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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♦ 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
shane
June 17th, 2010
9:43 pm
Venters and Kimbrell Braves have a couple good young bullpen guys
Steve
June 17th, 2010
9:43 pm
Jeff, which Braves do you think will make the All-Star team? My vote is Prado, Glaus, and Huddy. I say Heyward will if he wins the votes but I don’t think he would be picked as a reserve. Not sure about McCann. Escobar is a tough call too right?
todd grantham
June 17th, 2010
9:44 pm
how would you like to be Hicks? a sacrificial lamb. but a major leaguer too.
"Chef" Tim Dix
June 17th, 2010
9:44 pm
Coach Grantham: I’ve NEVER seen Chipper so relaxed in the dugout. Could very well work out well for both sides over the course of the season.
shane
June 17th, 2010
9:45 pm
Gotta get this guy.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:46 pm
Steve .. Agree on those three. That’s probably it.
todd grantham
June 17th, 2010
9:47 pm
chef, i keep in my mind Bryan Jordan’s comment about Chipper not being in the best shape he could be. its a broken (pardon the pun) record about the obliques, the thumb, etc.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:47 pm
Just love the way Venters doesn’t get rattled. Seems very calm and in control out there. Almost Heyward-esque.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:49 pm
Like the way this game has flown by after the rain delay. I may get to see some of the hoops game yet.
todd grantham
June 17th, 2010
9:49 pm
it now seems incredible that Chipper came back from a torn ACL early in his career. now he sits out for a torn hang nail.
todd grantham
June 17th, 2010
9:50 pm
Jeffrey, update us please on the NBA. we dont get those games out here in the sticks.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:51 pm
Tied, 25-25 in 2nd.
"Chef" Tim Dix
June 17th, 2010
9:51 pm
Coach: Jordan was out of line in his comments on a sure fire can’t miss first ballot HOF’er.
Jordan could lay the wood on the football field, but his take fails the acid test where atheletism trumps talent.
Steve
June 17th, 2010
9:52 pm
Looks like the Phillies and Mets won, again. Looking forward to that series at City Field in a few weeks.
JK
June 17th, 2010
9:53 pm
Come on Hudson…help yourself here.
Colorado bulldog
June 17th, 2010
9:53 pm
What? Prado’s only 1-4 tonight. Seems like he gets at least 2 hits every night Must be slumping.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:54 pm
Heyward tonight: home run and three strikeouts.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:54 pm
It’s Wags time.
"Chef" Tim Dix
June 17th, 2010
9:54 pm
Here comes Wags…
Steve
June 17th, 2010
9:55 pm
JK Hudson has been out of the game since the 7th.
Steve
June 17th, 2010
9:56 pm
Heyward sure has been striking out A LOT.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:56 pm
Psycho fan playing the air-guitar on centerfield video board. Great. That will just encourage him to do an encore.
Steve
June 17th, 2010
9:57 pm
Wow that would have sucked! Don’t hurt Prado Heyward!
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:57 pm
Great catch … and that was dangerous.
"Chef" Tim Dix
June 17th, 2010
9:58 pm
Fortunate to skip the injury there…
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:58 pm
How would that have been — Prado and Heyward BOTH getting injured.
"Chef" Tim Dix
June 17th, 2010
9:58 pm
ring him up with GAS
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:59 pm
Upton not happy about that but too close to call a ball.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
9:59 pm
And that does it….Braves win series. That makes 12 straight series without a loss.
"Chef" Tim Dix
June 17th, 2010
9:59 pm
Enjoy the round ball, Jeff.
Steve
June 17th, 2010
10:01 pm
Thanks Jeff! I am hoping for a tie in hoops. Hate both teams.
Vino Fino
June 17th, 2010
10:03 pm
This team has just served notice that it is not going anywhere!!! Great win and that’s 4-2 against 2 of the three best teams in the league. We are legit and our pitching will give us a chance to win every night- well 4 out of 5 nights until JJ gets back. Let’s take care of business against the Royals and the White Sox and hope the Yankees can handle the Mets. Unbelievable comeback to take the series after an ugly opener.
Mr Charlie
June 17th, 2010
10:05 pm
Wow, just imagine how good this team would be if we had a manager who knew how to manage a game.
Mr Charlie
June 17th, 2010
10:10 pm
Vine, KK has pitched OK. His ERA is on par with Lowe, not great, but not horrendous. He might win the next 10 decisions, baseball is funny that way.
Colorado bulldog
June 17th, 2010
10:13 pm
Mr Charlie are you kiddin’? Bobby Cox is awesome! A great player’s manager. Whose else would have kept his cool when we were on a 9 game losing streak. Most managers would have stressed their team out. Name one manager the Braves have ever had who is better? And please don’t say Torre.
