Here is the official release:
The Atlanta Braves announced today that they have signed manager Bobby Cox to a one-year contract extension through the 2009 season.
The winningest manager in Braves franchise history, Cox is in his 27th season as a big-league skipper and his 23rd year at the Braves’ helm (1978-81, 1990-present). He owns 2,281 career wins, placing him fourth on the all-time victory list and second among active managers. Cox has recorded 1,926 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 several months,” Braves Executive Vice President and General Manager Frank Wren said. “We are excited that Bobby, the winningest manager in franchise history, and one of the most respected managers in all of baseball, will again be managing our club in 2009.”
The 67-year-old Cox has guided Atlanta to Major League Baseball’s best overall record since 1991 (1,620-1,113). 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 (76).
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.
I love the irony that a four-game sweep of the Mets by the Braves gets Cox a contract extension, and the four-game sweep the Mets suffered at the hands of the Braves may get their manager fired. I know, I know, there's more to it than that, but seriously, if Randolph gets fired in the next few days the coincidence would be too much to ignore.