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DEL.ICIO.USCox most deserving of managerial honor
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Furman Bisher
He could manage them old. He could manage them young. And as if to prove it, check the Braves of 2005: He had a first baseman who was 47 years old and a catcher who was 21, and others of various ages in between. That’s Robert Joe Cox (his baptismal name). He came along the dusty backroads of baseball, served time in such places as Salem, Oregon; Great Falls, Montana; Panama City, Salt Lake City and Tacoma before he got his first taste of the nectar, life in the big leagues. He was the Yankees’ third baseman in 1968, but lost the job the next season. Someone once asked him about a long home run he hit in Washington, and Bobby said: “I don’t remember that, but I hit so few of them I should remember them all.”
Actually, he hit nine long ones in his two years as a Yankee. He had come up in the Dodgers system, but what most of us overlook is that he was once a Braves farmhand, traded into the farm system in 1966. He put in a season at Richmond, like many of the kids who come along on the way to Turner Field these days. There was no place for him in Atlanta. Clete Boyer, the flawless fielder, was here ahead of him. Cox’s knees began betraying him when he was 30 years old and his days as a player were done. There was something about him that caught the eye of Lee MacPhail, who ran the Yankees, and suggested that he turn to managing. Which he did, on the Yankees farm at Ft. Lauderdale, first stop on the road that led him to his fourth Manager of the Year Award this week, one at Toronto and three with the Braves. None was more righteously earned than this one, not that this should have come as a surprise. If you’ve seen the movie titled “The Misfits,” you might have applied it to the players on hand at spring training. Cox began with a patchwork outfield, Brian Jordan, a reclamation project on one side of Andruw Jones, and Raul Mondesi, out of desperation, on the other. John Schuerholz had had brilliant luck picking up Gary Sheffield, then J.D. Drew for the outfield, but it was written of Mondesi that this time Schuerholz might be pressing his luck. He was.
Jordan was injured, Mondesi flopped and there was no place to turn but the farm. None of those raid-the-bank-of-prospects to trade for some veteran running thin on the tread. They’d taken that turn earlier, sacrificing Jose Capellan, a brilliant investment, for Dan Kolb, the bearded closer, who had had one good season. Mike Hampton was an expensive casualty most of the season, John Thomson missed a couple of months, and Kevin Gryboski, Tom Martin and Gabe White were job applicants who fired and fell back. Schuerholz put in calls to Richmond and Mississippi, summoning kids still too young to be out late at night, and Cox managed on. It was a glorious season, and few of us will ever forget the excitement generated by Jeff Francoeur, Brian McCann, Kelly Johnson, Macay McBride and Wilson Betemit. I’m sorry that Joey Devine can’t be included, but it was uncanny that the last pitch of the season should have been delivered by this kid four months out of college. Well, face it, you can’t push every button, ring every bell and toot every whistle and create a symphony.
Cox fitted pieces together, gave the kids their opportunity, and they produced. It was beautiful to behold, a tribute his mastery dealing with players and maintaining order in the clubhouse. That has always been a trait of a Bobby Cox team. He respects his players to the point that no criticism of his ever surfaces. What he says to them, and of them stays there, unless the terms are glowing. None of us has any idea just how much longer Bobby Cox will manage on. All one can say is, heaven pity the fellow who follows him. Which reminds me of a story oft-repeated that developed at Cox’s firing after the 1981 season. Ted Turner was the chief then, and someone asked him, “Just what are you looking for in your next manager?”
Turner looked at Cox, who had the moxie to show up for his own firing, and said, “Somebody like Bobby Cox.” He meant it, and later hired him to be his general manager, but that was long ago.
Permalink | Comments (28) | Categories: Braves / MLB, Furman Bisher
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By Duane Hughes
November 11, 2005 09:51 PM | Link to this
best manager ever - end of story
By Carla
November 11, 2005 11:04 PM | Link to this
1/15
By Fabrizio Di Muro
November 11, 2005 11:42 PM | Link to this
Mr. Bisher,
Great article. Bobby is the best, despite the postseason failures. Players win and lose games. We’re very, very, lucky to have him, and the same fans that critize him will be the one who will complain the loudest when he’s gone.
By Larry
November 12, 2005 08:12 AM | Link to this
Put it in context.
The Atlanta Braves, depending on your calculations have been in the upper 1/3 of MLB payroll the past 5-6 years, and one of the top 3 or 4 teams the 5-6 years before this. This means they are doing what is expected in the regular season.