Vino Fino
June 17th, 2010
10:14 pm
Technically, I didn’t knock KK. I agree that he’s not nearly as bad as his record, but when you are 0-10 and the team 3-11 in your starts it’s hard to feel like you are giving your team much of a chance to win.
JSS
June 17th, 2010
10:22 pm
@ Jeff Schultz…
Ha ha, Chipper can handle it…
Back home in Macon this weekend, my Mother has her last macular traction surgery on Monday morning. So she’ll be down for 10 days, hopefully it correct her vision along with the increase in her regular physical health since her hospitalization of the Spring will give me a chance to spend more time back in the office. She is a independent so-and-so, I know she hates having to be cared for 24/7.
I’m looking forward to a good old fashioned Mexican wedding the last weekend in August as my girlfriend’s cousin is getting married over off Sunset Canyon not too far from work. I get to meet the whole la familia de Gonzalez, especially Don Gonzalez… Pray Mexico makes it out the Quarterfinals…
Mr Charlie
June 17th, 2010
10:31 pm
Colorado, was being sarcastic, I love BC. You might be able to second guess him, but he is great. You are spot on during that 9 game losing streak, a team could have quit on a poor coach right then and there….I know, KK does get a bad wrap, as a team, sometimes you win, sometimes you lost. We just seem to always have cold bats and lose when he pitches. He has hurt his own cause, but he could have Lowes record too. That said, he might win the next 8 in a row.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
10:34 pm
Thanks Chef. Headed home now.
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
10:34 pm
Mr. Charlie — Dude. Really?
tampadawg86
June 17th, 2010
10:34 pm
Jeff write this down. Kawakimi if he stays in the rotation will run our season. Medlen has pitched his way to a spot in the rotation. He is a young right handed Steve Avery! Congrats to the series win against the Rays!!! This series win is huge
Jeff Schultz
June 17th, 2010
10:35 pm
JSS — My best to your mom . . . and I’m jealous about that whole Mexican wedding thing. Just the name “Sunset Canyon” sounds spectacular.
JSS
June 17th, 2010
10:36 pm
@ Mr. Charlie…
What was Smoltz’s record when he went on that winning streak in 1991? He was horrible the first half that year…
JSS
June 17th, 2010
10:43 pm
@ Jeff Schultz…
Will do, it is the only pretty place in Burbank (just kidding), I’ve driven by a couple of times,Lush… They like their weddings and their las quinceaneras…
Tweets that mention We're LIVE from Braves-Rays (and consider Chipper corked) | Jeff Schultz -- Topsy.com
June 17th, 2010
10:44 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Writing Novels, Eric Dye. Eric Dye said: Chipper right to ‘put cork back in bottle’ (but it’s a little late) http://shar.es/miap7 #braves #mlb [...]
Mr Charlie
June 17th, 2010
11:13 pm
JSS, exactly right, I think Smoltz was 1-11 with a respectable ERA and finished around .500.
KK has almost a half run better ERA than Lowe at 4.42. Not exactly Cy Young stuff, but it will earn you a nice living in the Major Leagues for a long time.
We just score a lot more runs when Lowe pitches. KK has had rotten luck, but it does tend to even out over the course of the year.
Herschel Talker
June 18th, 2010
12:35 am
Schultzie – if we can take out the Royals the next two days, thereby making 4 straight wins, then can we in good conscience root for KK to go to 0-10 on Sunday? Which will be higher at the end of the season: Ubaldo’s wins or KK’s losses?
DC Brave
June 18th, 2010
1:34 am
Mr Charlie,
Worst. Comment. Ever.
DC Brave
June 18th, 2010
1:40 am
One more for Mr. Charlie,
Missed your clarification. Apologies. I had wrongly confused you with a crazy person. My bad.
Go Braves. Have to like the way they have come through the last 14 games. 9 – 5 against three division leaders, including the team with the best record in baseball, and a hot hitting team playing at home.
Meanwhile, the Mets are fired up about beating the worst team in baseball (the Os) and a 15-game under .500 Indians. The Braves are in first even though they have played the fewest home games in the NL and have a front-loaded inter-league schedule against the Twins and Rays.
Will be good to see the Royals come to town as we move into the back end of the rotation. Fingers crossed!
Tim Hudson: Braves were too 'passive' in past seasons | Jeff Schultz
June 18th, 2010
8:55 am
[...] fact, the Braves’ pitcher had some remarkably candid comments late Thursday night following his win over Tampa Bay. While praising this year’s team for it’s passion and aggressiveness, he pretty much [...]