Cox greets 27th season, maybe more beyond

[HMFFL]

Today might be the last time Bobby Cox welcomes pitchers and catchers to spring training as a major league manager. Then again, it might not be.

"I don't really look at it that way," the Braves manager said Wednesday about possibly entering his last spring training. "I'm going to leave everything open. No reason to shut the gates."

This will be his 27th season as a big-league manager, all but four with the Braves. He'll be 67 in May, and he said a year ago during spring training that he was leaning toward retiring after the 2008 season.

Cox quickly hedged on that statement and hasn't repeated it. He says he'll manage as long as he enjoys and has the energy to do it and the Braves want him.

Braves chairman Terry McGuirk recently told the Journal-Constitution he hasn't started thinking about replacing Cox, and general manager Frank Wren told a group at FanFest that Cox could manage the team as long as he wants.

Nevertheless, everyone in the organization is aware this could be Cox's final season. He ranks fourth in career wins with 2,255, including 1,900 with Atlanta. The Braves won 14 division titles in a row before falling to third in the National League East the past two seasons.

If there's a criticism of Cox, it's postseason disappointments: The Braves won one World Series title in 14 consecutive trips to the playoffs.

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[lpsevier]

When Bobby is done, I wonder if he'll stay on with the organization in some capacity for awhile.

[HMFFL]

Can