Every year, the game’s best GM and farm system supply Bobby Cox the talent to be competitive against only 4 other teams: the Mets, the Marlins, the Phillies, and the Expos/Nationals. With a couple of exceptions—the Marlins of 1997 and 2003—this means that essentially Bobby has had to have a better record over 162 games than 2 other bonafide organizations to qualify for the playoffs. Again, a reasonable expectation.
If we are going to praise Bobby for winning the majority of 162 games against 2-4 teams to qualify for the playoffs then we, in all fairness, should be entitled to critique his postseason performance where a manager can/ should make the difference in at least one or two games in a short series. This is where Bobby is absolutely horrendous! He can’t “manage” his team past the first round anymore and he has a 1-14 career record in the last game or series of the postseason.
Bobby is a good guy, a “player’s manager,” and comfortable to have around, but a Championship manager he isn’t. Championship managers win championships when giving this many opportunities.
1-14 is indisputable evidence of the least amount of coaching and leading when it matters the most! And please, don’t come back with the “crap shoot—luck” excuse! Once or twice, maybe, but not 14 times.
By brewdawg
November 12, 2005 08:55 AM | Link to this
the farm system you speak of larry was developed by bobby cox, so don’t criticize him for utilizing what he developed. criticism of the braves postseason failures is fair, but without bobby cox, we wouldn’t have those postseason failures to complain about. i hurt worse every year when we lose in the playoffs, but it doesn’t cloud my judgement when it comes to bobby cox. our string of division titles will end one day- the day bobby cox is no longer manager.
By jim
November 12, 2005 09:14 AM | Link to this
What I appreciate about Cox is that every year there are circumstances that must be overcome, and the Braves just continue to win. There is no Marlins of 2005 or Mets of any of the last 3 years - teams w/ talent that bellyflop. It’s one thing to have talent, it’s another to put it to together and make it work. Bobby does that wonderfully. We’re spoiled so much that guys like Larry think it’s easy to win - Bobby is just doing his job. Ask Bobby Valentine, Larry Bowa, or Jack McKeon how easy it is.
By Gene
November 12, 2005 10:13 AM | Link to this
I remember the Braves of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s that pretty much soured me on major league baseball. In fact, in the 80’s, I essentially lost interest in baseball after Ted made a joke of it. In 1991, Cox took some average players to the very top and gave those of us who were there something we will never forget. In fact, he has given us a lot that we will never forget. Bobby Cox is a class guy. Except for the umpires, he keeps criticism in the clubhouse. In spite of post-season disappointments, we have an exciting team that is right there at the end of September, year after year. I hope for Bobby’s sake, that there is another championship somewhere down the road. He certainly deserves it.
By Carlene
November 12, 2005 11:33 AM | Link to this
Larry: it’s actually 1/15!! Don’t forget BC’s Floptober with the Blue Jays (had them up 2 games to none in a best of five and let the Royals come back and win the dang thing—sound familiar anyone?)
By Lori Guillory
November 12, 2005 01:41 PM | Link to this
Cox is the best manager in baseball, despite what others think. Any other team would love to go to the postseason for 15 straight years, much less win a division title during that span. The 15 straight titles show just how good a manager Cox is and I can’t understand why he continues to be blamed every time the team falters in October. Players win games, not managers.
In defense of Cox, you have to give him credit because he was basically forced to manage a team that had 18 different rookies throughout the course of the season.
By Ron Roberts
November 12, 2005 04:31 PM | Link to this
It’s the same posts from the same detractors. There’s not a better guy for the job even remotely available. Get used to it. Deal with the reality.
Joe Torre, with an endlesss supply of cash for his GM to throw at all of the Yankees’ shortcomings, still hasn’t won a World Series since 2000. No other manager has won more World Series than Torre and Cito Gaston (who?) in the timespan of the Braves’ run, either, so there’s nobody “better” than Torre or Cox even available.
What Bobby did the past two seasons, with flawed rosters, is worthy of the accolades. Period.
We can quibble about not winning it all in 1992, 1993, 1997, and 1998. But my theory is, since then, Braves’ ownership hasn’t truly given its fans (and Cox) everything it took to win it all.
I’ve said this before, on another blog, too, but I think the worst thing that could’ve happened to the Braves recently, was when money-pinching AOL/TW execs watched the Anaheim Angels win the WS a few years back with a substantially smaller payroll, followed by the Marlins not long after. Now, they want that “lightning in a bottle,” and so long as Schuerholz has to deal with some mammoth individual salaries for Chipper, Smoltz, and Andruw, it’s just not going to happen in that same fashion.
Anyhow, I, too, have had my problems with Cox’s individual decisions, here and there, and playing the Brian Jordans over the Ryan Langerhans, here and there, too. But the big picture is this… these past two seasons, he’s gotten a few lemons and made some nice lemonade out of ‘em.
