Sports Page Atlanta

The Atlanta Braves looked good yesterday as they shut out the Toronto Blue Jays 4-0.  Bobby Cox used to manage the Blue Jays in the middle of his 2 stints with the Braves.  He managed 4 seasons from 1982 to 1985 and finished with a 355-292 record.  He was also the American League manager of the year winner in 1985.

Here is how he finished in each year…

1982: 78-84 (7th out of 7 AL East teams)

1983: 89-73 (4th in AL East)

1984: 89-73 (2nd in AL East)

1985: 99-62 (1st in AL East… lost to Kansas City Royals in AL Championship Series 4 games to 3)

Yesterday Bobby Cox signed a one-year extension to remain with the Atlanta Braves… maybe it is just me, but it would seem weird to have anyone else manage the club. This is his 2nd stint with the Braves. His first one did not go as well. When he managed the Braves from 1978 to 1981, he went 266-323 and his best finish was 4th in the NL West. He then spent 4 seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays and went 355-292. Once again he came back in 1990 and after one bad season the rest is history.

His first team in 1978 was not too good. The team went 69-93 and only 904,000 people attended the games all year, yet I always hear people telling me that they always used to go to games.

Here is a list of the leaders of that team…

Batting Average: Jeff Burroughs .301

Home Runs: Dale Murphy, Bob Horner, Jeff Burroughs all had 23

RBI: Dale Murphy 79

Stolen Bases: Jerry Royster 27

Wins: Phil Niekro 19 (he also had 18 losses that year)

the next highest total was 9 by Larry McWilliams

Saves: Gene Garber 22