We’re LIVE from Braves-Rays (and consider Chipper corked)
Oh no! Chipper's not in the lineup! He retired! Call 911! Boil water! (Kidding. It's just a rest day.)
Chipper Jones probably will still retire after this season. He just doesn’t want to talk about it right now.
Jones, holding an impromptu 6 p.m. press conference in front of his locker, told the assembled media: “Let’s face it, we all know which way I’m leaning. But I think it’s best that we put this all behind us. Somehow the cork got taken out, well I’m putting it back in. So I don’t want to hear any more talk about retirement until the end of the season.”
Yeah, well. Good luck with that.
Anyway, my column on Jones’ announcement — and really moreso the absurdity of the past two days — is now posted. You can find it by clicking here.
Ideally, word of recent retirement talks with the Braves would not have leaked out at all. But it probably also would have been better if Jones had tried to end this circus immediately when the story got out two days ago.
In any event, he is doing the right thing now by trying to kill the story because he’s right: The team’s pennant chase should be a bigger story than his retirement (and Bobby Cox would say the same thing about his own retirement).
Jones, as you probably realize by now, is not in the lineup tonight against Tampa Bay, but Cox had already panned on that. “I’m just resting him,” he said. Then, anticipating the ever-present Jones retirement question, he threw his arms up in the air and said, smiling: “I swear I don’t know anything.”
Now let’s see what Tim Hudson can do against the Tampa Bay Rays, as the Braves try to win another series. Since losing two out of three games to Philadelphia May 7-9, the Braves have won (8) or split (3) 11 straight series, a remarkable streak. They have split the first two games of this series against the Rays.
And with that, let’s commence with the LIVE blogging.
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Recent posts:
♦ Chipper Jones’ retirement shouldn’t be a punchline
♦ Poll time: Which Atlanta team is closest to a title?
♦ Rankings that matter: Falcons are better than Saints
♦ LIVE blog: More bad history for Kawakami (0-9), but Chipper homers
♦ Chipper Jones has more pride than to sit back, collect checks
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152 comments Add your comment
Steve
June 17th, 2010
9:04 pm
Does anyone know when Prado’s contract ends? We need to keep him for a LONG time.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:06 pm
Steve — I really hate throwing suspicions of PEDs out there if there’s not at least strong circumstantial evidence to back it up (see: Clemens, Bonds, McGwire, etc.). I can’t believe somebody on sports talk radio actually said that. Really?
Steve
June 17th, 2010
9:07 pm
Chuck Oliver on 680. It was about a week ago. Maybe he is just that good.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:08 pm
Steve — Prado is on a one-year, $440,000 contract but he’s not going anywhere for a long time. He’ll have arbitration rights after this year (and obviously will take a huge jump) and won’t be eligible for free agency until two years after that (unless the Braves lock him up to a multi-year deal, which obviously will be their goal).
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:10 pm
Nice effort by Zobrist, good effort by Glaus running hard the whole play.
Colorado bulldog
June 17th, 2010
9:11 pm
How clutch is Glaus!
"Chef" Tim Dix
June 17th, 2010
9:13 pm
Jeff, just got back from PCB, left wife and daughter there… An update: Red sea weed at bouys…
And please no why you left them there, with tix for fridays game in your front shirt pocket.
"Chef" Tim Dix
June 17th, 2010
9:13 pm
Enter your comments here
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:14 pm
Hinske out for defensive purposes.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:14 pm
Colorado — very clutch. He has been absolutely amazing, especially when you consider his April.
Colorado bulldog
June 17th, 2010
9:15 pm
@Steve Ubaldo’s the real deal. Gibsonesque.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:15 pm
Chef — get any new tattoos?
Steve
June 17th, 2010
9:17 pm
Lets hope they sign Glaus and move him to 3rd next season. However I am sure he will want $8 million or more at least. I guess they will have the money though if Chipper is gone, which I am sure he will be. Can’t see him playing for a different manager. Even if it is Freddy G.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:17 pm
Next pitch will be No. 90 for Huddy. Another masterpiece.
"Chef" Tim Dix
June 17th, 2010
9:18 pm
Jeff, c’mon…tats are so 15 mins. ago. It piercings baby!