There’s a reason most knowledgeable baseball minds weren’t predicting the Braves to win their division, let alone challenge for a World Series, the last two seasons. The rosters didn’t impress any of ‘em.
But, there’s also a reason those same folks wound up voting for Cox as NL Manager of the Year come October, too.
I think it’s time to give the ol’ man a pass, frankly. Getting us there this year was good enough. Now, with the talent we have coming back, and the presumed off-season work Schuerholz is gong to do on the bullpen and shortstop/Furcal… I think we fans now can start expecting more in our Octobers.
And if we fall short, then we have a reason to gripe.
So all this “1 in 15 years” stuff is sorta misleading, I think. There were definitely some of those years the Braves would’ve could’ve should’ve won it all and didn’t… one they did. But You have to discount some of those years when we had no business even being there to begin with, too, in all fairness.
By ernie Logman
November 12, 2005 07:09 PM | Link to this
The Braves will never win it all in the post season with Cox at the helm. It is time for him to retire
He might be what some call a great manager, but not me. I believe he is a manager that tolerates and even brings out under achieving.
And lets not forget that he brought in Charlie Leibrandt to pitch to Kirby Puckett in game 6
By ricky
November 12, 2005 07:42 PM | Link to this
Great article Furman. I remember that day when Ted said he wanted his next manager to be like Bobby Cox. I liked Bobby then, and I often wondered why Ted fired him, especially after his comments. I suppose he felt pressured to do something (by firing Cox), but then realized that he went against his own gut feeling. I think Ted quickly learned his lesson and afterwards decided he would be no George Steinbrenner! As for the gentleman Mr. Larry who made the comments blaming Cox for the Braves postseason failures, I (like all of us) have struggled with this “expected failure” every postseason. But, Mr. Larry, don’t you think it is unreasonable to blame Boobby. He doesn’t come up to bat or throw the ball. He doesn’t have to make any plays. All he does is fill out the line-up card. Yes, he’s made some questionable moves, but what manager hasn’t. He is still putting the same guys out there he has for the past 162 games. It’s their job (not Bobby’s) to make things happen on the field. Bobby would also be the first to tell you that he does not deserve the total credit for his teams success over the past 14 years. Likewise, I don’t think he should get the total blame for the teams failures in the post season. Let’s face it, the Braves have not been the best National league team the past few years. Plus, with the wild card addition to the playoff format, the odds are tougher. Some may say that the wildcard teams have an intangible edge, and thrive on energy (emotion). Admittently, this is an area where the Braves appear to have a depletion. They also suffer from self-inflicting wounds, and thus appear to repeat their past transgressions (“here we go again”) in the post season. Even if the Braves may not win a another World Series anytime soon, I’m proud as heck of their accomplishments the past two seaons. My gosh people, they were not suppose to be there!
By ricky
November 12, 2005 08:22 PM | Link to this
How many of you actually think the Braves really should have been in the World Series this year? Or did you just want a respectible showing? Braves fans have become so spoiled, their expectations are jaded! I even include myself. Just for once, lets get it done this year…We expect them to go to the World Series every time they are in the post season, or it’s a disaster. The Yankee fans have also fallen into this dilemma. Obviously, the stakes are higher there, they have been spending the big bucks. But for those so-called Braves fans and Cox haters…let me remind you, it is the Cardinals, not the Braves, who have been the odds-on favorite to win the National league the past two years. Even the Cardinals did not make the World Series this year. I wonder if their fans are calling for LaRussa’s head. And oh yea, in case you hadn’t noticed, the Yankees didn’t mke it either. Is it Torre’s fault, with all those superstars?….all you can ask of a manager is to not get in the way and foul things up (over-manage). If you look at those 3 guys.. Cox, Torre, and LaRussa, I think you’ll see just that.
By Biff
November 13, 2005 09:06 PM | Link to this
Great article, Furman, and a lot of good posts in here. Congratulations Bobby!
By USAFCCF
November 13, 2005 09:30 PM | Link to this
We are blessed to have Bobby Cox as manager. Someday we’ll all look back on this time and remember him as one of the greatest managers of all time.
By Larry
November 14, 2005 10:22 AM | Link to this
So tell me, Ron & Ricky, why is it that Bobby gets your praise and credit for beating out 4 other teams the past several years to win a “division title” but it is the player’s fault when we are bounced in the first round every year? Seems like a double standard! I believe both share in the credit and the blame.
