Players stand by Cox while he approaches 'silly' mark

Much as it's difficult to shop for the guy who has everything, it's sure going to be hard to figure out a gift for Bobby Cox in the very near future.

The Atlanta Braves manager is one heated argument away from setting baseball's all-time ejections record. He tied Hall of Famer John McGraw on Saturday by getting run for the 131st time of his career.

Ump Chad Fairchild gave Bobby Cox his record-tying 131st early trip to the showers. (US Presswire)

Next up, in a humorous, argumentative, dirt-kicking sort of way: immortality.

So how do you congratulate a guy for setting that record? Chocolate? A plaque? Bottle of champagne?

"Send him a bronze thumb?" legendary pitcher Greg Maddux suggested the other day, grinning.

"That's what I was thinking," pitcher Tom Glavine said a few days later during a Dodger Stadium conversation. "Send him a big ol' thumb."

After spending 11 Hall of Fame-caliber seasons in Atlanta, including four consecutive Cy Young summers from 1992-1995, Maddux has moved on and now is in San Diego's rotation.

And following 16 Hall of Fame-caliber seasons pitching for Cox, including Cy Young summers in 1991 and 1998, Glavine now is anchoring the New York Mets' rotation.

Each, however, will have a very big hand in the record, whenever Cox sets it.

Because while it is one of the very few statistics to escape baseball's web of numbers, by most estimates, the overwhelming majority of Cox's ejections have been while arguing ball-and-strike calls. Mostly while sticking up for his pitchers.

"Because he loves his pitchers," said Baltimore pitching coach Leo Mazzone, who established his reputation as Cox's pitching guru during the great Glavine-Maddux-John Smoltz years in the 1990s.

"One time Bobby was hollering at the plate umpire in the first inning," Mazzone said. "Maddux came by and told me, 'Tell Coach Cox I'm trying to butter him up.' Here Maddux was early in the game saying he was trying to butter up the umpire, and Bobby is mother f------ him from the dugout!"

Mazzone paused, threw back his head and roared with laughter at the memory of it all.