Schuerholz Announcing Retirement

[Aubie16 1]

A sad day for Braves fans.

An era is ending for the Braves. John Schuerholz is stepping aside as general manager.

The team's venerable general manager will announce at a 3:30 p.m. press conference that he will remain in the organization in another capacity and be replaced by top assistant Frank Wren, according to two people familiar with the situation.

Manager Bobby Cox is returning for at least one more season, but his longtime boss is not.

Schuerholz, 67, has been a baseball GM for 26 seasons with Kansas City and Atlanta, and had the longest tenure among major league GMs. He presided over the Braves' run of 14 consecutive division titles from 1991 to 2005, an unprecedented run in North American major professional sports.

The only disappointment of the era was that the Braves won just a single World Series title (1995) in those 14 postseason trips. He also won a World Series ring with Kansas City in 1985.

The Braves missed the playoffs in 2006 and again this year, finishing in third place in the National League East division standings both of those seasons.

Cox, 66, has said he intends to return at least for the 2008 season, which would his 27th as a major league manager and 23rd with the Braves. He indicated this month that he might also manage beyond next season.

Wren, 49, has been a Braves assistant GM for seven seasons, after serving as Baltimore Orioles GM in 1999 and as Florida Marlins assistant GM for eight seasons through 1998.

http://www.ajc.com/braves/content/sports/b...erholz_1012.htm

[BigSammyK 171]

[Justin5 20]

I'm actually not as worried now that it has sunk in a little. His protege is taking over and he will still be in the office.

I'm not exactly happy though.