Braves' Cox to retire

NEW YORK --- After 50 years in baseball, Bobby Cox figured the only way he would ever give up managing was to pick a specific time and announce it publicly.

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Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox sits in the dugout while watching batting practice before facing the Colorado Rockies in the first inning of a baseball game in Denver in 2008.

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In this May 20, 1968, file photo, New York Yankees' Bobby Cox poses for a photo at Washington Ball Park in Washington, D.C.

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Associated Press

Bobby Cox, who is fourth in major league victories with 2,409, hasn't lost his fire. Cox, who will retire as manager after the 2010 season, has been ejected seven times this season. He holds the major league record for ejections with 150.

So that's what he did Wednesday, revealing his plans to retire as manager of the Atlanta Braves after next season.

Now comes the hard part: sticking to it.

"There is a little bit of relief once you come to grips with announcing it," Cox said. "I've never lost the love to manage, period. But you have to make a decision. At my age, you have to make a decision. Somebody a little younger can start up."

The 68-year-old Cox, a four-time Manager of the Year, agreed to a one-year contract extension for 2010, the Braves announced before Wednesday night's 5-2 victory over the New York Mets.

He will start a five-year consulting agreement to advise the team in baseball operations after he steps down as manager.

During an illustrious career on the bench, Cox has guided Atlanta to 14 consecutive postseason appearances (1991-2005) and the 1995 World Series title.

"They asked me to come back, and I said I would do it for one more year, and we'll announce the retirement along with it. It's the only way I think I'm ever going to walk away from the game, is to go ahead and say I'm going to, and then I've got to," Cox said. "There's no turning back now -- win, lose or draw. Whatever happens next year is going to be it."

Counting Wednesday's victory over the Mets, Cox has 2,409 regular-season wins as a manager, fourth behind Connie Mack (3,731), John McGraw (2,763) and Tony La Russa (2,550).

Cox and Joe McCarthy are the only managers with six 100-win regular seasons.

"It'll be a sad day, a sad day when he leaves," said Atlanta's Chipper Jones, who has played for Cox his entire career.

Cox has been ejected seven times this season, extending his major league record to 150.

"What you can always say about Bobby is that he always gets the best out of his players and that he's a class act," umpire Ed Rapuano said in Cleveland. "You could toss him, but the next day all was forgotten."