Braves hire....

[jwilliams]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5679565
Who could have predicted that?

The Atlanta Braves have hired former Florida Marlins skipper Fredi Gonzalez as manager, multiple media outlets reported Tuesday.

Longtime Braves manager Bobby Cox retired Monday after the Braves were eliminated from the playoffs by the Giants. Cox will have a press conference at Turner Field on Wednesday and Gonzalez will be introduced on Thursday, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Gonzalez was was fired in June after 3½ years as the Marlins manager, having posted a 276-279 record with one of baseball's lower payrolls but apparently running afoul of owner Jeffrey Loria for benching star shortstop Hanley Ramirez for a lack of hustle.

Gonzalez was a minor league manager in the Braves organization and did an apprenticeship as Cox's third-base coach from 2003-06. He still lives in suburban Atlanta, remained tight with Cox and frequently turned up at Turner Field after being dumped by the Marlins.

The Braves were expected to move quickly to make a hire. Cox announced that he planned to retire at season's end a year ago.

[badfaulkner]

Good hire. If the Marlins owner doesn't like you -- remember, he fired Joe Girardi also, who won manager of the year the same time he was fired -- that's a plus.

Farewell, Bobby Cox. Good luck!

[Cowboysfan]

Great hire. Florida was also the only team that did not present Bobby Cox with a parting gift on his last series trip to play the Marlins. Says alot about the Marlins ownership.

[2thDoc]

but they fired glenn hubbard and put TP at first base coach?

i dont know enough about it, but that surprises me.

[jwilliams]

hubcat. Dang. Just read that after you posted.

[Simple Man]

Letting Hubbie go why? As a fellow bad-assed 2nd baseman, he was always my favorite.