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Why Team Chemistry is Important

Last years Red Sox team, which while on the field produced 93 wins and a second consecutive AL East Division crown, it was mired by issues that began in April and continued throughout the entire season, making last years team both unlikeable, as well as unenjoyable to watch as a fan.

When the Red Sox were winning their World Series titles in 04, 07, and most recently in 2013, they had one main ingredient that forged throughout the entire clubhouse and showed on the field.  That was TEAM CHEMISTRY"  Under former Manager, Terry Francona he was able to bring together a group of veteran players, as well as rookies alike and had them focus on one goal, which was coming together as a team whose purpose was to WIN the World Series. Francona was able to do that twice first in 2004. That year's team featured a unique bunch of players known as the "Idiots" which had Manny, Ortiz, Pedro, Johnny Damon, Kevin Millar, as well as stalwart veterans like Jason Varitek, Trot Nixon, Bill Mueller, Curt Schilling ,who if they didn't believe in one another as well as fight for one another, would NEVER have been able to come back from a 3-0 in ALCS against the Yankees, only to beat them and go on to beat the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series.
Then in 2007, Francona had a totally different blend of rookies who included Daisuke Matsuzaka, Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jonathan Papelbon, who along with Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell, Kevin Youkilis joined forces with the veterans like Alex Cora, JD Drew, to win another World Series title.
Yet after the collapse of the 2011 team which led to the dismissal of Terry Francona as manager and the one-year disaster that was Bobby Valentine, John Farrell the team's former pitching coach under Francona who had been managing in Toronto for two seasons was brought back to manage the 2013 team.
2013 was a unique and special year in many ways. From how the team came together following the Bombings on Marathon Monday, to how it was able to use their mainly veteran-led roster to another World Series title.  Like the two teams prior, that team once again was able to pull together and push forward towards their collective team goals, which they were able to achieve with their third World Series title in as many years.
Yet, while Farrell navigated through two losing seasons in 2014-15, he was able to turn the ship around the past two seasons and led the team to the playoffs both times, only to be eliminated in the first round, first by Cleveland in 2016, and then last year by the Astros in four games.  Yet, last years team was mired in issues stemming from an early April game against the Orioles, which led to bad-blood throughout the entire season between the two teams, to multiple off-the-field issues between pitcher, David Price and the Media which included incidents in June with NBC Boston's Evan Drillech as well as a subsequent issue a while later with NESN broadcaster  and MLB Hall of Famer, Dennis Eckersley.
Speaking recently at Spring Training, both Xander Bogarets, as well as Mookie Betts, had some interesting comments regarding the perceived tension among the Red Sox last season.
Xander:  “2013 was special. “All these other years, we had a better team paper-wise, but in 2013 we were so close to each other and had such a bond.
Mookie:   “We could have had more fun through the rough times. Those are the times we could have had a little more fun instead of being down so much.
“When there’s tension in the locker room, we have to find a way to smile about it and refocus on the game instead of what’s going on.’’
“There’s a lot I can do better. “I love it here. I love the guys here.
These are interesting comments indeed since Farrell was fired soon after the Red Sox playoff exit to the Astros.  Now his exit was seemed inevitable after his inability to communicate effectively with his team as well as dealing with the multiple off-the-field issues, he wasn't seen as the right person to continue to lead the team.  What's ironic is that the man replacing Farrell is none other than former Red Sox utility infielder and the bench coach of the team that eliminated the Red Sox last year Astros bench coach, Alex Cora.
Cora was brought in in part due to his strong communication skills, as well as his ability to relate to the younger players to which the Red Sox have in Mookie, Andrew Benintendi, and Rafael Devers who last year struggled under Farrell and his inability to relate to those  players as well as the other issues that the team went through last year.
Cora is facing an uphill challenge replacing a manager who led the team to 93 win seasons and back to back AL East Division crowns,  yet Cora's ability to effectively communicate with his roster as well as use his coaches to deliver his messages and philosophies should alleviate any of the issues that plagued this team a year ago.  This in itself should lead to a much more enjoyable team, with another year of great Red Sox baseball.
Quotes in this article were taken from, Dan Shaughnessy's column on BostonGlobe.com
Mookie and Xander speak on 2017 and look toward future

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