COLUMN: Courtney Cox should coach the Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are celebrating 10 years of great baseball this season. They are advertising in publications from Atlanta to Los Angeles, commemorating their decade of dominance over the National League East division everywhere an inquiring sports mind goes for information nowadays.
Everywhere, that is, except for the box scores.
In 1991, the Braves went from worst to first. So far, in 2001, the Braves have gone from first to worst.
Worse than the Phillies. Worse than the Marlins. Worse than the Expos.
After seeing the Braves in the playoffs for 10 years, there’s a natural tendency to shrug off their lack-luster play – especially this early in the year. After all, the season’s only 20 games old, which means there are still another 142 games left. That’s plenty of time for a turnaround, right?
True. It’s hard to imagine the Atlanta offense slumbering too much deeper into the season. But then again, aside from Chipper and Andruw Jones, who left in the lineup poses a really big threat?
The new strike zone is killing second baseman Quilvio Veras.
Javy Lopez is still one of the best hitting catchers in the game, but he’s terribly inconsistent and has a hard time laying off the curve ball in the dirt.
Brian Jordan hasn’t been able to hit a hanging curveball this season, much less one in the dirt. So far, Jordan hasn’t even hit his weight, batting just .188 heading into Monday night’s game against the Astros. Pitcher John Burkett is hitting 62 points higher.
And there’s no reason to believe Jordan will put up much better numbers. Atlanta signed him in 1998 after a career-year in St. Louis with the Cardinals. His numbers were decent in 1999, but fell dramatically in 2000 and have dropped off the radar so far this year. Quite frankly, Jordan’s better year(s) may have already faded like yesterday’s sunset.
B.J. Surhoff’s numbers this season are even worse. He’s hitting just .179 and may have left his glory days in Baltimore. At age 36, it’s hard to believe he has too many good seasons left in him.
Atlanta’s biggest problem isn’t gimpy, over-aged/priced outfielders, however. The real problem may be manager Bobby Cox.
The jury is still out on Cox, in all reality. He has to fall into one of two categories. Either he’s a great manager who has lousy luck in the post-season, or he’s a lousy manager who has good luck in the regular season.
I subscribe to the latter theory, and while managers can’t win ball games, they certainly can lose them. And Cox has lost his fair share.
“But what about all the victories?” You ask. “The Braves wouldn’t have enjoyed 10 years of great baseball if someone else had been skipper of the ship.”
I’ve got news for you: During the last 10 years in Atlanta, it wouldn’t have mattered if Bobby Cox or Courtney Cox was the manager. The Braves had year-in and year-out talent – Cox just happened to be the right place at the right time.
But back to this season. While Atlanta hitters have been dreadful at the plate this season, Cox has stood by quietly and watched. He’s juggled the lineup a few times, but that’s it. He continually approaches the game as if he were still in the American League, waiting for the big home run to come and win the game.
The problem, however, is that the home runs haven’t come this season – at least, not the big ones – and Cox hasn’t tried to manufacture any runs, something managers must do when their team has hit rock bottom offensively.
Even more puzzling is his insistence on pinch-hitting for first baseman Rico Brogna during key situations late in the game. Brogna is the hottest hitter on the team – the only starter hitting above .300 (.327) – yet Cox insists on replacing him (or platooning him) with rookie Wes Helms, who’s batting .167.
Cox used Helms to pinch-hit for Brogna in a late-inning, bases-loaded situation Saturday against Philadelphia. Brogna struck out, and Atlanta squandered an excellent pitching performance by Greg Maddux.
But the Braves aren’t about to fire Cox, who has become an icon with the organization much like Tommy Lasorda did with the Dodgers. The best they can do is hope he resigns, and until then, the Braves will be stuck with underachieving teams.
Will the Braves turn the season around anytime soon? They might, but it will take awhile.
Will they make it to the playoffs again this season? They might, but it will be a struggle.
But no matter how you cut it, the Braves’ National League dominance is over – at least until Cox is shown, led through or kicked out the front door.
It’s a good thing the Braves are celebrating 10 years of great baseball now, because at this rate they may not be celebrating an 11th year.
Casey Hobson can be reached at chobson.cc.usu.edu