Dan Uggla Looking for Hit No. 32 on the Streak

After collecting a hit in 31 consecutive games, Dan Uggla is tied for the 25th longest hitting streak in baseball history.

A big deal? Yes, considering this is something only 34 other players have ever done.

He officially has the longest streak in the majors this season after surpassing Andre Ethier's 30-game marathon with a first-inning single as the Braves polished off their sweep of the Marlins on Wednesday.

With an off day Thursday, Uggla will get a shot at no 32. when the Braves take on Carlos Zambrano and the Chicago Cubs at 7:37pm ET Friday night. The right-handed hitter is 1-for-9 lifetime against Big Z with four walks and five strikeouts.

Whether he breaks Joe DiMaggio's elusive record of reaching base safely in 56 straight games or not, 31 is still a pretty big number. It's an impressive number. More impressive still when you look at his .173 batting average when the streak began. Before setting his sights on Joltin' Joe, Uggla will have to surpass the longest hitting streak in Braves history: Tommy Holmes at 37 games. Anything is possible.

[Atlanta Journal Constitution]

There's Always Next Year, Braves Fans

Well that series was definitely torture -- if your idea of "torture" is four incredible baseball games.

The San Francisco Giants are one (really difficult) series closer to fans being able to scream THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! But first they must face the hardcore Philadelphia Phillies. While they wait, they'll belt out their catchy rendition of Don't Stop Believing.

McGwire’s Rebirth, Cox’s Farewell

After what I sincerely hope is Mark McGwire’s last formal apology for using performance enhancing drugs during his playing career, the new St. Louis Cardinals hitting coach was ready to get down to business in Jupiter, Florida.

McGwire spent some time in the batting cage with hitters this afternoon before answering reporters’ tired questions regarding his past. Though he knows his mistakes may never be forgotten, he made a point to say that he hopes the issues subside soon.

Speaking of old folks and Spring Training, Bobby Cox is staring down the beginning of the end.

Continue reading this story at SportsUntapped.

Bobby Cox Is Old

Bobby Cox has been around a while... a long, long while. Long enough to enjoy 2,000 major league victories with the Atlanta Braves. Apparently, he wasn't impressed with the milestone, as he claims he can barely remember the first nine innings. That comes with age.

The 15-inning, 7-6 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, which lasted almost five hours, actually marked career win #2,355 for Cox, spanning 24 managerial seasons with Atlanta, including a brief four-year stint with Toronto in the early 80s.

One More Ejection for Bobby Cox

Bobby Cox still enjoys attending 162 baseball games a year for free, so he went ahead and agreed to a one-year contract extension with the Atlanta Braves, who will keep the animated skipper around for a 24th season through 2009.

The 67-year-old most ejected manager in baseball is also the winningest skipper in Braves history. Cox, who led Atlanta to a 1995 World Series Championship amid 14 consecutive division titles from 1991-2005, said he still has "a great passion for the contest of baseball and it’s still a lot of fun."

[Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

Cox Throws Record-Breaking Fit

Congratulations to Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox for becoming the most-ejected manager in the history of the game Tuesday night.

After controlling himself for over 7 long weeks and 43 games, Cox surpassed John "Little Napoleon" McGraw's record of 131 ejections.

Between the fifth and sixth innings, Cox broke the golden rule of baseball: arguing balls and strikes. After Chipper Jones was caught looking at a ball with men on second and third and the Braves trailing 3-0, plate umpire Ted Barrett wrung him up and Cox flipped out.

Of course, he was only making sure Jones wasn't tossed after he flung his bat toward the Braves dugout, threw his helmet about 80 feet and dropped a few f-bombs.


"It's absolutely no factor. It's nothing," Cox said. "It just means I've been around a long time, that's all."

As many ejections go, it lit a fire under Atlanta's rear. They scored four runs in the sixth and bounced back after closer Bob Wickman took a huge crap on the hill in the top of the ninth.

The game-winning hit? Yeah, it was all Chipper.

[Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

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]