Perhaps I’m just a “detractor” sans a “knowledgeable baseball mind” but here’s how I see it:
With a talent rich farm system, and a brilliant and aggressive GM, Bobby Cox is the perfect manager to guide a team through the trials and tribulations from spring through fall. Ever notice how streaky the Braves are? Often they are really, really hot, or really, really not! Bobby has the perfect temperament and trust to allow his players to win the majority of their games and defeat 4 other teams in a 162 game race to qualify for the postseason. Notice, however, that Bobby never seems to do anything different when they are performing poorly over a month or so. This works well during a long season but never works well in short series playoffs.
And this leads to my primary point. Bobby Cox NEVER makes things happen and just doesn’t seem to have the right touch during a key moment of a game to alter a slumping team. Notice how many times the Braves have slumbered into the playoffs lately?
Bobby Cox, by winning 15 division titles, has proven he is the best at holding course over 162 games. On the contrary, when the course is short and his teams is off course, his style leaves his team’s boat stranded on a sand bar while the other teams sail on by.
15 playoff opportunities, 1-14 in the last series of those opportunities. To win championships you have to be BOTH a marathoner and a sprinter.
Bobby is the greatest marathoner of all time. He is also the worst sprinter of all time.
Sadly, he’s never learned how to sprint when necessary.
Is it too late?
Or, you can just blame it all on payroll and players.
By Curveball
November 14, 2005 10:59 AM | Link to this
Why don’t you people just accept the fact that—as soon as the Braves clinch a division “title” they quite playing—can’t lose every game going into postseason then expect to throw the “winning” switch in game #1 of a short playoff series—momentum is everything, and the Braves never seem to have it when they need it—who’s fault is that?
By Ron Roberts
November 14, 2005 11:27 AM | Link to this
What’s scary is, some of ya’ll actually believe the stuff you post.
You really believe that the players clinch the division and just quit playing. That’s to assume they don’t care to do anything more then they did to get to the playoffs. I’ll choose to disagree with you, then.
And, you really believe Bobby just sits there and lets his team lose a playoff series without making adjustments. I think some of ya’ll really believe Cox is happy just making it to the playoffs.
C’mon.
There are some seasons we, as fans, should expect more from the Braves in the playoffs. But there are years we should be happy they won their division. The last two seasons, in my book, are two such seasons.
What we have coming back, coupled with (I pray for) bullpen upgrades and maybe look around to see if there’s one more bona fide starter within our grasp, gives me a higher level of expectation for next year’s squad. Then I’ll be disappointed if we don’t improve on our showing.
I also put the playoff series summary together in another post, and it should be noted that the “1-fo-15” stat is misleading. Bobby Cox, while with the Braves has won 12 playoff series, lost 13. Not great, but not “1-for-15” either. It’s not that Cox doesn’t know how to win a playoff series, and he did win a World Series in 1995, against, I believe, a better Cleveland Indians squad.
We just haven’t won it all every time we stamp our ticket to the postseason. Have I been disappointed? Sure, a few of those years did disappoint me. I was let down in 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998 abd 2003. If we’d have been talking about a change of direction at the managerial positions, then, I might’ve been more apt to buy into it. The other seasons, though, I’d felt we got as far as we were going to, given roster limitations, injuries, etc. last year, it was nothing short of miraculous that we even got to play in the division series.
By Larry
November 14, 2005 01:13 PM | Link to this
Ron,
The 1-15 stat I have mentioned is NOT misleading, it a a fact. A Bobby Cox managed team has lost 14 of 15 of the LAST games or series in the playoffs. The greater the pressure, the lower the performance.
Sure Bobby has won some series—many against first round wild card opponents in the mid-late 90’s—but the most important series in the playoffs is the last one, right?
1-14 is a horrible stat!
By Biff
November 14, 2005 02:46 PM | Link to this
Larry, frankly I think a manager has a good bit of influence over a 162-game schedule, but much less over a 5-game series.
Over a full season a mgr’s decisions on who plays, who doesn’t, dealing with personalities, etc. are a big part of success. In a short series, all you can do is send the guys out to play. You can’t “fire up” a baseball player and tell him to hit the ball really really hard because it’s the playoffs. So yes, I guess I DO credit Bobby for the regular season, and NOT blame him for the postseason. I know you won’t agree, but that’s my view.
By Ahsan U. Zahid
November 14, 2005 11:47 PM | Link to this
OK lets get this straight, I am tired of hearing all of these sorry people complaining about Bobby Cox as being 1-14 or 1-15 in the postseason, the fact of the matter is this, that even if Bobby had won 6-14 titles, people who unjustly critique him would still blindly say that “oh, he’s gone to the playoffs 15 times, and has won only six.” I mean come on, when will we realize that we can’t have everything, its pure human nature to want more than truly conceivable.
