In one season Major League Baseball has seen three of its greatest managers retire. That’s never happened before in one setting. But when Bobby Cox, Joe Torre and Lou Piniella departed the scene in 2010 — Cox’s Braves finally succumbing in the NLDS on Sunday — they took a combined 6,665 wins with them.
Cox ranks No. 4 all time (2,504), Torre is right behind him at No. 5 (2,326) and Piniella is No. 14 (1,835). As managers they had a combined 38 playoff appearances. Cox won five pennants and a World Series. Torre had six pennants and four World Series. Piniella led the Reds to the 1990 title.
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The last time we saw three decorated skippers retire at once? It was 1988 with Dick Williams, Chuck Tanner and Billy Martin. Williams ranked No. 18 in wins (1,571), Tanner was No. 27 (1,352) and Martin was No. 34 (1,253). Williams won two World Series with the A’s and pennants in Boston and San Diego. Martin (New York, 1977) and Tanner (Pittsburgh, 1979) each won one World Series.
That’s an excellent record — but not compared to the 2010 trio. The only group that’s better is the 1950 class consisting of just two retirees — Connie Mack (3,731) and Joe McCarthy (2,125), No. 1 and No. 8 in wins respectively. They combined for 18 pennants and 12 World Series.
