Braves’ run has ‘ brought a spark’ to Bobby Cox’s eye

You cannot watch a telecast of a Braves postseason game without seeing a flashback image of Bobby Cox, who led this franchise to fifive World Series in the 1990s. Manager Brian Snitker is often asked on Zoom media conferences if he’s still in touch with his mentor, and Snitker always says yes.

Cox retired as manager in 2010. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014 alongside his former pitchers Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux. Cox threw out the fifirst ball at the Braves’ home opener April 1, 2019. He suffered a stroke the next day. He rarely has been seen in public since. He turned 79 in May.

On Friday, this correspondent spoke with Pam Cox, Bobby’s wife, to inquire about his health, but also about his feelings about the team of his heart being one game from another World Series. The

Reporting towork following what could have been a dispiriting 15- 3 loss in Game 3, Ozuna set the same tone has he has all season as the Braves big one- year free agent acquisition. “Come in happy and give best to my teammates and pump it up,” he said.

“The energy he brings is unbelievable,” said the Braves’ Game 4 winner Bryse Wilson. “It’s translated throughout thewhole team. This teamis somuch fun to be around and he’s a big part of it for sure.”

Ozuna had been uncharacteristically quiet at the plate for the Braves, though, hitting just .200 with one home run in the eight postseason games before Thursday. When he reported to work forGame 4 he decided to skip batting practice and take to the batting cage out of sight and work out his issues.

“I was struggling a little, jumping forward. I swing crazy. I stayed inside and hit in the cage off the machine,

( working on) staying a little bitmore back theway Iwas before the season ended and got some success,” he said.

On displaywas theOzuna who led the National League in both home runs ( 18) and RBIs ( 56) this season. He backed up all the positivity he brought to the park with production. Didn’t matter who the Dodgers threw at him. Ozuna had an RBI against three different Dodgers pitchers, two of them via solohomerun and run- scoring double off three- time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw.

Speaking of Ozuna’s impact, Braves manager Brian Snitker said, “What he did to the middle of our lineup — I don’t think you could go out and find anybody that did more for our club this year thanMarcell.”

That point was capitalized and underlined Thursday night.

And so many opportunities to show off his celebratory, imaginary selfies after scoring a run, a shtick Ozuna began at the wild- card stage of the playoffs.

“It’s another idea to have fun,” he said. “Let’s go!”

Mark Bradley Only In TheAJC

CURTIS COMPTON / CURTIS. COMPTON@ AJC. COM The Braves’ MarcellOzuna celebrates a home run with an imaginary selfie pose during theGame 4 victory over the Dodgers in Arlington, Texas. Ozuna had four hits— including twohome runs— and four RBIsas theBraves tooka3- 1 lead inNational LeagueChampionshipSeries.