TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Braves' Cox Plans On Return Next Season

ADVERTISEMENT

The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 11, 2008

Updated: 09/11/2008 12:33 am

ATLANTA - Despite Atlanta's worst season since 1990, longtime Braves manager Bobby Cox vowed Wednesday to return next season.

Cox, 67, signed a one-year contract extension in May, but his team was ravaged by injuries - especially to the pitching staff.

Cox said the Braves' record - good or bad - would not be a factor in his decision to step aside, whenever that might be.

"I'm not going to decide my retirement based on wins and losses, or anything like that," he said, sitting in a tiny room just off the Braves dugout at Turner Field. "I still love the game. It's fun. It's no fun to lose, but I look at it different than most people. The game is fun to me. Coming to the ballpark is fun. I enjoy being able to be a part of the game."

Cox is the fourth-winningest manager in major-league history and likely headed to Cooperstown after he does decide to retire. The Braves won a record 14 straight division titles from 1991 to 2005 and captured the city's lone World Series championship in 1995.

BREWERS: Right-handed reliever Todd Coffey was claimed to add another arm to their bullpen.

Coffey, who made 213 appearances over four seasons in Cincinnati, was designated for assignment on Tuesday by the Reds, who were in Milwaukee.

GIANTS: Outfielder Fred Lewis will undergo season-ending surgery today to remove a bunion from his right foot.

Lewis was the Giants' leadoff hitter much of the season but saw his playing time decrease in recent weeks as San Francisco turned to some of its younger prospects.

The 27-year-old outfielder batted .282 with nine home runs and 40 RBIs in 133 games this season. He also leads the Giants in triples (11) and runs scored (81).

PHILLIES: The team activated Geoff Jenkins from the 15-day DL and placed Andy Tracy on the DL with a broken hand that will cost him the rest of the season. Jenkins was out for 2 1/2 weeks with a strained right hip flexor.

WHITE SOX: Paul Konerko has a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee, and the first baseman isn't sure when he'll be able to play again. Konerko had an MRI on Wednesday that confirmed the mild sprain.

SUSPENSION: Yankees catcher Ivan Rodriguez and Los Angeles Angels star Torii Hunter were suspended two games each Wednesday for their roles in a bench-clearing scuffle.

Rodriguez took an openhanded swing at Hunter after getting shoved in the back by Hunter, and both players were ejected Monday night.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT