Bobby Cox: “Everything is fine. [Wren] has been outstanding”
Bobby Cox says all's well between him and Braves GM Frank Wren. (AP photo)
Bobby Cox responded this morning to a Yahoo! Sports report of discord between him and Braves GM Frank Wren. Said Cox, speaking via iPhone from New York: “Everything is fine. Frank has been outstanding … I couldn’t believe it when I [learned of the report].”
Gordon Edes reported Tuesday that Cox had been so angry over the handling of John Smoltz’s departure and the failure to be included in personnel discussions he packed his bag and had to be talked out of leaving spring training by a Braves coach. Asked if that had indeed happened, Cox said, “No.”
Reached last night, Wren described the Yahoo! report as “inaccurate.” Asked if he wanted Cox to continue as manager, Wren said: “Sure, absolutely.” And also: “We’ll sit down and talk, and we’ll have an announcement at the appropriate time.”
Asked this morning about his status — Cox, who’s 68, is not under contract beyond this season and hasn’t said whether he’ll return for the 2010 season — Cox said: “We’ll probably have an announcement when we get off this road trip.”
The Braves play their final road game of the regular season in Washington on Sunday. They return to Turner Field for the season’s last week beginning Monday night against Florida.
Update: I just spoke to Gordon Edes, my esteemed former colleague. He said he stands “100 percent” by his report.
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134 comments Add your comment
Hillbilly Deluxe
September 23rd, 2009
9:01 am
Whether or not the incident in question actually happened, I don’t know. The comments that both Wren and Cox made are exactly what you’d expect them to say, whether it’s true or not. If it is true, they won’t speak their minds until after it’s hit the fan and all the chips have fallen.
All I'm Saying Is...
September 23rd, 2009
9:09 am
Cox said it didn’t happen. That’s more definitive than Wren saying the report was ‘inaccurate’ (which means it could have happened just not exactly as described by Edes).
I still want to know why this is being reported by Yahoo Sports! in September regarding an incident from spring training that to this point has never been mentioned as rumor or fact by anyone at the AJ/C—I mean how many people write about the Braves at the AJ/C? And none of them had anything on this? If anyone needs to go, its the writers covering the AJ/C who haven’t been first to break a story about them in years…
LET’S GO BRAVES!
matt_t
September 23rd, 2009
9:09 am
Bobby has an iphone?
Dr. Phil
September 23rd, 2009
9:10 am
Half brothers of Bill Clinton keep turning up. I know that Jimmy Johnson is one of them. I suspect that Frank Wren is another. The hair is the clue.
Wes
September 23rd, 2009
9:12 am
Bobby is a stand up kind of guy. We have been lucky to have had him for so long, and we fear the day when he leaves us…
Braves WIN, Braves, WIN, Braves...NEVERMIND
September 23rd, 2009
9:12 am
Happened, didn’t happen, who really cares. What did happen was Booby has mis-managed the team out of the playoffs, in a season that had much more promise. PLEASE LEAVE AFTER THIS SEASON, and take Pendleton with you.
todd
September 23rd, 2009
9:13 am
Well there it is for everyone to see – Bobby has already signed a contract and is coming back next year. His statement that we will have an announcement after this road trip – rather than after the season – is the indicator (to use a good baseball term). If he was going to leave there is NO WAY they would announce this during the season – there would be no point in doing that. I personally think Bobby is a pretty good manager and deserves a new deal.
doyle, winder
September 23rd, 2009
9:13 am
Mark–you’ve been around for a long time and have more contacts than I can ever imagine. What say you about the truth in the Yahoo report? Surly you know someone over there you trust!
PM
September 23rd, 2009
9:13 am
Wren has done a great job this year. Cox has not.
It has been nice being in the playoff hunt but too many silly losses due to blown saves because Cox won’t let a starter finish his work will be the reason we finish a couple of games back in the wild card hunt.
This team could go all the way if they were in the series with the pitching they have…Oh well.
I like Bobby but I wish he would drop 25-30 pounds. He’s hard to look at!
MiltonDawg
September 23rd, 2009
9:14 am
While i’m not ready to compare Wren with Thomas Dimitroff, i like how Wren has taken over the team made tough decisions that in the end, helped the Braves. Still wished we could’ve grabbed Dunn over Garrett Anderson, but the additions of McLouth & Laroche have helped this team. It’s time for a regime change with management in the dugout. It is what it is.
midnite
September 23rd, 2009
9:14 am
Bradley, I hope your a$$ got chewed for that report. What sides would you like with your crow? Sensationalize much?
Chazs
September 23rd, 2009
9:15 am
Enter your comments here
Looks like Bobby will be back for another year!
Mark Bradley
September 23rd, 2009
9:17 am
Yes, he does, Matt.
Sonny Clusters
September 23rd, 2009
9:19 am
Can you imagine how nasty that iPhone must be? Never borrow an iPhone from a nose picker.
Jerry
September 23rd, 2009
9:23 am
Any hint on what the decision will be?
Tech fans are HYPOCRITeS
September 23rd, 2009
9:26 am
Can we get back to the REAL issue of the year????
How Tech fans are clessless and hypocritical??…….
Mark Bradley
September 23rd, 2009
9:26 am
I don’t know, Jerry. I really don’t have a feel for this, at least not yet.
Frank Robinson (Rockmart)
September 23rd, 2009
9:27 am
Ha ha! Nice visual Sonny
Zach
September 23rd, 2009
9:29 am
Mark,
I don’t know how much your reading into Bobby’s comments, but why would he announce that his is retiring a week before the season ends. To me if the announcement comes during the season that means he’s in for at least one more year. Thoughts?
RJ
September 23rd, 2009
9:30 am
I have a friend on the Braves and he told several months ago that Bobby does not like Frank Wren. It seems that most of the players and coaches don’t like him.
Brian
September 23rd, 2009
9:32 am
Todd, don’t you think it’s possible that they would announce that Cox is retiring before the season is over so he can get a nice send-off in the last home game? I think he’s coming back next year, but I don’t think the fact that they’re announcing something after the road trip is proof of that.
NC Braves Fan
September 23rd, 2009
9:33 am
I could only chuckle when I saw [learned of the report]. Lord only knows what that is a euphemism for.
crazy_4_GT
September 23rd, 2009
9:33 am
Hey “Tech fans are HYPOCRITeS” what is clessless? Hopefully you didn’t go to school in Georgia.
Brian
September 23rd, 2009
9:34 am
[learned of the report] = heard that #%^!
randyarnold
September 23rd, 2009
9:34 am
Enter your comments here
The questions for the future is: How much money does management allow for signings? Will the Braves offer Soriano a contract? Or LaRoche? Or Hudson? (Let Gonzales go). Can they get anything for Church? Do you go into 2010 with an outfield of Schafer in left, McLouth in center and Heyward in right? Wren has dismantled the organization with the Teixeria trade and Cox seems to want to manage a 1960s American League team, waiting for a three-run homer from a team that has little power.
Brian
September 23rd, 2009
9:37 am
randyarnold, Schuerholz made the Teixeira trade, unless you’re talking about the one where we traded AWAY Tex.
Joe
September 23rd, 2009
9:38 am
Sounds to me like he is done. Waiting until the road trip is over to make an annoucement… but before our final home games of the year sounds like a retirement party to me.
Thanks Bobby, you’ve made it fun to be a braves fan.
Andrew
September 23rd, 2009
9:38 am
Like your picture of Bobby with the can of Copenhagen in his hand…Bobby and I like the same dip!
Tech fans are HYPOCRITeS
September 23rd, 2009
9:39 am
crazy_4_GT….
you guys get SO upset when UGA exhibits dislike for the Tech Program, and publicly denounces your coach and offense….
Yet Tech’s only “batle cry” (for lack of better term) is “To Hell WIth Georgia”. There are 2 flags on the “Wramblin Wreck” car paraded around the field before every game that say “To Hell With Georgia”, whether UGA is playing in that game or not.
IF Uga came out of his doghouse with a bandana saying “To Hell With Georgia Tech”, you guys would be screaming “calssless rednecks!” at the top of your lungs. Don’t deny it.
THWGT <—— oh sorry… i didnt mean to be classless.
