Scouting Report
December 28, 2004 - Ray Mileur
Alex Cora
Alex Cora #13 | Second Base | Free Agent
Height: 6-0 Weight: 180 Bats: L Throws: R
Born: October 18, 1975 - Caguas, Puerto Rico College: Miami (FL)
Draft: 1996 - 3rd round by the Los Angeles Dodgers
Second baseman, Alex Cora became a Free Agent when he wasn't offered a
contract by Los Angeles Dodgers by the deadline on December 20. Cora who
batted 264 with a respectable .364 OBP for Los Angeles in 2004, was made
expendable by the signing of free agent Jeff Kent on December the 9th.
Cora has been mentioned as a potential replacement for Tony Womack who became a free agent this winter and signed a contract with the New York Yankees.
In this week's Birdhouse Readers Poll, when asked who they would like to play second base for the Cardinals in 2005? It was Cora who took a commanding lead during the first day of voting in a 7 man poll with 40% of the votes. His 40% is 17 points ahead of runner up Mark Grudzielanek and is more than twice the votes that were cast for former Cardinal, Miguel Cairo.
Cora a very popular player in LA should fit in St. Louis and quickly become a fan favorite.
OFFENSE
If you miss Whitey ball you just might be in luck. With the signing of David Eckstein to play shortstop and if the Cardinals make a deal for Cora you will have two guys up the middle who have to play small ball to be successful with the bat.
The left handed Cora is a slap hitter who will find holes in the defense and put the ball there. He
basically will hit the ball where it is pitched and will defend the plate as well as anyone. He doesn't
walk a lot and he doesn't strike out a lot. Like Eckstein he'll make contact with the ball and fight off a
lot of pitches which is a good thing. He does have the ability on rare occasions to take an inside
pitch and hit it over the right field fence, but don't hold your breath waiting for it. His power numbers
did improve last season, hitting 10 home runs after hitting just 13 home runs the previous three seasons.
People tend to forget that a player's speed is a part of his offense. Cora has just slightly better than
average speed, but that didn't show up in the stolen base department last season. He stole only three
bases but was caught four times. .264 10 47
Last season Cora hit .264 with 10 HRs & 47 RBI. It should be noted that his On Base Percentage last season was .364 as compared to Eckstein's OBP of .339.
My point here is there may be some competition for the leadoff position if the Cardinals sign Cora. Eckstein could find himself batting 7th or 8th or Cora would probably be in the 8th hole
Runners in scoring position (RISP) check this out, last season with runners in scoring position Cora hit .294 and had an OBP of .494 (THIS IS NOT A TYPO) .494. But wait there is much more, with runners in scoring position with two outs, Cora hit .351 and had an OBP of .538.
A light hitter in a group of light hitters you would have to say Cora is a legit clutch hitter, in a small way. :)
If Cora was to come to St. Louis he would need to find a way to hit better in Busch Stadium. Last season at Busch Stadium in three games and 12 at bats he hit just .167. He is a career .245 hitter a Busch in 17 games and 53 at bats and he has never hit a home run at Busch.
DEFENSE
Of course with a line up with Edmonds, Pujols, Rolen & Walker you don't really have to depend on a lot of offense from second base, but what you do need is solid defense up the middle.
Cora brings a decent glove to the ballpark. He is a former shortstop who was converted by the Dodgers to second base at the beginning of the 2002 season. He has wonderful hands and can turn the double play with the best of them. He has above average range and a very good arm and could play shortstop if he had to in an emergency.
As to Cora's range you can expect him basically to cover the same ground as Tony Womack but make about half the errors over a season, while making a few more double plays.
SUMMARY
Cora is at the peak stage of his career. His 2003 season was his best season in his career and I don't see him dropping off significantly in any offensive or defensive category. He made $1.3 million dollars last season with the Dodgers and will be looking for more than that to come to St. Louis. He will be looking for a three year deal as well. If Cora can keep his OBP up there in the .360's and play solid defense he could fit well into the Cardinals lineup for the next two to three seasons.
MLB.COM BIO
Jose Alexander (Alex) Cora...he and his wife, Nildamarie, have two children: stepson, Jeriel and daughter, Camila...attended Bautista High School in Caguas, Puerto Rico...is the younger brother of Joey Cora, an infielder who spent 11 seasons in the Major Leagues and is currently the third base coach for the Chicago White Sox...rated by Baseball America as the best college defensive player heading into the 1996 draft...very active in the community in both Los Angeles and his native Puerto Rico...hosted the Dodger Jam on May 20, 2003 at El Sereno Middle School in Los Angeles...participated in a shopping spree at the Albertson's in Burbank to help benefit Hunger Awareness Day on June 6, 2003...participated in a clinic for the Manny Mota International Foundation at Camp Pendleton on June 30, 2003...regularly participates in baseball clinics throughout L.A...took part in groundbreaking ceremonies for a new baseball field in his hometown of Caguas, PR, which was built with funds from MLB's Baseball Tomorrow Fund during the offseason...signed by Camilo Pascual.
2004 Career Highlights
Set career highs in homers (10), RBIs (47), runs scored (47) and fielding percentage (.987), which ranked fifth among National League second basemen...was hit by a pitch 18 times, setting the Los Angeles Dodgers record and ranking fourth in the National League...that total ranks third in franchise history behind Hughie Jennings (20 in 1900) and Dan McGann (19 in 1899)...batted .282 (55-for-195) at Dodger Stadium...hit .294 (25-for-85) with runners in scoring position and .351 (13-for-37) with runners in scoring position and two out...tied for eighth in the National League with 12 sacrifice bunts...had an 18-pitch at-bat on May 12 vs. Chicago's Matt Clement which lasted 13:56 and ended with a two-run home run...the first pitch he took was a ball, then he took a strike, took another ball and fouled off 14 consecutive pitches before hitting the home run...it was the longest at-bat to end in a home run since at least 1987, when STATS, Inc. began tracking pitches...it also was the most consecutive pitches fouled off in any at-bat since 1987...the Dodgers posted a 74-48 record when he started at second base...had four squeeze bunts on the season...entered Spring Training needing to recover from a broken right forearm suffered in a Puerto Rican Winter League game while sliding into second base.