Also, the fact of the matter is this, that throughout the 162 games this season, no one came close to managing half as well as Bobby Cox did. He went through 18 rookies, 3 different closers, Chipper Jones down, and not to mention losing 60% of his starting rotation. I must simply ask how someone can be so arrogant as to such an unmitigated fact.
And the postseason this year, one could argue that it was the bullpen’s fault, or the starters’ fault, or the slugger’s because in this postseason, we neither had a stable bullpen, we had an on-again off-again starter, and we did not have the bat of Chipper Jones. How can you blame Bobby Cox for not having his players, do simple things, such as timely hitting, closing out a game, or limiting the opposing team in runs. It is the manger’s job to manage, and Bobby Cox in all aspects of the job did just that. No, not only did he manage he did so with great perserverence, I mean why would you hear all of his peers praising him so, and nearly every major-leaguer wanting to play under his tutelage. Let us all except the fact that the man is great, first ballot hall-of-famer anyone?
Chew on that LARRY!
By Larry
November 15, 2005 08:48 AM | Link to this
Ahsan,
“sorry people”
I don’t mind a civil debate—after all this is an open forum, correct?
But, consider this. The next time you refer to me or someone else as “sorry” we may just track your camel riding a* down, slap you off its back, rip that smelly towel off your head, and then force you to “chew” on it!
Any questions?
By dannycardwell
November 15, 2005 09:39 AM | Link to this
my dad lived and died thinking bobby cox could walk on water. i feel the same way. the only regret i have with bobby is sticking with aging vets when he had langerhans, orr, and betemet getting splinters in their butts when they should have been on the field. its not cox fault the starters only average 6 innings a start keeping the bullpen worn out. you want to blame somebody, its sureholtz and time warner. if the braves give furcal 9-10 million a year you can rest assured we will be lucky just to get to the play offs again because we dont have the money to get middle relief. bobby will get us there but thats all because of pitching. hitting can get you to the playoffs, but you will never win without pitching. when i read all the blogs with people making fun of him and chipper jones i see a lot of no class people. other than david justice and john rocker, i doubt that any player past and present would not absolutely love to play for bobby and sparky anderson. they are the best managers i ever saw. although i dont always agree with his moves in a game, i know without doubt he gives us our best chance to win.
By Ron Roberts
November 15, 2005 01:36 PM | Link to this
Folks can complain about Bobby Cox all they want, but he does one thing more often than any other manager in the modern era…
…he puts his team in position to win it all every season.
Tony LaRussa hasn’t. He’s “1-for-a bunch” in last postseason series, as well. Joe Torre hasn’t always succeeded at getting his team in the playoffs, until his bench coach, Steinbrenners’ wallet, came to pitch in. Jim Leyland couldn’t get it done except for one season, when his bench coach, Wayne Huizenga’s wallet, came to pitch in. There is no better regular season manager in the game, period.
By Ahsan Zahid
November 15, 2005 04:05 PM | Link to this
Larry,
Now here we go with the generilizations, do u even know what the towel signifies or even if i wear it, or better yet is it even a towel? See some people truly dont know what they are talking about.
I admit that my comments were harsh and they may have caused hostility, but i mean’t not for that to happen. by the way i drive a Town Car.
By ricky
November 15, 2005 08:55 PM | Link to this
Larry,
I actually agree with most of what you say, so we probably have a bit of common ground. I never said I give Cox all the praise for the regular season success. He doesn’t even play in the games. I believe, the best a manager can do, is not to get in the way and start over-managing or create chaos in the clubhouse. Bobby always resist the temptation to berate his players. Consequently, they love to play for him. All this helps with aiding the Braves successes.
As far as postseason, I just resist putting the post season failures squarely on Bobby. I sure have disagreed with some of his moves, but unlike you, I believe it is the players, not Bobby, who needs to make things happen. And clearly, they haven’t. Sure, sometimes I want to blame Bobby for losing those games, but after more objective reflection, I realize that would be incorrect.
By Larry
November 15, 2005 08:57 PM | Link to this
Ahsan,
I accept your regrets and I apologize for my comments.
Ron and I once traded insults and threats because we disagreed over some silly baseball stuff. We still occasionally strongly disagree but I’m glad we’ve done so without the personal insults.
We may strongly disagree in these forums, but I now truly strive to do so without offensive and insulting remarks.
Larry
By Ahsan
November 15, 2005 11:21 PM | Link to this
its fine i definitley accept ur apology, another part of human nature is to say stuff we really dont mean, and i can’t say that i am not guilty of that. thanx for being so considerate.
peace