Notes: Cora a candidate for manager

09/22/2006
CHICAGO -- An article in Friday's edition of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel quoted an unnamed source as stating that manager Joe Girardi's chances of returning to the Marlins as manager in 2007 were "zero" on a scale of 1 to 10.
That particular piece of news didn't really create a buzz around the White Sox clubhouse prior to Friday's contest with Seattle. But the inclusion of third-base coach Joey Cora in the article's list of possible managerial replacements drew some interest from at least the Chicago media.
Both Cora and manager Ozzie Guillen talked about Cora's desire to someday become a manager. They certainly would not or could not talk about this particular Florida rumor, with Girardi currently holding the position and the Marlins still alive for the National League Wild Card.
"That's why I don't think it's my place to comment about anyone else's job," Cora said. "That's just a report that just came out. It's flattering, whether it's true or not.
"But that's none of my business. Girardi is there, and he's done a great job. Nobody has contacted me for nowhere, let's put it that way."
Cora is a valued coach as part of the Guillen managerial regime, a staff Guillen announced earlier this season would be brought back in almost full force for 2007 and beyond. Bench coach Tim Raines remains the only member of his brain trust not certain for return.
Managing would be the next natural step for Cora, who previously called the shots for Kingsport in the Advanced Rookie Appalachian League during the 2001 and 2002 seasons, and for Savannah of the South Atlantic League in 2003. He had a 112-159 record during that time.
Being ready to manage at the Major League level, though, is only a question Cora believes he will be able to answer when given the actual opportunity.
"Do I want to manage some day? Sure, that's a goal, definitely," Cora said. "That's the next step, obviously, from coaching at the big-league level as a third base coach and learning from Ozzie all this stuff.
"Obviously, that will be a nice step to take. How far in the future? Who knows? We'll see what happens. But at this moment, it is all about the White Sox and the rest of the season."
More on Cora: In a style only Guillen could pull off, the White Sox manager sarcastically scoffed when asked if Cora would be missed if he moved to the next level of his coaching career.
"Joey? Joey don't score any runs, he don't pitch," Guillen said with a smile. "He helps me. He's my best friend and right-hand man, but Joey don't win or lose games. He's another coach like anybody else."
Even with the kidding about Cora's contributions, Guillen wholeheartedly backed Cora as a managerial candidate.
"If you're asking me is Joey ready to manage in the big leagues, I think so," Guillen said. "Like everything else, you have to learn a lot of stuff, like I did. You have to find the right coaches and the right people to work around you.
"Of course he's ready. He knows more about baseball than a lot of people I know and he will be a better manager than a lot of other managers in this game right now. I love people around me to love the game the way he does. I would feel so proud."
Guillen joked that he might coach for Cora some day, but not in the near future.
Quick change: Mired in a 0-for-25 slump and battling nagging injuries brought on by a long season, third baseman Joe Crede was given Friday night off. He was replaced by Josh Fields, who had some exciting news to break to his family.
"My family flew in today and I still haven't told them," said Fields, a few hours prior to first pitch, of his family making the trip from Oklahoma.
Fields homered in his first Major League at-bat, one of three players in franchise history to accomplish such a feat. He flew out to the wall in right in his second career at-bat. Surprisingly, Fields seemed just as pleased with the second trip to the plate as he did with the momentous first swings.
"I was excited the other night to be relaxed enough to put a good swing on the ball and line out to right," Fields said. "Normally, if I hit a home run, I'm trying to jack another one the next at-bat. Thank goodness I relaxed and hit a line drive.
"We are getting our second wind, getting called up. That adds excitement. If you are tired and get up here and you are still tired, then you have a problem. You make the transition from Triple-A, and come up here and see how this is, that's enough incentive to tell you that you never want to go back. You better find some energy."
Never surrender: When Guillen was asked during his pregame chat with the media on Friday if he felt better than Thursday's postgame conference, he said the answer wouldn't be known until a few hours later. Guillen's strong criticism for his team last night was aimed at keeping its focus and not letting it give up, despite the steep odds to reach the playoffs.
He reiterated that feeling, in slightly less harsher words, on Friday.
"It was time for me to say about how I felt," said Guillen of calling his team's effort pathetic and embarrassing on Thursday. "I didn't like it, if they care, they should feel the same way I feel. If they really care.
"That's why I said they should look themselves in the mirror and say 'I care about this.' I'm proud to wear this uniform. We all should be. I don't want my players to go out and be embarrassed on national TV with the way we play.
"There are a lot of people who said, 'They play like that because they quit, because they don't have a chance anymore. The chances are real slim. Look at what they're doing,'" Guillen added. "I hate that."
Third to first: Bobby Jenks was named as one of the 10 finalists for the DHL Delivery Man of the Year award. Fans can vote from Sept. 25 to Oct. 9 at MLB.com to select the winner. Other nominees are Trevor Hoffman (Padres), Joe Nathan (Twins), Jonathan Papelbon (Red Sox), J.J Putz (Mariners), Mariano Rivera (Yankees), Francisco Rodriguez (Angels), B.J. Ryan (Blue Jays), Billy Wagner (Mets) and Joel Zumaya (Tigers) ... Pablo Ozuna felt fine and ready to play after being struck in the head by a Jake Woods pitch in the third inning on Thursday. Ozuna left the game in the fourth ... Tyrus Thomas, one of the Chicago Bulls' 2006 first-round draft picks, was in attendance Friday.
Up next: Barring a miraculous White Sox comeback, Mark Buehrle (12-13, 4.79 ERA) makes his second-to-last start of the season on Saturday against Seattle's Felix Hernandez (11-14 ERA). Buehrle is 3-9 with a 6.78 ERA over his last 15 starts and is 6-4 with a 3.16 ERA lifetime against the Mariners.

Source: http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/