Bobby Cox to retire as Atlanta Braves manager after next season

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Bobby Cox to retire as Atlanta Braves manager after next season



Wed Sep 23, 5:06 PM

By The Associated Press


NEW YORK - Bobby Cox will retire as manager of the Atlanta Braves after the 2010 season, ending a career in which he guided the team to 14 consecutive post-season appearances and the 1995 World Series title.

The 68-year-old, a four-time manager of the year, agreed to a one-year contract extension for 2010, the Braves announced before Wednesday night's game against the New York Mets. He will start a five-year consulting agreement to advise the team in baseball operations after he steps down as manager.

"While I have decided that 2010 will be my last season in the dugout, I want to make it clear that we will all be working as hard as ever to win another world championship," Cox said in a statement.

A cigar-smoking baseball lifer, Cox managed the Braves from 1978-81, switched to manage the Toronto Blue Jays from 1982-85, then returned to manage Atlanta in 1990.

He began Wednesday with 2,408 regular-season wins as a manager, fourth behind Connie Mack (3,731), John McGraw (2,763) and Tony La Russa (2,550). Cox and Joe McCarthy are the only managers with six 100-win regular seasons.

"Bobby and I have been talking about this for some time," Braves general manager Frank Wren said in a statement. "We are very excited that Bobby, who is one of the best and most respected managers in the history of baseball, will again be managing our club in 2010.