The three retired skippers will officially be inducted July 27 in Cooperstown, N.Y., along with whoever is elected by the Baseball Writers Association of America when voting results are announced next month.

"I can't tell you how excited I am," Torre said. "What makes it even better is to go in with these two guys ... you know, we waged a lot of battles against each other. It's just a great, great feeling."

Cox, 72, managed the Atlanta Braves for 25 years, leading them to the 1995 World Series title and 14 straight division titles from 1991-2005. The Braves won the NL pennant in 1991, 1992, 1996 and 1999. He is fourth in career wins with a 2,504-2,001 record.

He also managed the Toronto Blue Jays for four seasons.

"The greatest manager any of us will know," longtime Braves third baseman Chipper Jones said.

The only blemish on Cox's record: The Braves captured only one World Series title despite all those trips to the postseason. Most disappointing was a loss to Torre's Yankees in 1996 after the Braves dominated the first two games in New York.

La Russa, 69, managed the Chicago White Sox, Oakland A's and St. Louis Cardinals, winning the World Series in 1989 with Oakland and in 2006 and 2011 with St. Louis. He is third in career wins with lifetime record of 2,728-2,365.

He had 70 postseason victories, trailing only Torre's 84, and joined role model Sparky Anderson as the lone managers to win Series in both leagues.

In all, La Russa managed 12 first-place finishes and six pennants and was picked as Manager of the Year four times. He went to the World Series three straight years from 1988-90, and also lost in the Series in 2004 when the Cardinals were swept by Boston.

Torre, 73, led the New York Yankees to World Series titles in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000 and AL pennants in 2001 and 2003. He is fifth all time in wins with 2,326.

Before taking over as Yankees manager in 1996, Torre had had mixed success with the New York York Mets, Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals.


MILLER'S EXCLUSION 'SIMPLY ABSURD'


Marvin Miller didn't even come close to the Hall of Fame this time.

After falling one vote short in the 2010 election by the Hall's expansion era committee, the pioneering players' union head was at least six votes shy this year in the first balloting following his death.

Miller received 44 percent in 2003 and 63 percent in 2007 when all Hall of Famers could vote on the veterans panel. After the Hall downsized the committee, he got 3 of 12 votes in 2007, 7 of 12 in 2009 and 11 of 16 in 2010 — one fewer than the necessary 75 percent.

Miller asked after the 2007 vote that he not be included on future ballots. He died in November 2012 at age 95.

The Hall didn't specify Miller's vote total, only that he was among those receiving six votes or fewer.

"To any marginally sentient person, Marvin Miller not being in the so-called National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is simply absurd," former union chief operating officer Gene Orza said in an email to The Associated Press. "Miller's absence is not the fault of the voters. They are entitled to their opinions, however uninformed or prejudiced they might be. It's the Hall's fault. They've entrusted their status as a museum to people who are not qualified to be curators of a museum — which is why the Hall's claim to be one is a joke."


HALLADAY CALLS IT A CAREER


Two-time Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay has retired after 16 seasons in the major leagues with Toronto and Philadelphia.

The 36-year-old right-hander signed a one-day contract Monday to retire as a member of the Blue Jays, where he spent the first 12 years of his career. He made the announcement at a news conference at the winter meetings in Orlando.

The eight-time All-Star played for the Phillies from 2010-13, finishing with two injury-plagued seasons. He won an NL Cy Young Award in 2010, throwing a perfect game that season and a no-hitter in his first postseason game.

Halladay was 203-105 with an ERA of 3.38 in 416 career games, including 390 starts. He had 67 complete games and 20 shutouts.


SALE ON THE TRADING BLOCK?


The market for free-agent starting pitchers is thin, so teams are "pushing" the Chicago White Sox to deal ace Chris Sale, FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal reports.

And the White Sox apparently will listen to offers, Rosenthal writes. But White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf tells the Chicago Tribune he doesn't expect the team to move Sale.

Sale, 24, is under team control through 2019, so Chicago likely would hold out for a major haul before dealing him. The lefty had a 3.04 ERA (good for seventh in the AL), 1.073 WHIP (third) and 226 strikeouts (third) in 2013. He also was the winning pitcher in the All-Star Game.

Overall, Sale is 32 -25 with a 2.97 ERA and 1.103 WHIP in four seasons with the ChiSox.


O'S, METS EYEING COLON


The Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets are interested in free-agent RHP Bartolo Colon.

Colon's agents met with the Mets on Sunday, according to Sweeny Murti of WFAN.

And now comes word from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that the O's are eying the 2005 AL Cy Young winner as well.

Colon had a strong year for the Oakland A's in 2013, going 18-6 with a 2.65 ERA, a 1.166 WHIP and 117 strikeouts. But he turns 41 in May, meaning most teams are wary of offering a multi-year contract.

If the three-time All-Star does settle for a one-year deal, expect him to make more than $10 million, Heyman writes.

Baltimore, as usual, is in need of pitching help. The team finished 10th in the AL with a 4.20 ERA. The Orioles allowed 709 runs, more than any other team in the league that finished above .500.

The team has penciled Chris Tillman, Wei-Yin Chen, Miguel Gonzalez and Bud Norris into their 2014 rotation.

Contributors: Justin McGuire, The Associated Press

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