Chipper Jones gets hit in return and takes a swing at critics
Chipper Jones had a single in first spring game since his knee injury last August. (AP photo)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Seventeen years ago this spring, Chipper Jones turned to avoid a tag at first base in an otherwise meaningless exhibition and his knee buckled. He heard a pop. Then he heard a doctor say, “torn ACL.” At 21 years old, he wondered if his career was toast.
“Honestly, I was a lot more scared the first time this happened,” he said Sunday. “I didn’t know anything about the injury. I didn’t know if I could be the same player that I was before.”
Jones’ second attempt to come back from a reconstructed knee began in earnest Sunday. He played in a game for the first time since suffering a torn ACL last August. In an exhibition against the New York Mets, he went one for three (strikeout, single, flyout) as a designated hitter and even broke up a would-be double play at second base — with a cautious and “measured” slide.
“Once the season starts it will be, ‘Go after him.’ Right there, it was, ‘Don’t blow out [the knee in] the first game,’” he said, smiling.
Baby steps. Unlike when Jones was injured as a rookie, he is confident he can pull this off. It’s others who wonder.
When an athlete pushing 39 has reconstructive knee surgery, the tendency is to speak about them in past tense. Or worse. Some cynics not only question Jones physically, they wonder if money is his primary motivation. This accusation generally comes from the short-sighted, ignorant and disturbed segment of the populace that vents on sports talk radio and posts comments on blogs, all behind the comfort of anonymity.
When I asked Jones about the accusation, he laughed.
Then he swung away.
“If they think I’m doing this for the money, they obviously haven’t seen my bank account,” he said. “I’ve never played this game for money. Nor will I. My mind doesn’t work that way. I play this game because I love my teammates and they wanted me to come back.
“I still feel like I have something to offer, and the cynical fan can really kiss my ass. I really don’t care. There’s a bunch of true fans and the people who actually want to take the time to get to know me know who I am. The guy who sits in his mom’s basement and types on his mom’s computer, I couldn’t really care less about.”
Everybody else gets a big hug.
Jones has made over $141 million in his career, including $127 million in the last 10 years alone. To blow through that much cash would require dropping paychecks into a food processor or possibly just being your average former heavyweight champion.
Doing it for the money?
There are a lot of reasons to be cynical about pro sports today. Chipper Jones isn’t one of them.
In mid-June last year, when he was still hitting .230, retirement was imminent. His mother even cracked that he should sacrifice a chicken. But over the next several weeks, his timing returned, his legs felt stronger. In his last 19 games before suffering the injury, he hit .349 (22 for 63) with three homers, five doubles, nine walks and 12 RBIs.
“I just felt locked in,” he said. “Unfortunately it took a few months for that to happen, but better late than never. Then the injury hits and I’m in a new frame of mind. If the injury would’ve happened a month and a half earlier, I probably would’ve retired. Timing is everything.”
The closeness of last year’s Braves team also played a role in his decision to return. “If this was a team like we had four or five years ago, things might be different,” he said. “We all like hanging out together. That’s unusual in this day and age.”
The knee has flared up periodically in the spring. But so far there has been nothing that ice and a day off couldn’t cure.
“I just have to get to the point where I’m not Andre Dawson and have to drain it every day when I get to the park,” he said.
If the knee holds up, he believes playing 140 games is realistic. The real test comes when he plays in the field and is required to plant and pivot for a throw.
“It just feels good to be playing again,” he said.
And that’s not about money.
By Jeff Schultz
♦
Previous posts from Braves’ camp
– Braves camp: Chipper’s return, Uggla’s debut, Cox’s spring ejection
– Braves hoping to recreate chemistry from 2010 season
– So what does Freddie Freeman (3 doubles) do for an encore?
– Digi-Blog goes to Braves’ spring training at Disney (they charge, I don’t)
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304 comments Add your comment
Trey
February 27th, 2011
10:58 pm
Jeff, thank you so much for the great article about Chipper. He is one hell of a player.
JSS
February 27th, 2011
11:09 pm
@ Senor…
By the way, go back and look at the huge disparity in chances that Mike Schimdt had compared to Chipper Jones… He should have 20+ errors, it is astonishing! Chipper has only gone over 400 chances twice in his whole career. Schimdt had over 500 chances 4 times, over 400 chances 7 times, over 300 4 times! Chipper over 300 only 6 times… Go look at Brooks Robinson’s numbers, he did not fall off defensively until he was 38 and had 6 450+ chance seasons and 5-500+ chance seasons between age 27-38… Chipper will in the Hall in Cooperstown for hitting, not fielding… Give me lite hitting Clete Boyer any day!
JSS
February 27th, 2011
11:27 pm
Oh Eddie Mathews did average of 20+ errors a season. However, he had 400+ chances per season 12 times in his career… He hit 512 homers in 17 seasons and 2 World Series championships in 4 tries…
bgvt
February 27th, 2011
11:46 pm
Add Cal Ripkin to the HOFers with 20+ errors in a season — 6 times.
Harmon Killebrew had several 20+ error seasons, including one with 30 errors.
Before Tony Perez moved to 1B, he butchered 3B with seasons with 25, 32 and 35 errors.
George Brett: 6 seasons with 20+ errors.
Phil Rizzuto? 7 seasons with 20+ errors.
Eddie Mathews? 6 seasons with 20+ errors.
Had enough examples, Maggie? Granted, Chipper’s time in the OF and his injury-shortened seasons cut down on his error totals in some years — but I don’t think his defense keeps him from making the HOF.
Dave da Dog
February 27th, 2011
11:49 pm
Oh, wah Chippy. Are those mean old fans saying bad things about your lazy ass? Kissing your ass would be easy cause it’s usually planted on the bench getting over the latest knuckle sprain. All those people who say he ain’t doing it for the money are loopy. I mean he get’s an additional 30 million if he waddles his fat, out of shape ass, out there? He put in zero time rehabbing this knee over the winter and even made a call to Fredi to make sure he would be able to keep his “special routine(no work for veterans)” during ST. Give me a break. That dog won’t hunt.
Lamont
February 27th, 2011
11:50 pm
I would kiss his ass, but he would probably turn an ankle bending over.
Columbus
February 27th, 2011
11:53 pm
Way to go Chipper. Thanks for coming back and thanks for telling the naysayers and ignorant posters to kiss your ass. Most are the same ones who want Richt fired at UGA. Kiss our asses!
Michael
February 27th, 2011
11:55 pm
born in ‘85 and fan since ‘90. I have always loved the braves and especially jones. I am soo glad to hear him finally blast those lame people who bash him. Since ‘95, i have always bragged to people that me and him have the same birthday and how lucky we are to have a player who could have taken more money and hit the road but chose to stay in a place he loves. NOT TO MANY OTHER TEAMS HAVE A PLAYER LIKE THAT!! i think he can do it and even if he cant, he will tell management and bow out b/c he is a team player, a great guy and loves the braves. i’d still rather have a washed-up chipper than most other people in the league. no pitcher wants to make a mistake to him. VETERAN!
aaa
February 27th, 2011
11:56 pm
If he didn’t care about the money, he would’ve retired and then come back at the league minimum, allowing the Braves to pick up another good player, if he could do that with the contract. Appreciate Chipper’s contributions in the past but at this point, we all know he can’t play over 100 games a year and for his salary, that’s not enough.
Katherine
February 28th, 2011
12:01 am
I’m glad you are back Chipper…I didn’t want to see you go out that way last season. I hope you have a great comeback!