YOU HYPOCRITES!!!
EEA
September 23rd, 2009
9:41 am
Cox needs to have a beef with Wren, I would…..folks are so quick to blame the manager for team woes. Our current team woes are Kelly Johnson, and the bullpen/closing (IMO). I’m sure Bobby gets tired of using all his energy to manage lackluster players. Yes, it takes a good manager to do that, and he has proven that, but maybe he’s just tired. I’m sure it gets old after a while.
CraZyTRaDeMaN
September 23rd, 2009
9:42 am
randyarnold…… john schuerholz made the trade for Teixeria not Wren. Wren has made nothing but good moves since he has had his job.
JEZ
September 23rd, 2009
9:42 am
I hope Cox does announce his retirement next week so the braves can send him off at home on a somewhat positive note. Hopefully Pendleton goes with him as well.
EverydayisSunday
September 23rd, 2009
9:47 am
Bobby doesn’t play games and Mark Bradley, I am surprised at you for not going to Bobby first before printing this story…for all of you Bobby haters, you need to really think this through before you kick Bobby to the curb. The teams that are leading the divisions for the most part are teams with larger budgets and I do not see the Braves budget changing anytime soon with a new manager coming in or with Bobby…the only thing that would change that is new, richer ownership, a better economy and more butts in the seats. I think Bobby has done the most with what he has been given…
If Mac, Infante, Yunel, Prado, and others aren’t injured and Francouer hits while he was here, we would at the very least be leading Colorado.
Be careful what you wish for…
CraZyTRaDeMaN
September 23rd, 2009
9:49 am
Tech fans are HYPOCRITeS…..crazy_4_GT….. Both your teams are terrible. This is a blog about the Braves. There is at least 3 blogs on ajc where you Nerds and Leghumpers can post on how you would like to get with CMR and CPJ. Now go chat With BILL QUEEN I mean KING.
fanatic
September 23rd, 2009
9:49 am
If Cox and Wren have a problem let them work it out in the office personally, not in the wanderings of the media. DOB wanders less than every other writer. He tends to use fact more often than unfounded rumor. Nuff said.
DMac
September 23rd, 2009
9:50 am
Frank Wren SHOULD have a beef with Bobby Cox over the way he’s managed this year. Bobby and his entire staff should be shown the door.
coach smith
September 23rd, 2009
9:51 am
I think COX will be back for a year or two because he has suffered through these lean years and now the Braves are just a big right handed bat and a tweak here or there away from being World Series contenders again….
Cox will come back for a year or two and try to leave on top with a deep postseason run
NC Braves Fan
September 23rd, 2009
9:55 am
EveryDayIsSunday: Read the post. Gordon Edes of Yahoo! published the story first, and our esteemed Mr Bradley went to both Frank Wren & Bobby Cox for their reactions. I think they call it “following up” in the biz, but I can’t be sure.
Your comments about Bobby are duly noted, but your swipe at Mark for doing his job makes you look like [you don't know what you're talking about].
fanatic
September 23rd, 2009
9:55 am
It amazes me that some people don’t know the difference between a baseball article and a college football vent.
coach smith
September 23rd, 2009
9:59 am
I think the BEST things this team can do are
1. Bring COX back
2. Ask Vazquez to restructure and extend his contract to make he and Hudson affordable and still get an outfield bat
3. Resign Hudson
4. Resign Soriano
5. Resign LaRoche to a short contract
6. Find a big time Free Agent Left Fielder (Holliday?)
7. Let Mike Gonzales, Kelly Johnson, and Church leave
8. Resign Omar Infante, Diaz (does he need a new contract?)
9. Bring up Heyward
What do you guys think?
CraZyTRaDeMaN
September 23rd, 2009
10:03 am
DMac…. Fans will always complain about their coach. Who ever is the man that takes over for Bobby everyone will be in here complaining about them as well. You will never be happy with your coach. Only 8 teams make the playoffs each year. We made the playoffs for 14 strait years the only team to come close to that was the Yanks. I’m sure that if JS and the Braves had a 220 million dollar pay roll we would still be making the playoffs each year. We were due to have a few years out of the playoffs. If we start hiring and firing managers like other teams we will just become like the Mets and Cubs high payrolls with no results. We are 11 games over right now the future looks pretty good.
#2 BAMA FAN
September 23rd, 2009
10:04 am
Well if Bobby retires AKA pushed out the door that would be fine with me. Bobby Cox is a good man and one of the best baseball managers of all time. I think that baseball has passed him by in the last few years and wish him and his family the best of luck in the future. The question is who will manage
the Braves if Bobby retires at the end of the season!! GO BRAVES!!
McDonger
September 23rd, 2009
10:06 am
Todd, the reason Bobby would announce his retirement during the last week of the season would be so that he gets to have a “farewell” series at Turner Field. He and the fans both deserve a chance to say goodbye to each other “in person,” not through a press conference. That said, I really hope he’ll come back for at least 2010. We have a really good pitching staff. If Cox would get a real hitting coach and that joker Wren would sign a real power hitter the Braves could make a run.
Herschel Talker
September 23rd, 2009
10:06 am
MB – keep up the great work! Don’t listen to the haters on this blog. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. What do people expect Cox and Wren to say in public? What a dog and pony show up there. Keep at ‘em!!!
Mark Bradley
September 23rd, 2009
10:07 am
Oh, and NC, “[learned of the report]” isn’t a euphemism. Bobby used the words “heard that,” and I just felt him saying, “I couldn’t believe it when I heard that” left it kind of ambiguous. So I tried to clarify. Perhaps I failed.
NC Braves Fan
September 23rd, 2009
10:11 am
Mark: gotcha. I guess my leap was based on 20 years of lip-reading Bobby in the dugout on ball-strike calls.
My bad.
Everything is apparently fine between Braves' Cox and Wren
September 23rd, 2009
10:12 am
[...] This morning we got double denial from both Frank Wren, who said the report was inaccurate, and Bobby cox who told the AJC’s Mark Bradley this: [...]
coach joe
September 23rd, 2009
10:13 am
Funny stuff about bobby having an iphone..
wish we had 20 games left.. we might have pulled it out.
bobby deserves another year if he wants it.The team has not quit.
Wade
September 23rd, 2009
10:17 am
Mark Bradley has posted several columns in the last month revealing his desire for Bobby Cox to retire (or be fired). I think it’s safe to say he’d like to help that along any way he can. Looks like his being a fan has clouded his objectivity as a reporter and he’s “stirring the pot” now. I hate it when bored writers try to create news instead of reporting it.
Reid Adair
September 23rd, 2009
10:21 am
For what it’s worth, Mark, I believe your esteemed colleague’s story. I know Frank Wren to be a liar, and I believe Bobby Cox has too much class to stir up trouble for the organization by confirming the story.
reality
September 23rd, 2009
10:24 am
It’s pointless to ask either one of them whether it is true or actually happened. Even if it did happen, there is no way either one of them would publicly admit that. No one will ever know the actual truth except for Bobby, Frank, John, and maybe a few other coaches/players/management types.
Wes
September 23rd, 2009
10:28 am
All I’m Sayin – great point
Matt T- my thoughts exactly.
Wes
September 23rd, 2009
10:30 am
And who’s the guy trying to steal “Wes” again. One is more than enough for this blog. Tell him, Bradley!
glove51
September 23rd, 2009
10:30 am
Coach, on your list of things the Braves should do:
1. Bring COX back
2. Ask Vazquez to restructure and extend his contract to make he and Hudson affordable and still get an outfield bat
3. Resign Hudson
4. Resign Soriano
5. Resign LaRoche to a short contract
6. Find a big time Free Agent Left Fielder (Holliday?)
7. Let Mike Gonzales, Kelly Johnson, and Church leave
8. Resign Omar Infante, Diaz (does he need a new contract?)
9. Bring up Heyward
What do you guys think?
1. I would like to see Bobby back for one more season; I think it is probably up to him.
2. I can see the restrucutre for Vasquaez happening, but I just don’t see how this team gets a big OF bat wihtout trading either Vasquez or Lowe, unless payroll was greatly expanded. Lowe would be hard to trade, and Vasqeuz’s value is at an all-time high probably.
3. Agree on keeping Hudson, exercise option. Maybe HE would be willing to talk about a re-structure too.
4. Agree on keeping Soriano and letting Gonzales walk. Need to find another LH bullpen arm, though.
5. Probably need to keep Laroche unless Chipper is agreeable to moving to first
6. Holliday is a pipe dream; isn’t happeneing. Need an OF bat for sure; I have not identified one, but I woudl think it will likely come in a trade, not a FA. Cuddyer from Minnesota is one I like, but I don’t know his status.
7. Kelly and Gonzales I agree on, I’d probably keep Chruch until Heyward is for sure ready.
8. Definitely keep Omar and Diaz
9. On Heyward, it depends on what the Braves do in the off-season and how he looks in ST
Mr. Know It All
September 23rd, 2009
10:36 am
Coach Joe – we had 20 games left two weeks ago – right about the time we got swept at home by lowly Cincinnati. Every season ends at some point – that’s how you know who wins and advances. I can’t begin to count the loses in games where we were ahead and should have held on to win. This team should be ahead of Philadelphia by 5 games.
Coach Smith – you went 9 for 9! nice job!
Vince
September 23rd, 2009
10:37 am
I’ve been a Bobby Cox basher all year and I would like to see him retire, but I’ve softened a little. If he wants to come back for one more post retirement year and finish his management career on his announcement terms so that the fans and media can have a whole season to appreciate what he has done for Atlanta baseball I’m fine with that, providing that Wren does not give him more than a one year contract, that Wren tells him that he must not mismanage the bullpen, and that Bobby’s favorite duds(Norton, K. Johnson)are gone. Then Wren will have a whole season to find a replacement Manager.
I know
September 23rd, 2009
10:40 am
Like they are going to actually admit they don’t care for each other…
This story is completely accurate. I have a friend who works in the Braves organization (not the Atlanta team but another Braves team very close by). He told me the exact same thing back in April. Cox was furious at the way the Smoltz, Furcal, and Griffey situations were handled. He literally packed his bags and quit on the spot. Apparantly, JS had to fly down to Orlando and talk Bobby into staying on several occassions. I know many won’t beleive me but this story is very true.
Journalist guy
September 23rd, 2009
10:44 am
I once wrote a story about a controversial situation that described how an ugly ouster of a CEO occurred. It was an anonymous source story, BUT the two sources were the principals, who described the exact same details in separate conversations. Later, the board member who engineered the ouster, spoke on the record to another media outlet and said the earlier report was untrue. The reporter who bagged the on-record interview still doesn’t know it was he who was lied to. After the principals die, I’ll tell him.
Mark Bradley
September 23rd, 2009
10:46 am
Understood, NC. I was probably guilty of overthink. Usually I’m guilty of underthink. Or non-think.
Shadykraft
September 23rd, 2009
10:46 am
Frank Wren has had a great year. But it has been a lucky year too. Like the deals that didn’t go through worked out better in the long run. Didn’t you write something along those lines Mark? Like the Griffey trade defaulted to Anderson who has been way better than many of us expected. (well, me at least). Lowe well, he was our second to Burnett right? He has had a bad year but what about Burnett? Hasnt he had a couple meltdowns? What about the Furcal deal? Wasnt her injured alot this year? Did they want him to play 3rd? Platoon with Chipper? ok ok. I’m getting distracted. But we were lucky Wren didnt get his first pick in a few situations. Wren was strictly business with the handling of the Smoltz and Glavine thing and everybody wanted to go on a witch hunt but it looks like the right move. I know Smoltz is back in the mix on another team but we have THE BEST starting pitching in all the land. In my opinion. Now I’ll go back to my desk job.
Gary
September 23rd, 2009
10:47 am
The fact Bobby says there will be an announcement after this trip leads me to believe he’s hanging it up. That way, the fans and flock and show their appreciation THIS season.
Mark Bradley
September 23rd, 2009
10:49 am
I think it could go either way, Gary. But if I had to guess, I’d say he’s staying.
Although I probably shouldn’t guess.
Mitch C
September 23rd, 2009
10:50 am
Mark, I dont have a feeling for this one. There are arguments to be made both ways. Part of me thinks that Cox may be retiring, and that the announcement before the end of the season, would come so that the fans can say goodbye to him properly, and another part of me thinks he’s coming back. I don’t know.
My gut: Chances are, since we’re all spinning this thing so much the last couple of weeks, I think he’s going to stay one more year. The team has had a ten to fifteen game improvement over last year, and keeping him would be justified.
I think he’ll manage in 2010, and retire after that.
Mark Bradley
September 23rd, 2009
10:51 am
And let me say again: That’s a guess. Nobody has told me anything off the record. Nobody has even hinted.
midnite
September 23rd, 2009
10:54 am
So I see just about everyone has “a friend on the inside” and “I know this to be true”. Is this supposed to validate this story? This is just idle blather unless you can confirm, but it is good for a few laughs.
NC Braves Fan
September 23rd, 2009
10:55 am
I tend to think the report is not true, if only because the Smoltz “situation” is that he had an offer to come back with the Braves, but signed with the Red Sox – way back in January. So why would Bobby have a meltdown about that in February? Not saying I think there might have been some pretty strong discussions along the way, but the timing of the blowup seems a bit off to me.
Also, if I had to guess I’d say Cox is coming back. I don’t think Bobby would announce he’s hanging it up with the Braves still involved in the wildcard chase.
jeffrey d
September 23rd, 2009
10:57 am
Bobby has an iPhone??
jeffrey d
September 23rd, 2009
10:59 am
Oh…I see that was already asked. Still, I can’t picture Bobby on an iphone.
Fancy Leotard
September 23rd, 2009
11:02 am
I just texted Bobby, he really is being tight lipped about this whole thing.
Used to care
September 23rd, 2009
11:12 am
and where is the Braves beat writer during all this? This only happened seven months ago, and Gordon is the one who breaks the story??? Didn’t even make it into print this morning. I wonder how the AJC would have handled the same story if it had been Woodson, Anderson, or Smith who quit on the spot???
Duke DeLuca
September 23rd, 2009
11:13 am
No wonder newspaper circulation has dropped off so badly. Gossip, gossip, gossip – little substance.
Facts Please
September 23rd, 2009
11:20 am
If it did happen then it makes my comment about Bobby being to much a player manager become reality. This IMO is his big fall. This is not a player team, but a real team. To put so much into one player that it hurts the team is unexcusable.
Now, We have a very very good pitching staff and we need to keep them. Hudson and Vazquez both say they want to stay and Jurrjens is our future also. All three need to be kept and thats a fact. We have a need for hitting.
Who must leave?
Anderson – not a impact player and defense is terrible.
Norton – I dont think I need to explain.
Johnson – need to trade him
1st – LaRoche
2nd – Praso
3rd – Chipper? Hes hurting this team but already under contract
ss – Escobar – still one of the best
left – needed
center – needed
right – needed
Church is ok for bench as well as Diaz. Ross needs to stay, hes been great as backup. They need to open up a little money and get some hitting for the outfield. We are almost there. Maybe Schafer will be ok now that his wrist is repaired. He played hurt all year, why is that?
We need Heyward in Gwinnett and playing winter ball. Hes good and hes ready as Andruw Jones was when he was brought up. That would take care of one or maybe two positions but we really need a hitter in the outfield. Spend some money.
Get rid of Pendleton and Cox, Cox doesnt have any common sense anymore, hes to much a player manager and that hurts the team.
Mark Bradley
September 23rd, 2009
11:27 am
Wait till you see him use the voice control feature, Jeffrey.
Yawnnnnnn...........
September 23rd, 2009
11:27 am
Baseball is so incredibly boring.Cox needs to go, bring in Ted Turner.
steveh
September 23rd, 2009
11:29 am
I cannot believe there are those who say that this team had so much potential and that Bobby Cox has mis-managed them OUT of the playoffs. Do you really think this team had that much potential. I looked back at the predictions from all of the expertes from ESPN and Sports Illustrated and here is what I discovered. Of the 34 experts who gave their predictions only 2 thought the Braves would get in the playoffs (both as a wildcard). This team did not have great potential! The Braves are a very mediocre team in 2009 and I think it is a credit to Bobby Cox and his staff that they have played as well as they have. I personally thought this team would struggle to reach .500. Sure I hoped the Braves would win it all, but I had realistic expectations.
All I'm Saying Is...
September 23rd, 2009
11:30 am
Bradley: Don’t worry, you don’t have to stress to us that “Nobody has told me [i.e. you] anything off the record. Nobody has even hinted” Given what has gone on recently, it is apparent that despite 25 years of sports reporting, you don’t have any sources for anything—-not even for an incident that supposedly happened in spring training about a manager you can communicate with via iPhone.
By the way, since BC has an iPhone, do you still think that him being 68 years old is a valid reason not to bring him back as a manager? Seems to me that not many people 68 years young are that technologically savvy.
By the way, did you read Dave O’Brien’s interview with Matt Diaz and Diaz’ response when asked if he thought BC was too old to relate to young players? Diaz’ response blew a hole in another one of your reasons and I think Diaz would know since he’s in the clubhouse.
The phrase jack of all trades and master of none appropriately sums up the value that you provide to sports reporting in this town, Bradley. You blog about all sports and never actually break any news (which is what journalists and columnists use to do), therefore, never really telling anyone anything and certainly nothing any of us non-paid AJ/C posters did not already know.
Here’s some free advice: why don’t you go learn Spanish via Rosetta Stone software so you can better relate to today’s younger more-often-than-not-Spanish-speaking players.
LET’S GO BRAVES!
DML
September 23rd, 2009
11:33 am
Either way, the decision is a win-win for fans and the organization:
If he stays – the Braves keep a HOF’er, a player’s manager, and a coach that has more baseball passion in his soul than most people could ever imagine. Think Sparky, Mack, Weaver, Lasorda, etc., and you can now think Bobby. Although he is not the manager he once was, he is still better than the pack.
If he leaves – Well… he leaves a legacy, and a method and tone for success. Those carry forward. The Braves then gain a fresh lens to view team strengths and the competition with. I picture more stolen bases, and fewer traditional and conservative tactics. That team will be exciting!
Jack G.
September 23rd, 2009
11:33 am
Either the story is false or DOB and Carrol are not doing their job and should be let go.
Loveofthegame
September 23rd, 2009
11:37 am
Someone is not telling the truth here. I dont like the “smell” of this situation at all. It reminds me of many political problems and I use baseball to escape those things!!
Mark Bradley
September 23rd, 2009
11:37 am
DOB and Carroll are doing their jobs. They’re real pros.
And let me note that different news outlets have different policies on using off-the-record/not-for-attribution comments.
NC Braves Fan
September 23rd, 2009
11:46 am
Mark: I think I know exactly what you’re getting at with your 11:37.
Loveofthegame
September 23rd, 2009
11:50 am
RIGHT NC braves…we do read between the lines
count_schemula
September 23rd, 2009
11:53 am
Said Cox, speaking via iPhone from New York: “Everything is fine.” The only news here is that Bobby was able to make a phone call using an iPhone from a major metropolitan area. Maybe AT&T is a Braves sponsor?
Steve From Dalton
September 23rd, 2009
11:54 am
Timing before the last homestand is interesting. If it is an extension, why wait until the homestand?
GaCracker
September 23rd, 2009
12:02 pm
Fire Bobby if he doesn’t retire after this season. We need some fresh thinking on the field, not so guy who manages by rigid rules (closer needs a clean slate – that means if the closer is getting bombed we can’t take him out of the inning for someone else to save it). Funny thing is relievers used to be called “Firemen” – they were called in to “put out the fire” which is not the START of an inning. He makes me sick!
KingfishStevens
September 23rd, 2009
12:04 pm
Hey Tech fans are HYPOCRITeS, What year did you graduate from UGA?
Patrick winham
September 23rd, 2009
12:05 pm
Let me say something first off how can anyone in this blog critque what Bobby has done this year. get over yourselfs its fnny how quickly you all have forgotten 14 division championships in a row. The braves would be nothing without him he is and willaways be one of the best managers evr in the game. I hope Bobby gets a lifetime contract with us and all of you who dont agree yousound like yankee fans go root for someone else we dont need your kind.
midnite
September 23rd, 2009
12:05 pm
What “technological savvy” is required to use or own an iPhone? Is there an age stipulation to own one? Is technology only for brash, young a$$holes? Some of you folks act like Bobby Cox is a senile old vegetable drooling all over himself. Oh, and by the way I love my iPhone and don’t know how I survived without it.
