Red Sox pitchers and catchers are reporting to spring training this week and Alex Cora sat with the media Tuesday in Fort Meyers. Cora did his best to temper expectations but still faced ruthless questions from the press.

Jonny Miller, longtime WBZ Newsradio reporter, typically asks the first question in every Red Sox press conference. Miller’s first question Tuesday was as blunt as it gets.

On Wednesday’s Toucher & Rich radio program, the guys react . . .

• 

  Apr 11, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) signals from the dugout during the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

• Rich: Chaim Bloom sat down smiling and, he goes, ‘Alright, let’s start with the questions.’ The very first question that Jonny Miller asked was whether or not Cora thinks his job is on the line.  

  Wallach: There was no warmup question. It was like, alright, time to slap you right in the face! 

  Rich: Amazingly, that clip is NOT on the Red Sox website. I’m not kidding. It starts after that question was asked.
  

  At least they’re doing something to protect Chaim Bloom, unlike they did on the NESN broadcast of the Winter Weekend town hall. 

  That’s just Jonny Miller’s game. If you remember, two years ago, Chaim Bloom had his first press conference to begin the season. Here is Jonny Miller, once again, with the first question . . .

• Jonny Miller at his 52nd spring training. pic.twitter.com/vGUD89aM1Q

  — Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) February 14, 2023

• Jonny Miller: “I haven’t seen the fans or the media this pessimistic about the Red Sox since 1954. Your thoughts?”

• 

  BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 15: Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom addresses the departure of Alex Cora as manager of the Boston Red Sox during a press conference at Fenway Park on January 15, 2020 in Boston, Massachusetts. A MLB investigation concluded that Cora was involved in the Houston Astros sign stealing operation in 2017 while he was the bench coach. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

• Rich: I mean, Jonny Miller is the best. 

  Wallach: There aren’t many people that can get away with that. 

  Rich: Why can’t we send him to Foxboro? Jonny Miller versus Bill Belichick. That would be fun! 

  Wallach: They’ll be a day game after a night game and Jonny had a good parking spot right outside the stadium in the media lot.
  

  Instead of going home he would sleep in his car, be up at nine the next morning and walk right back into the ballpark. 

  Fred: Yeah, I believe he’s beholden to nobody. 

  Wallach: No, no, it’s true. He does it for us. 

  Fred: I mean, he gets compensated for his work, but he’s in no danger of losing his job. 

  Rich: Jonny Miller also got to the first question to Alex Cora recently, and here’s how things went . . .

• Jonny Miller opens question to Chaim Bloom by asking if he sees his job being on the line this year. Bloom: “Not something productive to think about, not something I control.”

  — Alex Speier (@alexspeier) February 14, 2023

• Jonny Miller: “Have you talked to anybody about the remarks you made to Evan [Drellich]?”

  Alex Cora: “About the remarks that I made to Evan? Yeah, I haven’t talked to Evan in three years.”

  Jonny Miller: “Have you talked about it with anyone in the front office?” 

  Alex Cora: “I talked to them when I interviewed here the last time. But going back to the subject, I haven’t talked to Evan in a while.” 

• 

  BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – AUGUST 23: Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora looks on during the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park on August 23, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

• Rich: He’s talking about Evan Drellich, who’s just now releasing the book on Alex Cora and the Cheating Scandal. The very first question to Alex Cora at the beginning of the year is, ‘Hey, let’s talk about that awful scandal you were involved in three years ago.’
  

  Then someone else follows up with this… 

• Death. Taxes. Jonny Miller. pic.twitter.com/M4s4ipNo77

  — Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) February 14, 2023

• Reporter: “Asking about the book. Do you have anything you want to say to set the record straight?” 

  Alex Cora: “As I said before, man, I’ve been talking about this book, this whole situation for three years. I’ve been very open about it.
  

  “My focus is on next year. Obviously, the timing of this is kind of awkward, right? But it is what it is. 

  “As I mentioned a few years ago, there’s going to be books and stories, maybe Netflix in a few years. Right?

  “My focus is on the Red Sox, my family and to keep moving forward.” 

• 

  Alex Cora (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)

• Rich: If you sit down and see Jonny Miller there, you know that it’s routine that he’s the first guy that asks a question. And that first question is always just a mallet to the stomach. 

  Wallach: And because he’s beholden to nobody, everyone sits there and accepts it. Right?
  

  It’s one of those things where you don’t get this in Foxboro. You don’t get this with the Celtics or Bruins. You get this with Jonny Miller and the Red Sox. 

• Full Segment

• Ryan Beaton is a producer for 985thesportshub.com. You can follow Ryan at @ry_beaton on Twitter.

  Follow @Toucherandrich on Twitter, @Toucherandrichofficial and @fredtoucher on Instagram to keep up with the show!

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