Chop Chop
February 28th, 2011
12:05 am
I don’t think Chipper’s a greedy sumb**ch. I just think he’s getting paid too much for what he provides the team at this point in his career. I would have taken the contract extension he got, too. Wren’s the idiot here. Chipper can play as long as somebody will pay him to play ball.
chem
February 28th, 2011
12:46 am
The biggest criticism of chipper is not his contract – that’s the GM’s doing. The issue is that he fails to address his biggest weaknesses despite his salary. Chipper has had a great career, but how much better would it had been if he trained to prevent oblique, hamstring, quad, and other core related injuries? P.S. Schultz is a tool. With dob and Jeff, there’s a line to kiss chippers ass.
dawg149
February 28th, 2011
12:51 am
Hey Chipper, renewed my season tix solely on u returning…………u play the way everyone should play…….because u want to and your love of the game exceeds your willingness to retire. Go out there and show these nay-sayers what a PLAYER u are!!!!!!!! cya n the Ted……
Bobby-less Braves
February 28th, 2011
12:53 am
Chipper is awesome. As a kid, I remember going to a dare basketball game with Avery, Smoltz, Blauser, Nixon, McMichael, Lemke, Jerome Walton, and a very young Chipper. He was sitting on the court floor and let me sit beside him. He took my hat and tried it on, putting it back on my head backwards. Had a few encouraging words that were specifically for me. I later went to college in south Georgia and one of his neighbors and good friends to this day enrolled in the same college after completing his time in the army. I’ve heard stories of his personal life and don’t blame the guy for his past regarding his first wife. No one is perfect and this glass house refrains from throwing stones. From the days of his rookie years sitting on a basketball court with fans all around to the day he retires, he’s been a brave dedicated to Atlanta and its fans. The man can play. I completely encourage those who want to doubt, to doubt. It’s just going to fuel his fire.
TB
February 28th, 2011
1:14 am
Chipper has never given his all. As I predicted when he was a rookie, he was over-rated and would never see a gold glove. He is still over-rated. He was never a hustle player. I look forward to the day he is gone. I’m not a guy living in mom’s basement, I’m a woman, long time season ticket holder and a baseball fan. Chipper has never appreciated his fans, seemed to forget his big bank account came from the fans.
scottbravesfan
February 28th, 2011
1:18 am
Chipper is the man.
scottbravesfan
February 28th, 2011
1:19 am
TB,
Chipper is overrated? He is going into the hall of fame on the first ballot. What the hell have you ever done in your life?
Mitchell
February 28th, 2011
1:22 am
Why does Chipper get so worked up about what Braves fans on a Braves blog have to say about him if it happens to not be entirely favorable on occasion?
He’s not Mike Schmidt. He’s never been booed in his own stadium and he never will be.
All he’s ever gotten are the loudest cheers of any player on the team.
It seems like a lot of manufactured antagonism between him and whatever faction or fraction, as the case may be, of the fan base that allegedly doesn’t support him.
At least if someone’s being critical it shows they’re passionate about the team.
Or maybe not. Who knows?
Less talky. More hitty of the baseball.
Michael
February 28th, 2011
1:23 am
TB, he should have won the gold glove several times. Think back to 2008 when he had 8 errors and David Wright had 22. David won b/c he played in New York. It all depends on what city you play in you ignorant fool. Look and do research before you speak. Go away and stop talking please.
scottbravesfan
February 28th, 2011
1:25 am
JSS,
Eddie Mathews had nothing to do with the Tigers winning the world series in 68. He didn’t start and rarely played. The Braves should have won the world series in 1958 and 1959 but failed to do so. That the mid to late 1950s Braves teams only won one World Series is almost as astonishing as the early to mid 90s Braves teams only winning one World Series.
Michael
February 28th, 2011
1:25 am
I hate how so many people are fair-weather fans… Just shut up. All of you are pathetic and know nothing about baseball. Never played and can’t tell the difference between the pitches. Just shut up and go away
scottbravesfan
February 28th, 2011
1:27 am
Mitchel,
There are a ridiculous loud minority of Braves fans that try to run Chipper out of town. Even before he went on his tear in 2007 and 2008 and won the batting title and finished runner up for the batting title there were people saying that Chipper was washed up and should retire. Chipper reads these boards, he’s even posted on DOB’s blog before, and I’m sure it’s motivation for him to shut them up. He obviously knows that he is a god to most Braves fans but the minority that dislikes him for some reason should give him motivation.
