23 September 2009

As of this afternoon, Bobby Cox is announcing that 2010 will be his last in the manager's chair. I'm really, really hoping Bobby doesn't go Brett Favre and actually retires when he says he will. After he's done managing, he'll stay with the organization and will become a "consultant" to the organization from 2011 to 2015.

Obviously, I've criticized Bobby through the years for his questionable in-game decisionmaking, his bullpen management, and his "old-school" reliance on dubious tactics like intentional walks and sacrifice bunts. That said, the day that he retires, Bobby Cox will go down as inarguably one of the greatest managers ever. Many platitudes and a fair amount of space will be devoted to determining just how great, just how many more games the 1991-2005 Braves won thanks to Bobby than they might have won with anyone else, just how many more World Series championships they might have won with anyone else instead of Bobby. I'm sure we'll be weighing in over here. I know that I have a lot more words to say.

For now, though, the appropriate feeling is gratitude. Bobby gave this city the golden years of his life, and he helmed one of the greatest dynasties in professional sports. There's a lot more to say, but right now, all there is to say is: Thank you.

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