ATLANTA — The Braves didn’t even wait 48 hours to introduce Bobby Cox’s replacement. No need.
Fredi Gonzalez was Atlanta’s manager-in-waiting almost as soon as Cox announced 2010 would be his final season. Gonzalez took over Wednesday as the team’s new manager, succeeding the fourth-winningest skipper in baseball history.
Gonzalez said he’s not worried about following in Cox’s footsteps. The Braves’ manager since 1990, Cox led the team to an unprecedented 14 straight division titles and the 1995 World Series championship.
“Our goal is simple: We want to keep putting flags on that facade up there,” Gonzalez said. “I don’t think there’s a person alive that’s going to replace Bobby Cox. We just want to continue the winning tradition and go from there.”
Gonzalez managed the Marlins to a 276-279 record before he was fired June 23.
Giants flip Game 2 starters
SAN FRANCISCO — Giants manager Bruce Bochy is planning to tweak his rotation for the NL Championship Series, moving up left-hander Jonathan Sanchez to go Game 2 against the Phillies, following ace Tim Lincecum.
Bochy said he would do so to break up the two right-handers — Lincecum and Matt Cain, who now is likely to pitch Game 3 on Tuesday.
Rookie Madison Bumgarner is a candidate to pitch Game 4.
Burnett to start Game 4
NEW YORK — Yankees right-hander A.J. Burnett will start Game 4 of the ALCS against the Rangers, his first game action since Oct. 2.
Burnett will follow CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes and Andy Pettitte in the rotation for the series that begins Friday.
Footnotes.
Nielsen said the 15 divisional series games on TBS averaged a 2.8 rating — down 10 percent from a 3.1 for 13 games last year, when more large-market teams made the playoffs.
• Top overall draft pick Bryce Harper is heading to the Arizona Fall League, where the Nationals plan to work with his batting stroke.
• Former Pirates minor- league manager Dale Sveum interviewed to succeed John Russell as Pittsburgh’s manager.
The Associated Press
