Wren, a former GM with Baltimore, spent the past eight years working for Schuerholz and hoping to eventually replace him.
"Our styles are different," said Wren, who also got a four-year deal. "But our philosophies are very, very similar."
Braves manager Bobby Cox, 66, has a year left on his contract and hasn't made any decision about whether he'll return beyond 2008. But the change in GMs shouldn't have an impact.
"The good thing is both of them are still here," Cox said. "It's business as usual."
Suspension struggle?
Major League Baseball might suspend players implicated by the Albany County (N.Y.) district attorney's office for receiving banned substances, and that could trigger a grievance from the players' union.
Although baseball's drug agreement specifies penalties for criminal conviction for use of a prohibited substance and for participation in the sale or distribution of a prohibited substance, it is silent about discipline for possession of a banned drug.
No discipline would occur until after the postseason, a baseball official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because no announcements have been made.
