In Cora’s Hometown, The Red Sox’s Success Shifts Focus From Hurricane
Churrasco con arroz mamposteao from The Wings Restaurant, Red Sox manager Alex Cora’s favorite dish when he comes home to Caguas. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR
When he gets a text message from Alex Cora, Joseamid Rodriguez is all goosebumps. He pulls out his phone to show a recent text exchange with the Red Sox manager, in which Rodriguez congratulates Cora for clinching a spot in the playoffs, then pulls up his arm to prove he gets goosebumps.
“He’s a person who always answers our texts, and it makes you feel so proud,” he says. “When a friend writes who now has such a high position as manager of the Red Sox — my hairs are standing right now!”
Rodriguez owns The Wings, a sports bar in Cora’s hometown of Caguas, about 20 miles south of San Juan. On the wall is a signed Cora baseball cap, alongside jerseys from current and former Puerto Rican ballplayers across the major leagues: Yadier Molina, Carlos Beltrán, Roberto Alomar.
There’s also signed jerseys from Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams. That’s because Rodriguez is a big Yankees fan.
But he says he swells with pride having Cora as a friend.