Lessons From the Red Sox's Championship Season
Yep, I root for the Red Sox. Nope, I don't think the Yankees suck. In fact, they're excellent, which is why it was so gratifying to summarily dispatch of them in the American League Championship Series. (Hah!) Teams that win usually have more than raw talent at work and the metrics on their side. They possess all the glorious intangibles that make a team a real team. Rookie manager Alex Cora was brilliant at this aspect of things. It looked to me like the main factor here was the trust he showed in his players. While the sports media would be howling for the head of a guy who's been slumping, Cora would be like, nope that's my guy. I believe in him and he's essential to the team. I think that makes the other guys relax and feel good about things, which means ultimately they will perform better. Here's the catch, and why they call a manager a manager: There are limits to this trust thing, and if you stick too long with a guy who's struggling, the other guys might begin to wonder why the manager appears to be sabotaging things. You've got to get that balance right, and if there's something Cora knows how to do, it's getting that balance right.
My other big take away for this Sunday sermonette is the example of hitter extraordinaire J. D. Martinez. The reason the Sox succeeded this year is that just about every player performed and hit better this year than last. And the beat reporters that cover the team told us that a big reason for that was that Martinez was very generous with trying to help his teammates become better hitters, especially guys who were slumping. He had no interest in protecting his position as the best hitter on the team (along with Mookie Betts). The reason for this? He himself had been judged a failure as a hitter, having been cut from the Astros' squad during spring training in 2014. Through hard work and intelligent analysis he turned his swing around and became the revered slugger he is today. I've been a failure at times in my life, and I can vouch that if you make it through and learn the right lessons, there is no greater gift. You have been freed from the drag of judging others as losers, and can experience the unparalleled satisfaction of helping others get out of a rut and move to a higher level. So, thanks Alex, and thanks J. D.
My other big take away for this Sunday sermonette is the example of hitter extraordinaire J. D. Martinez. The reason the Sox succeeded this year is that just about every player performed and hit better this year than last. And the beat reporters that cover the team told us that a big reason for that was that Martinez was very generous with trying to help his teammates become better hitters, especially guys who were slumping. He had no interest in protecting his position as the best hitter on the team (along with Mookie Betts). The reason for this? He himself had been judged a failure as a hitter, having been cut from the Astros' squad during spring training in 2014. Through hard work and intelligent analysis he turned his swing around and became the revered slugger he is today. I've been a failure at times in my life, and I can vouch that if you make it through and learn the right lessons, there is no greater gift. You have been freed from the drag of judging others as losers, and can experience the unparalleled satisfaction of helping others get out of a rut and move to a higher level. So, thanks Alex, and thanks J. D.
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