Guthro
September 23rd, 2009
12:08 pm
If you work for a corporation, you lie or you’re gone. That’s corporate life. If you work for a corporation and talk to the media in an official capacity, you lie more. So of course Wren lies. Problem is, he doesn’t lie well enough.
He botched the Smoltz and Glavine departures, big time, even though his actual decision in each case was correct—it would have been foolish to spend $5million of that tight budget on Smoltz, and there was no way Glavine would do better in 2009 than, say, Kawakami.
Mitchell
September 23rd, 2009
12:15 pm
I want Ozzie Guillen.
I’ve decided that’s our man. I heard he might get fired anyway. I have a sinking feeling Bobby will be coming back so I guess I should just keep pounding my head against this old brick wall of mine.
Blackberry Cobbler
September 23rd, 2009
12:23 pm
This team will miss the playoffs by maybe 4 to 5 games. A thin margin. Just imagine how different it would be IF Chipper had a normal productive year, IF Kelly Johnson and Jordan Shaefer had never set foot on the field, and IF the pitching staff (Lowe and Kawakami, specifically) had not underachieved,and IF Bobby Cox knew how to manage a bullpen.
Rico Suave
September 23rd, 2009
12:23 pm
Coah Smith: I think your idea just sucks.
tye
September 23rd, 2009
12:24 pm
The problem with atlanta is bullpen! bullpen! bullpen! there bullpen has costed jurrjens to be a 20 game winner vazquez a 20 game winner lowe an 18 game winner hanson a 15 game winner do you see my point i have counted the bullpen with 28 blown games this season throw the bullpen to the gator its horrible get a bat in the outfield they need 5 or 6 good new arms in that garbage bullpen if we do that with our rotation we are world series contenders!
coach smith
September 23rd, 2009
12:27 pm
Rico Suave
you are real cool
nice response….must have used all of your brain cells for that one…BOTH OF THEM
tye
September 23rd, 2009
12:33 pm
Do you realize next year if we have a balanced offense that could average 4.5 runs per game and a good bullpen our rotation at the end of the season could look something like this
LOWE 18 wins
JURRJENS 20 wins (possible Cy young candidate!)
VAZQUEZ 18 wins
Hudson 16 wins
Hanson 17 wins
WOW! thats scarey but it could be a reality with another good outfield bat and a revamped bullpen!
tye
September 23rd, 2009
12:36 pm
wow sounds like your mother never taught you two good lessons in life RESPECT and CLASS! cause you obviously have NEITHER!
Joe Fan
September 23rd, 2009
12:38 pm
The Braves are going to finiah over 500. A vast improvement over the last couple of years but they could of been so much better. Simply Bobby mis-managed the team. I predict, he will say goodbye next week and at least go out on top with a winning team. He will then move over to player development. I don’t believe TP will replace him either. Wren wants his own team in place.
Double J
September 23rd, 2009
12:41 pm
I agree with those of you who think Bobby will announce his retirement….and get a nice send-off at home. He deserves it. (although it is time for him to go)
Double J
September 23rd, 2009
12:44 pm
Coach Smith….I don’t see how we can afford to resign/extend Vazquez, Hudson, Soriano, LaRoche, plus another free agent. Each of those will command significant money.
C'mon Mark
September 23rd, 2009
1:22 pm
Of course he stands by his report… And in the end, he can say it was through a source. Kinda like the Joe Cox’s not starting report via reliable “sources”. Apologies in advance to Gordon Edes, but I find it very hard to believe Booby Cox threatnes to walkout on his current players over a guy who isn’t under contract… Think about it Mark. Think real hard about that. A guy who for the better part of two decades has defended his players to the media and fans just walks out of spring training. Sounds a little Jerry Glanville to me… but I’m sure Gordon got iot from a VERY reliable source.
That is Mickey Mouse bs if you ask me.