whitlock, Breslow spoke for about two minutes and interim manager Chad Tracy addressed the club for “five or six” minutes. Kennedy and Henry stood off to the side and did not speak. No players asked questions, Whitlock said, and they were not given the chance to ask any.
The message, according to both players, was clear.
“Listen, they made it very clear that we get paid to play baseball and we just need to focus on playing baseball,” Whitlock said, repeating a similar refrain multiple times in a five-minute interview.
Added Story: “If this shows us anything, it’s that we’re here to play baseball. That’s it. We don’t make decisions. We don’t have any input on that. We’re here to play baseball and our job is to win games. I think that’s the message. We have to find a way to win games.”
Story, the veteran leader of the position player group, said the firing of Cora and his assistants made him question the direction of the franchise.
“Obviously, it’s kinda up in the air what the true direction is,” the shortstop said. “Those are conversations that need to be had and they’ll be had today and onward going forward, too. I came here to win and I came here to be successful... Some of the direction needs to be cleared up a little bit, in my opinion.”
Story welled up while discussing his relationship — and most recent conversations — with Cora, who managed him for his first four-plus seasons in a Red Sox uniform. Throughout the clubhouse, players — including Jarren Duran (who agitatedly dismissed reporters approaching his locker with a wave of his hand) and a downcast Carlos Narváez — were taking the news hard. Story spoke on behalf of the group.
“It’s just tough for the guys that were let go because they’re some of the best coaches in the world and they care more than anybody,” Story said. “Just felt like they didn’t get a fair shot at it.
“It’s always tough when you lose a guy like A.C. who has been here as long as I’ve been here and much longer than I have. He had our backs every single day. He was very truthful with the players and took bullets for us and did everything you can ask for and more as a manager. Just can’t express how thankful I am to have played for him.”
Story also acknowledged that the on-field play of the Red Sox, who are 10-17 coming into Sunday, “cost” Cora and the coaches their jobs.
“He’s supposed to be here for two more years and same with a lot of the other guys that went, too,” Story said. “Obviously, there’s a change of direction and a change of leadership that Breslow thought was necessary.”
In the interim, both Story and Whitlock vowed to rally around Tracy, a 40-year-old first-time major league manager who arrived in Baltimore late Saturday night ahead of his debut.
“I hate this for A.C.,” Story said. “It doesn’t seem fair. But also, excited for Tracy because he’s a special mind, too.
“It’s tough because you have to have grace with the guys coming in. We’re not holding grudges against the guys coming in. That’s not the case.”
Whitlock said he would continue to count on Cora, Jason Varitek and other former staffers on a personal level despite their dismissals.
“I can’t speak for everyone. I can only speak for myself. I’m shocked,” Whitlock said. “I was really close with all those guys... It’s one of those things where I had a deep, personal relationship with all those guys. I’ve been with them for five-plus years. It’s always tough when those things happen.
“We’re humans first. The personal relationships, the friendships, the relationships you build don’t just go away because they’re not here anymore. I think the biggest thing is that they made it very clear that our job is as baseball players, to play baseball. That’s how we have to go about it but on the human and personal side, I’m going to stay in touch with those guys.”
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