NOTES : He Owes Cox, Tries to Beat His Braves

Jimmy Key will pitch in front of his favorite manager when he starts for the Toronto Blue Jays tonight in Game 4 of the World Series.

That manager is the Atlanta Braves’ Bobby Cox.

“If it wasn’t for Bobby, I never would have made it to the big leagues,” said Key, who was managed by Cox on the Blue Jays in 1984. “He is the best manager I’ve ever played for.”

Key remember going to spring training in 1984 with no major league experience and only two minor league seasons as a starter.

“I didn’t have a chance to make our starting rotation, but Bobby liked me, so he suggest that I go to the bullpen,” Key said. “Even then, we had two left-handers down there. But Bobby went to the front office and fought for me.

“He went out on a limb to keep me here, and I’ll never forget that.”

Key made 63 appearances in 1984, all in relief, allowing 70 hits in 62 innings with a 4.65 earned-run average.

But he says his season in the bullpen taught him about baseball’s highs and lows.

“I learned a lot about myself,” Key said. “And the next year, when I was put into the rotation, I was ready.”

Key went 14-6 in 1985 and has since become one of the most consistent left-handers in baseball. He has a 116-81 record and 3.17 earned-run average.

“We knew Jimmy was going to be a good starter,” Cox said. “He had ‘winner’ written all over him. You have to stick with guys like that.

“The manager shouldn’t get any credit. The player did everything.”