ATLANTA -- When this season began, Jeff Francoeur was among those who thought this would be the final season of Bobby Cox's historic managerial career. But after spending some time with Cox in the visitors' dugout at Shea Stadium a few weeks ago, the Braves right fielder reversed his opinion.

"We were up in New York and he was looking at the new stadium out in left field and said, 'That will be cool to go there next year,'" Francoeur said. "Then I started thinking he would come back."

All speculation about this potentially being Cox's final season was put to rest on Friday afternoon, when the Braves announced that they've signed the 67-year-old manager to a one-year extension that runs through the end of the 2009 season. Financial details weren't disclosed, but his salary is expected to remain at approximately $3 million.

"I'm certainly going to end my career here, no doubt about that now, and I'm happy," Cox said. "We've got great ballplayers that are fun to be around. They're a fun team to be a part of. If it wasn't fun, you should get out of the game, but I'm still having fun."

During Spring Training in 2007, Cox indicated this might be his last year, but since that time, he has softened that stance. When Frank Wren became the Braves' general manager in October, one of his first goals was to keep Cox in place.

Throughout the recent portion of his career, Cox has regularly signed one-year contracts. If he still has his health and the desire to keep managing, he could find himself signing yet another one-year contract with the Braves.

"As long as he wants to manage and is able to do it, we'd love to have him," Wren said.

Cox had this to say on the one-year deal: "If they get disgusted with me, they won't have to pay me an extra year."

Truthfully, since becoming the Braves' manager midway through the 1990 season, Cox has led the organization to success of historic proportions. He was the manager during the unprecedented streak of 14 consecutive division titles from 1991-2005. His 2,281 wins rank fourth on the all-time managerial wins list.

Along the way, he's established himself as a manager who is beloved by almost all of his players.

"He's a big reason why guys who are here want to stay here, and he's a big reason why guys who are free agents look at coming here, because they want the opportunity to play for him," Braves left-hander Tom Glavine said. "He's a great recruiting coordinator in that regard."

When Glavine chose to return to the Braves this season, part of his decision was based on the fact that he would be reunited with Cox. This upcoming offseason, when Mark Teixeira potentially finds himself as the top available free agent, he says he'll weigh the fact that Cox will be around for at least one more season.

Because Cox's contract is for just one season, Teixeira's decision won't be based solely on this development. But since arriving in Atlanta at last year's trade deadline, the 28-year-old switch-hitting first baseman has come to understand why his manager is so highly regarded.

"He's the greatest," Teixeira said. "I've only played for three managers. But his reputation before I got here was impeccable, and I've seen nothing but great things since I got here."

Even while Cox spent the past few months making sure his family was fine with him returning to the bench for at least one more season, Glavine never got a sense retirement was in the immediate future.

"I think he likes to talk about retirement and then when he realizes what he's talking about, he comes to his senses," Glavine said. "I think everybody who knows him knows how much he likes being in a uniform. It's good for him and good for the organization."