Braves Manager Bobby Cox agrees to contract extension

The Atlanta Braves announced yesterday that they have agreed to terms with manager Bobby Cox on a one-year contract extension through the 2010 season and that the team's entire coaching staff will be brought back next year.

In addition, Cox has announced that he will retire from managing at the conclusion of the 2010 campaign, thus bringing to an end one of the greatest managerial careers in the history of the game. As part of Cox's contract extension, he has been given a five-year consulting agreement, from 2011 to 2015, where he will advise and consult in all areas of Baseball Operations, including the Major League Club, spring training, minor league operations and scouting. In addition, Cox will work with the office of the President on special business projects.

The winningest manager in Braves franchise history, Cox is in his 28th season as a big-league skipper and his 24th year at the Braves' helm (1978-81, 1990-present). He owns 2,408 career wins, placing him fourth on the all-time victory list and second among active managers. Cox has recorded 2,053 wins with the Braves and another 355 in four seasons (1982-85) with the Toronto Blue Jays. He and Hall of Fame manager Joe McCarthy are the only two managers in history to post six 100-win campaigns.

"Bobby and I have been talking about this for some time," Braves Executive Vice President and General Manager Frank Wren said. "We are very excited that Bobby, who is one of the best and most respected managers in the history of baseball, will again be managing our club in 2010. Personally, it has been a true honor and a pleasure to work with such a great manager and leader. Bobby is one of the true icons of our game."

"I share with all of our great Braves fans the excitement over the good news of Bobby's signing a 2010 contract extension," said Braves President John Schuerholz. "It has been my good fortune to share a personal relationship and professional partnership with Bobby since 1991. Together we have shared in the most remarkable, sustained period of Braves baseball excellence while winning 14 consecutive Division titles, five National League Championships and, of course, the World Championship in 1995. It has been an honor and pleasure to work side by side with Bobby Cox. We are thrilled with his return as manager in 2010 and with his continued association with us for many years to follow."

The 68-year-old Cox has guided Atlanta to Major League Baseball's best overall record since 1991 (1,747-1,252). Since then, the Braves have earned a 14 division championships, five National League pennants and a World Series title. Cox has guided his clubs to 66 postseason wins - second all-time to the Dodgers' Joe Torre (77).

"I am very excited and honored to be making plans for next year," said Cox. "While I have decided that 2010 will be my last season in the dugout, I want to make it clear that we will all be working as hard as ever to win another World Championship for the city of Atlanta and our great Braves fans. I really can't express how proud I am of our team, and how thankful I am that Frank and John have given me the opportunity to retire with the organization that I've been with for almost 30 seasons."

Cox has earned four Manager of the Year awards from the Baseball Writers Association of America and an unprecedented eight Manager of the Year honors from the Sporting News. No other skipper has won the Sporting News award more than three times since the magazine started its balloting in 1936.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Braves and Pitcher Tom Glavine Agree to Terms on 2009 Contract

The Atlanta Braves announced Friday that they have agreed to terms with future Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Glavine on a one-year contract for the 2009 season. Financial terms of the deal were not announced. Glavine, who is still recovering from left elbow surgery, is expected to join the team at its spring training facility at Disney's Wide World of Sports in March.

A two-time National League Cy Young Award winner (1991 & 1998) and a 10-time N.L. All-Star, Glavine returned to the Braves in 2008 after pitching the previous five seasons for the New York Mets. He went 2-4 with a 5.54 ERA and started just 13 games in an injury-shortened campaign. In April he was placed on the disabled list for the first time in his illustrious career, and he made two more trips to the D.L. by season's end, ultimately opting to have surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon in his left elbow on August 21. The surgery was performed by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala.

"We are very excited to have Tom back on our club for the 2009 season," Braves Executive Vice President and General Manager Frank Wren said. "We have followed his rehabilitation closely all winter and we are glad he is throwing so well. We hope he will be ready early in the season, and we expect him to be a big part of our pitching staff and a valuable leader on our club." Glavine owns a 305-203 career record and a 3.54 ERA in 682 games (all starts). He has compiled 244 of his wins in a Braves uniform. Glavine helped Atlanta to five World Series appearances in the 1990s and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1995 World Series, when the Braves defeated the Cleveland Indians.

A five-time 20-game winner, the 42-year-old Glavine joined an elite fraternity of pitchers when he posted the 300th victory of his career on August 5, 2007, at Chicago. Only 22 other pitchers in the history of Major League Baseball have reached that plateau, and all but two (Roger Clemens and Greg Maddux) are enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Glavine ranks as the fourth-winningest left-handed pitcher in history, behind Warren Spahn (363), Steve Carlton (329) and Eddie Plank (326). Selected by the Braves in the second round of the 1984 draft, Glavine made his Major League debut in 1987. He won his first Cy Young Award in 1991, when he went 20-11 and helped the Braves win the first of five N.L. pennants in a nine-year period. Glavine earned his second Cy Young Award in 1998, leading the league with a 20-6 record, ranking third with a 2.47 ERA and again helping the Braves to an N.L. pennant.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Braves Agree to Terms with Infielder Kelly Johnson

The Atlanta Braves have agreed to terms with infielder Kelly Johnson on a one-year contract for the 2009 season, thus avoiding salary arbitration. Financial terms were not announced.
Johnson, who turns 27 on Sunday, owns a .273 career batting average, with 72 home runs and 274 RBI in 384 games. In 2008 he posted career highs in batting average (.287), games (150), at-bats (547), hits (157), doubles (39), RBI (69) and stolen bases (11). He compiled a 22-game hitting streak, September 1-24, and his 44 multi-hit games tied for the team lead. Johnson's .333 batting average against left-handed pitchers ranked second in the majors among all left-handed hitters. His 39 doubles ranked second among all National League second basemen.

The Braves' top pick (38th overall) in the 2000 draft, Johnson missed the entire 2006 season due to "Tommy John" surgery on his right elbow. In 2007 he switched positions, from the outfield to second base, and has played there each of the last two years.

The Braves now have just one remaining arbitration-eligible player on their 40-man roster unsigned for the upcoming season -- outfielder Jeff Francoeur.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Atlanta Agrees to Terms with Infielder/outfielder Omar Infante

The Atlanta Braves have agreed to terms with right-handed hitter Omar Infante on a two-year contract for the 2009 and 2010 seasons that also includes a club option for the 2011 season. Financial terms of the deal were not announced. He was due to become a free agent after the 2009 season.

Infante, 27, joined the Braves in a December 2007 trade with the Chicago Cubs. He hit .293 with 24 doubles, three home runs and 40 runs batted in during the 2008 season and led all Atlanta regulars with a .341 batting average with runners in scoring position. He hit .300 over his final 54 games after July 23. Infante appeared in 96 games, the most since appearing in 121 in 2005.

The versatile Infante started 77 games at five different positions last season including third base (26), left field (26), shortstop (15), second base (9) and center field (1). He also hit in seven different spots in the batting order.

The 6-foot, 180-pound Infante has appeared in 590 career major league games in parts of seven Major League seasons with the Detroit Tigers and Braves. He was traded from the Tigers to the Cubs after the 2007 season, but was traded to Atlanta before playing for the Cubs. He owns a .260 career batting average with 35 home runs and 194 RBIs. He has played 245 career games at second base, 196 at shortstop, 64 in the outfield and 62 at third base.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page