Ragnar Danneskjöld
June 17th, 2010
9:18 pm
There can’t be anyone in baseball more valuable to his team than Glaus is to the Braves. he is carrying the team, and I don’t say that ignorant of the contributions of Prado and Heyward and Hinske.
"Chef" Tim Dix
June 17th, 2010
9:18 pm
Oh and I’m now into goth.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:19 pm
Chef — I’m more like 20 minutes ago.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:20 pm
Radnar — Won’t go as far to say he’s carrying the team but his power and run production has been huge, given the slow starts from the three players expected to provide RBIs: Chipper-McCann-Escobar.
"Chef" Tim Dix
June 17th, 2010
9:21 pm
20 mins. = mullets. (chef had one BTW, wow…I feel clenths.
"Chef" Tim Dix
June 17th, 2010
9:24 pm
Anyone up for wagering in potential pitching decisions or Chipper’s code of silence positively effecting immediate payrole?
Steve
June 17th, 2010
9:25 pm
Good job Tim! Another great game!
Steve
June 17th, 2010
9:25 pm
Or not.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:25 pm
Huddy has thrown 102 pitches. They’ll let him pitch to Aybar, which is not surprising.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:26 pm
One pitch. See ya.
J-MAN
June 17th, 2010
9:27 pm
I still think they shouldv’e pulled huddy but glad he got out of it
Colorado bulldog
June 17th, 2010
9:27 pm
Aybar owed us one.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:27 pm
I’m guessing that’s it for Huddy. He’s due up third in the inning.
Ragnar Danneskjöld
June 17th, 2010
9:30 pm
Give Hudson credit for his hit, too – without that hit Glaus does not come to the plate with two outs and bases loaded.
"Chef" Tim Dix
June 17th, 2010
9:31 pm
yuni’s shin guard also has highlights.
"Chef" Tim Dix
June 17th, 2010
9:32 pm
HOLY CRAP! Yuni thinking?
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:33 pm
Public service announcement. Celtics up 22-14. Know how close Shelden Williams is to an NBA title?
Steve
June 17th, 2010
9:33 pm
Jeff who do you like tonight in hoops? Boston 23 LA 14 after the 1st quarter believe it or not.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:33 pm
Ragnar — yeah, he’s 1-for-2. Melky is 0-2.
"Chef" Tim Dix
June 17th, 2010
9:34 pm
Billy K. smiling.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:34 pm
By the way, Chipper in on-deck circle (if TV hasn’t showed him).
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:36 pm
That wasn’t very good, was it?
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:36 pm
Chipper back to the dugout, Brandon Hicks hits. Makes sense.
"Chef" Tim Dix
June 17th, 2010
9:36 pm
HOLY CRAP! Thats the Yuni I know.
Steve
June 17th, 2010
9:38 pm
Escobar could be a hell of a player if he acted like he cared or would simply pay attention. I don’t think Freddy G. will take his crap if he is manager next year.
J-MAN
June 17th, 2010
9:39 pm
ok im wrong he is pulling him so Cox is playing smart tonight give it to the BP and get Timmy a win and call it a night
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:39 pm
Johnny Venters coming in to pitch.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:40 pm
Steve — Honestly don’t know what’s going with Escobar right now.
"Chef" Tim Dix
June 17th, 2010
9:40 pm
Venters = find.
todd grantham
June 17th, 2010
9:40 pm
Jeffrey, maybe its time for Chipper to retire when he is used as a decoy.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:41 pm
Hudson’s line: 7 innings, 1 run, four hits, 4 walks, 5 strikeouts. If Braves hold on he’ll be 7-2 with a 2.34 ERA and 12 quality starts in 14 games.
Steve
June 17th, 2010
9:42 pm
Venters is amazing. I say they make him the closer next year. Don’t see Wagner coming back.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:42 pm
Todd — don’t think he was a decoy. Makes more sense to have him bat with men on than with bases empty and two outs.
todd grantham
June 17th, 2010
9:43 pm
Hudson is worthy of an all star start.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:43 pm
Chef, Steve — Agree. This kid is unbelievable and he is the heir apparent as a closer.