OK, I'm not going to go to the mat to argue that Francona's lineup is average. Upon
further review, it's clearly not. I'll just stand on the assertion that we have ample evidence to conclude that Tito personally is spectacular in:
1. In-game tactical management (lineup, starter hook, bullpen management, PHing, calling plays)
2. Season-long roster strategy (resting stars, giving the kids playtime, DL decisions)
3. Maintaining morale, focus, and managing personalities
4. Adjusting his approach in the playoffs
Collectively, that's made him our favorite Sox manager since at least Dick Williams, and I think any assertion that his "act got stale" places too much blame at his feet, relative to his bosses' feet.
But pivoting back to Cora, we've only really seen a very happy roster (#3), some good strategic decisions and no apparent blunders (#2), and at least a B+/A- effort on in-game tactics (#1) and arguably better than that. We of course have no data on #4.
Does anyone want to argue that he's among the best in the business, 2/3s through his first season, at 1 or 2? I dunno what his Headscratchers-Per-Game rate stats are, we haven't really kept close track this year, my impression is that they're low but not lowest-in-the-league.