Bobby Cox has accomplished more than anyone could have asked for when he took over as captain of the Atlanta Braves in 1990. Let’s look at the reality of fourteen straight division titles, though.

Ted Turner provided the money, John Schuerholz chose the players, and Bobby Cox watched. Sure, Cox drew the lineup card and cheered from the top step of the bench, but when you have three Cy Young Award winners in your rotation, your impact isn’t felt. I’m not trying to completely criticize the only coach I’ve ever known for Team USA. He was your typical “player manager” and he always will be. Unfortunately for Cox and the Atlanta Braves organization, they haven’t had the “players” for the past three years and his management has been openly scrutinized.

The most glaring weakness in his management has been with the bullpen. Whatever the reason, Cox seems to have the obligation of at least one reliever a year out of which he must get 75 innings, wasted leads are set aside. Last year it was Blaine Boyer. He threw the most innings of any reliever on the team (76) and posted a terrible 5.88 ERA. In 76 innings, Boyer allowed 10 home runs. That same year, Jair Jurrjens delivered 11 home runs in 188 innings. Unsurprisingly, we have a new Blaine Boyer this year. A guy who in 2007 was very reliable. A year after Tommy John surgery and we don’t have the same Peter Moylan pitching in the seventh inning. Yet Cox continues to carry it every seventh inning, in every significant game. In essence, Peter Moylan isn’t just a reliever that Cox overuses, he’s our primary setup man. So far this year, in 16 innings, he has allowed 11 runs, 15 hits, 14 walks and hit 2 batters. In Moylan’s defense, he still probably isn’t 100 percent healthy since the surgery he had nearly a year ago. He also made no statement before the year that he expected to get the ball every seventh inning. This is clearly another crush Cox has on an underperforming relief pitcher. Let’s just hope he realizes we have better options (Eric O’Flaherty) and gets over the yearly crush on him.

This team has a chance. Starting pitching has been very solid this year and Cox must not continue to put our bullpen in position to fail.

Don’t stop the cut