Reports: Braves hire Fredi Gonzalez

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The Atlanta Braves have hired former Florida Marlins skipper Fredi Gonzalez as manager, multiple media outlets reported.

Gonzalez

Longtime Braves manager Bobby Cox retired Monday after the Braves were eliminated from the playoffs by the Giants. Cox will have a news conference at Turner Field on Wednesday and Gonzalez will be introduced immediately afterward, according to the reports.

Gonzalez was fired in June after 3½ years as the Marlins manager, having posted a 276-279 record with one of baseball's lower payrolls. He apparently ran afoul of owner Jeffrey Loria for benching star shortstop Hanley Ramirez for a lack of hustle.

Gonzalez was a minor league manager in the Braves organization and did an apprenticeship as Cox's third-base coach from 2003-06. He still lives in suburban Atlanta, remained tight with Cox and frequently turned up at Turner Field after being dumped by the Marlins.

The Braves were expected to move quickly to make a hire. Cox announced that he planned to retire at season's end a year ago.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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