A second chance for Ned Yost?

ByJERRY CRASNICK
September 10, 2014, 11:29 AM

— -- Four years into retirement, Bobby Cox has lots of time to attend birthday parties for his grandchildren and admire the framed Stan Musial photo and other parting gifts from his 2010 farewell tour. When he's not contributing input as a special assistant to Atlanta general manager Frank Wren, he's watching games on TV and keeping an eye on disciples from the Bobby Cox tree.

Cox has a vicarious allegiance with Kansas City, where former Atlanta executive Dayton Moore is trying to get the Royals to the postseason for the first time since 1985. The Royals are managed by Ned Yost, who spent 12 seasons on Cox's coaching staff from 1991 through 2002. Personal affinities aside, Cox finds a lot to admire in the way Yost does his job.

"You can't beat him as a person or a baseball guy," Cox said. "He's not afraid to do things. He runs a great communication clubhouse, and he's strict. He's always been no-nonsense -- let's play the game right and win. I love Ned."

For a guy who hit .212 as a backup catcher in the majors before managing two small-market teams in the heartland, Yost has assembled an intriguing roster of friends through the years. He spent some time on the late Dale Earnhardt's NASCAR pit crew in the 1990s and is good pals and hunting partners with comedian Jeff Foxworthy of "You Might be a Redneck" fame.

Yost is just a good ol' boy with earthy sensibilities, but he's on the verge of embellishing his portfolio. The top three candidates for American League Manager of the Year are Baltimore's Buck Showalter, Seattle's Lloyd McClendon and Yost, who's trying to lead an offensively impaired Kansas City team to the playoffs for the first time since 1985. The Royals whizzed past Detroit with a 19-9 August, and now they're trying to navigate the big-boy portion of their schedule as they complete a three-game series at Comerica Park on Wednesday night.