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Braves-Jays series matches up old pals

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Bobby Cox (left) and Cito Gaston last faced each other in the 1992 World Series. (Robert Azmitia/AP)

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• Complete 2009 Interleague coverage

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com

05/22/09 2:08 AM ET

ATLANTA -- When Bobby Cox and Cito Gaston first met more than 40 years ago, they certainly didn't envision that they'd one day have the opportunity to match wits against each other in a World Series.

Nor did they look far enough into the future to even think about the possibility that 17 years after that Fall Classic, they'd once again find themselves squaring off against each other with those same teams that they carried into the Octobers of the 1990s.

"That's pretty amazing -- for me," Gaston said. "For him? No."

Standing as the longest-tenured manager in the Majors, Cox began this stint as Atlanta's manager midway through the 1990 season. In the process, he's become one of the most recognized figures to ever be associated with a Braves organization that he led to the World Series five times during the 1990s.

As for Gaston, he led the Blue Jays to consecutive World Series championships, with the first being captured in 1992 at the expense of Cox's Braves.

When Gaston brings the Blue Jays to Atlanta to open the Interleague season against the Braves this weekend, he'll coming to Georgia's capital city as a manager for the first time since Oct. 24, 1992, when Toronto ended the World Series with a Game 6 victory at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

During the course of the 17 years that have since passed, Gaston has possessed a number of different roles with the Blue Jays organization that made him its first full-time hitting coach in 1982. Providing him that opportunity was Cox, who at the time was beginning a four-year stint as Toronto's manager.

"I really like Cito," Cox said. "He's a gentleman, and the players love him. I've known him for a long time dating back to our days in the Minors and Winter Leagues. When [then-Blue Jays general manager] Pat Gillick asked me for some names for a hitting coach, he was one of the first guys that I mentioned."

After Gaston returned to the managerial role in Toronto midway through the 2008 season, he and Cox were able to spend some time together during a three-game series the Braves played in Toronto in late June.

Instead of reminiscing about the 1992 World Series, they talked more about the association that they've shared dating back to the playing days, when they crossed paths in the Minors and winter leagues.

"Cito and I go back a long way," Cox said. "When you're going up against guys you've known that long, there's some different feelings there. I can't really explain them. But they're there." This weekend will mark the third time that Cox and Gaston have managed against each other since the 1992 World Series. The first regular-season matchup occurred in 1997, when the Braves traveled to Toronto.

Gaston was relieved of his duties during the final week of the 1997 season and didn't return to the managerial role until midway through last season.

Currently continuing his long tenure with the Braves organization as a Major League consultant, Bobby Dews has worked with Cox dating back to the 1970s, which is when he was first introduced to Gaston, who was spending some of the final days of his playing career with Atlanta.

Cox's first Major League managerial experience occurred in 1978, when he skippered a Braves team that included Gaston as an outfielder.

"These guys are two of the best you'll ever find in the game," Dews said. "It's not just because they are solid baseball guys. It's because they are solid people. Those are the kinds of guys that everybody in baseball looks up to and respects. I'm not talking about popularity. I'm talking about respect."

Pitching matchup
ATL: RHP Kenshin Kawakami (2-5, 5.73 ERA)
Kawakami had a solid outing Saturday night against the Diamondbacks, but was saddled with the loss in Atlanta's 12-0 defeat at Turner Field. The Japanese right-hander went five innings, giving up three runs on five hits. After struggling early, he retired the last eight men he faced. Kawakami has had command issues this season, averaging five walks per nine innings. Although he only walked one batter against the D-backs, the 33-year-old rookie was burned by four extra-base hits. This will be his first career start against the Blue Jays.

TOR: RHP Roy Halladay (8-1, 2.78 ERA)
On Sunday against the White Sox at Rogers Centre, Halladay allowed two runs in seven innings for his eighth win of the season. Only one of the runs was earned, as Halladay committed a fielding error that allowed Chicago second baseman Chris Getz to get on base and eventually come around to score. Both runs were scored in the first inning. Halladay allowed six hits and one walk, striking out eight. He pounded the strike zone, throwing 77 of his 103 pitches for strikes.

Tidbits
Halladay's lone career appearance against the Braves came in 1999, when he allowed one run in a 3 2/3-inning relief appearance and got the win. ... Top prospect Tommy Hanson registered nine strikeouts and allowed just one hit in six scoreless innings for Triple-A Gwinnett against Toledo on Thursday night. Working three innings of relief in the same game, Jorge Campillo allowed four runs and two hits. Campillo, who has been on the disabled list since April 16 with a fatigued right shoulder, was hoping to make just one more rehab appearance before being activated. ... Kris Medlen and Diory Hernandez both made their Major League debuts during Thursday night's loss to the Rockies. The last time two Braves made their debuts in the same game was Sept. 5, 2001, when Tim Spooneybarger and Cory Aldridge got the first taste of big league action.

Tickets
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On the Internet
 MLB.TV
 Gameday Audio
•  Gameday
•  Official game notes

On television
• Peachtree Television

On radio
• 640 WGST, Project 9-6-1

Up next
• Saturday: Braves (Derek Lowe, 5-2, 3.58) vs. Blue Jays (Scott Richmond, 4-2, 3.64), 7:00 p.m. ET
• Sunday: Braves (Jair Jurrjens, 4-2, 1.96) vs. Blue Jays (Brian Tallet, 2-2, 4.47), 1:30 p.m. ET
• Monday: Braves (Javier Vazquez, 4-3, 3.39) at Giants (Jonathan Sanchez, 1-4, 4.74), 4:05 p.m. ET

Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.