A Brave(s) Celebration - Part 1 of 2

Well, my Atlanta Braves had a nice ceremony before a packed house at Turner Field before the game Saturday versus the Philadelphia Phillies. The attendance was the most for a baseball game in either Atlanta Foulton County Stadium or Turner Field of all time. I was nice to see a packed house in Atlanta, It has been a long time. The occasion was to celebrate the career and contributions of their manager Bobby Cox. Cox will be retiring at the end of the season, which was prolonged by some gut wrenching baseball, but I will get to that.

Cox is the only manager that I gave really ever known since I began following the Braves in the Early 90’s. Until that point I was Blue Jays thru and thru but there was something about the Braves when I was first exposed to them in 1991 when they went to the World Series versus the Twins.
Bobby was hired as manager first in 1978 but was fired in 1981 and replaced by Joe Torre who led the team to their first divisional title since 1969. Cox landed with the Blue Jays in 82 and managed until 1985. At that time Cox went back to Atlanta as the General Manager. Bobby began to build his team over the next few years and in 1990 decided to replace Russ Nixon with himself, where the team ended with the worst record in baseball, at 65–97. Apparently Bobby knew what type of team he was building and figured he was the best person to lead them. Apparently he was right because for 14 straight years (OK a strike may have gotten in the way and maybe the Expos would have won the World Series but unfortunately we will never know) the Braves won their division and won one World Series. I don’t know what it was that attracted me to the team but I am glad that I attached my fan cart to that teams horse.

The Braves, in celebrating Cox presented him with a very nice portrait of him up on the top step of the dugout, a bench that was made of baseball bats and balls (autographed by the team) and a nice new car. Apparently he has enough pickup trucks that they thought he should also have a car. My favorite player, one Mr. Chipper Jones, who does not do a lot of talking, presented a nice speech to commemorate Bobby and his time with the Braves and all his years in Baseball.
This is the conclusion to part 1 of the end of the Braves 2010 Regular Season. Part 2 will be the gut wrenching way the Braves extended their season and managed to obtain the Wild Card birth on the last day of the season. Stay tuned for that soon.

Braves At A Glance

2010 marks the end of an era for the Atlanta Braves. After nearly 2 decades this will be the last Spring Training that will be run by manager Bobby Cox. Cox is set to finish out the year and then retire as manager of the Braves. He leaves a legacy of excellence that will be difficult for the next person in line for sure. Tough to follow in a legends footsteps. The Brave are not regarded to win the East this year (which would have been a fitting send off for the man who guided the Braves to 14 straight division titles). The Phillies have the team to beat in the East but the Braves may just be dark horse for maybe a Wild Card. If the Phillies sputter maybe they can make a run. The Braves still have a decent rotation even after trading Javier Vasquez provided everyone stays healthy. The Braves are looking to throw out; J. Jurrjens, D. Lowe, T. Hanson, T. Hudson and K. Kawakami. Not a bad top 5, again only if they manage to hold up health wise.

For the first time in a while the lineup actually looks like it may be able to help out the pitchers with some run support every now and again. The addition of Milkey Cabrera and Troy Glaus are question marks but could provide to be nice surprises should they pan out. It will be interesting to see how long it will take for rookie sensation Jason Heyward to take over right field from Matt Diaz and he moves over to split time with Milkey in left. Heywood has been the talk of Spring Training throughout the league and in the media. I gotta say it is nice to have the number one prospect in baseball coming through the Braves system. Heyward was named the Minor League Player of the Year both by Baseball America and USA Today. This is a guy who seemingly has all the tools, offence - defence - and a head on his shoulders. This spring Heyward hit two notable batting practice home runs that garnered much attention. One hit and damaged a Coca-Cola truck in the parking lot, and another broke the sunroof of Atlanta Braves’ assistant GM Bruce Manno’s car in the same lot. People are having to move their cars from lots just to be safe. That is the kind of power that has been missing for years with the Braves. Between he and Glaus could help solve that.

Up the middle they look to have good defence with solid bats between Escobar, Prado, and Infante. If Brian McCann keeps up to his all star play they should be good behind the plate and if the table-setter Chipper can bounce back from a tough year last season he could once again be the straw that stirs the drink. The Future Hall of Fame member, Jones has said that if he can’t play at the level he is comfortable with he will retire. So selfishly I want my favorite player to keep playing so I can continue to watch him, and if he stays then he is producing and that can only help the team score some runs.

There would be nao better retirement gift for Bobby Cox then another trip to the playoffs. Well Maybe a World Series but even rose coloured glasses can’t make me see that.

Braves Skipper Set To Retire In 2010

For the second time in about as many weeks there has been news out of Atlanta that another prominent member to the Atlanta Braves family is having thoughts of retirement. This time it is a definite farewell tour for one of the games best, most successful and long lasting managers in baseball.

Bobby Cox, 68, announced that he had signed a 1 year contract extension that will take him through next season at which point he will step down and take on a 5 year position of consultant to the team. What that means isn’t clear other then he will still be part of the organization. After 50 years in baseball and still a passion for the game and what he does. He has said that the only way he would be able to leave and stick with it was to announce it publicly - to give himself a deadline of sorts. "I’ll believe it when I see it," Braves slugger Chipper Jones said. Cox is the only manager that he has known as a pro, and both were at the heart of the Braves historic run during the 90’s and early 2000’s.

A cigar-smoking baseball lifer, Bobby managed the Braves from 1978-81. At that time he left to head up north to manage the Toronto Blue Jays from 1982-85, the first time that expansion team began to become a serious contending team. In 1986 he returned to become GM of the Braves, when in June 1990 He fired the coach and appointed himself. He led the Braves to five NL pennants and a record 14 straight division titles from 1991-2005. He is a true great without a doubt Hall of Fame caliber. One of his greatest records is being the all-time record holder for ejections with 159.

It is great that Bobby will be going out on his own terms and not be the guy who hangs in too long and is just there because he is who he is and can not be moved out. It also gives the Braves a full season to find a suitable replacement.

It will be hard to see the Braves without Bobby in the dugout and even more so if Chipper isn’t there either. I knew this day may come eventually but it will still be strange.

A belated congratulation is extended to Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox. Bobby recently won his 2000th game as a manager of the Braves over 2 stints in Atlanta. He also has over 350 wins from with his time leading the Blue Jays in the mid 80’s. Cox managed the Braves through their historic run of 14 consecutive division titles and guided then to a World Series Title. Bobby is clearly a players coach, hence him being able to have such longevity with one team. If nothing else he will stand up for his team and its players as he holds the all-time record for ejections in Major League Baseball with 145.

Cox currently ranks 4th on the Baseball All-time Managerial Wins list behind only Connie Mack 3,731, John McGraw 2,763 and Tony La Russa 2,500 and just above Joe Torre. Bobby has been named Manager of the Year four times (1985, 1991, 2004, and 2005) and is one of only four managers to have won the award in both the American and National League.