Fredi Gonzalez still has Bobby Cox on speed dial.
The Braves manager has fielded many questions this week about his predecessor – one of the three organizational greats who will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame Sunday.
Gonzalez was a coach on Cox’s staff for four seasons in Atlanta from 2003-06 before leaving to manage the Marlins. He was hired to manage the Braves shortly after Cox retired in 2010.
“I consider him a second father,” Gonzalez said. “Our relationship is as close as a father and son could get. … He is a great mentor.”
Gonzalez said he still reaches out to Cox for advice.
“The harder the decision I have to make, I make a phone call,” Gonzalez said. “Why wouldn’t you? He has seen it all. I’m getting ready to make a decision or something is bothering me and I call him. If I’m going to do it for the first time, he’s done it a million times. I feel that I have an edge. I don’t know if the other 29 managers have that type of resource that you can pick up the phone any time you want or go by the house or meet for coffee.”
Cox will be enshrined in Cooperstown along with Braves pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine.
