Bochy vs. Cox
Posted by Andy on October 12, 2010
Congratulations to Bobby Cox on a fantastic career.
Reader Erik G emailed in to point out that Bruce Bochy played against Bobby Cox in 1978 and 1979 when Bochy was a player and Cox was in his first stint as Braves' manager.
Here are a few box scores of such games:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ATL/ATL197808040.shtml
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ATL/ATL197808040.shtml
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/HOU/HOU197908042.shtml
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/HOU/HOU197909190.shtml
I guess this isn't so rare--Joe Girardi played (as a player) against Cox, and I'm sure other current managers have--but probably not too many from pre-1980.
October 12th, 2010 at 12:23 pm
ROn Washington goes back to the 70's as a player but missed Cox then. He did face the Blue Jays in 1982 when Cox was there.
Dusty Baker face Cox many times int he late 70's
Sciosia goes back to 1980 against Cox
Ken Macha - 1978
Brad Mills - 1981
Lou Piniella - 1982
Bud Black - 1982
Jim TRACY - 1980
And of course, Charlie Manuel, Tony Larussa and Joe Torre were all done as players before Cox started in 1978
October 12th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
What's rare? Current managers playing against Cox before 1980? Cox only managed two years before 1980. The managed against Dusty Baker as a player as well. Cito Gaston played *for* Cox in 1978 and Cox sold him to the Pirates during the last week of the season.
Cox the player played against Charlie Manuel in 1969:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA196905230.shtml
... and also Lou Piniella as a player:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/KCA/KCA196905302.shtml
Larussa's and Cox's teams played each other a few times in 1968-69, but they never appeared in the same game that I can tell. Torre was playing those years too but he was in the other league.
October 12th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Torre managed against Cox in 1978-1981 (both managed last place teams in 1978 and 1979) and then replaced him as manager in 1982 and then they again managed against each other, this time in the World Series (1996 and 1999).