Bobby Cox Won't Retire Just Yet

Bobby Cox has indicated that he's planning to retire at the end of the 2008 season, closing the door on his long, celebrated managerial career.

During the Braves' 6-1 loss to the Astros Saturday afternoon, Cox announced his thoughts with the understanding that he hasn't reached a firm decision. But once his mind is made up, it'll be made up for good.

He will celebrate his 66th birthday in May and is beginning to realize that every season he manages is taking away the time that he could be spending with his family. He described this revolation as needing to "do what I need to do and not what I want to do."

Preparing for his 16th season as the Braves manager and 47th consecutive year in professional baseball, Cox said that he's still got his health and desire to be around the game. Both he and his longtime friend/ working partner, GM John Schuerholz, who turned 66 in October, realize that there is only so much time to enjoy life outside of baseball.

Cox and Schuerholz are entering the final year of their contracts, but surely are welcome until the end of time, as they have built one of the most successful organizations in the history of the game.

Cox became Atlanta's general manager before the 1986 season and held that position until the end of the 1990 season, when he opted to put all of his efforts toward managing, with Schuerholz replacing him.

Since the two joined forces before the start of the 1991 season, the Braves enjoyed an unprecedented run of 14 consecutive titles and captured Atlanta's only World Series title. Up until last season, the only year they hadn't been to the postseason together was in 1994, when a player's strike ended the season in August. Naturally, that dark year doesn't count.

Though the two big dogs will always be linked in baseball history, Schuerholz says that it's not definite that they'll end their careers at the same time.

If When the Braves are sold by Time Warner to Liberty Media, nothing should change. Before approving the deal, Commish Bud Selig will make it known that his blessing is based on the belief that there won't be any significant changes made to the organization's upper management.

[Atlanta-Journal Constitution]