There will be a lot of new faces managing Major League Baseball teams next season. Joe Torre left the Dodgers. Lou Piniella left the Cubs. Cito Gaston left the Blue Jays — and those are just the ones who left voluntarily.

Bobby Cox is also leaving the Atlanta Braves. This retirement might be the biggest loss of all for the game.

Cox took an undermanned Braves team to the playoffs as a wild card despite losing Chipper Jones, Martin Prado and two key pitchers during the season. And he had the San Francisco Giants on the brink in the NL Divisonal Playoffs despite losing closer Billy Wagner and a bunch of errors by Brooks Conrad.

The better team won the series. But the Giants and their fans were classy about it, giving Cox a standing ovation for his years and contributions to the game.

Congratulations on your retirement, Mr. Cox. You’ve given Atlanta a heckuva ride.