Mitchell
February 28th, 2011
1:40 am
I’m not a guy living in mom’s basement, I’m a woman…
Oo, take that Chipper.
Hear her roar.
gtkenz
February 28th, 2011
1:51 am
C’Mon, they all play for the money. Where else in this entire world can Chipper or any ball player make 10+ million dollars a year? The answer is simple, nowhere. Chippers is a Brave, a true Brave, and a future HOF’er, but let’s not get this confused with reality. The guy runs a farm in Texas. Or better yet, the guy lives on a farm in Texas that costs millions annually to maintain.
His bank account may very well be fat, but he cannot maintain his current lifestyle for the next 30+ years without millions annually in salary. And last time I checked, charging 5K or so a weekend to hunt deer with Chipper Jones on his farm is not equal to the millions required to sustain the farm.
Chipper’s a country boy from Florida. He’s done well for himself. His future is bright. He may very well be the most well known and loved Brave in team history. But Chipper IS playing for the money. And if Chipper pulls off an injury free and productive season in 2011, he’ll be back again in 2012. Maybe not to the highest bidder, but he’ll be back at a substantial salary, and it might not be the Braves, ala Tom Glavine, Greg Maddox, John Smoltz, Dale Murphy, Fred McGriff, Javy Lopez, etc., etc.
MaggieShouldRead
February 28th, 2011
2:01 am
Maggie…Please save true fans from your flawed rhetoric.
Also, as someone else mentioned, there have been countless HOFers with numerous 20+ seasons including Mike Schmidt and Eddie Mathews. Furhtermore, Chipper has had ONE 20+ season in the last 10 years and only THREE in his career.
Pleasegtkenz
February 28th, 2011
2:05 am
@gtkenz
Unless Chipper squandered his earnings, which is unlikely, he has more than enough to sustain his current lifestyle. His money is not sitting under a mattress rotting away; there are things called investments.
His primary reason for playing is not money, however, he obviously is not going to play for free…so he will be paid what the team is willing to pay him.
braves fan 41
February 28th, 2011
2:18 am
Chipper s a for sure first ballot hofer.. However, he is vastly overpaid or his current accomplishments! My hpe is, hat he retires, and becomes a roving hitting instructor, such s Luke Appling was for years! This would help the bravos far more than anything he will do on he field in 2011.
Falcon from Rockdale
February 28th, 2011
4:13 am
The fans who pay money and attend games have a right to voice their opinions and Jones also has a right to speak out. So let it be and hope he is able to play reasonably well since he is still here.
legionaire
February 28th, 2011
5:06 am
Chipper has to love the game to do what he does to stay on the field. I hope he has a good year. For him to say playing has never been about the money is laughable. All pro athletes do it for the money. Is he not in the union? He has made adjustments to help the salary cap that others would never have done because of sheer greed, i.e. Tom Glavine. He has been a good face for the Braves over the years. Sure money is on the knee not holding up under game conditions.
guest
February 28th, 2011
5:38 am
Maggie Brockhouse
February 27th, 2011
5:30 pm
Maggot Brockhouse, go spread your hatred elsewhere. What Chipper means by true fans, is just that, fans that know and appreciate what a great baseball player he is and the sacrifices he has made for the Braves.
Chipper only continues to play because of his ego. How many HOF’ers have amassed multiple seasons with 20+ errors? My guess is not many or none. That being said, he should be disqualified from the HOF for all his errors and sticking around well past his prime.
Finally, if he really wanted what’s best for the team and doesn’t care about money.. (Funny he’s not living in a trailer or anything.) He’d schedule a presser and say its over.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Mike Schmidt, George Brett, Eddie Mathews, Wade Boggs, Pie Traynor, Home Run Baker, Freddie Lindstrom, Brooks Robinson, George Kell and Jimmy Collins are all Hall of Fame 3rd basemen who had AT LEAST one season with 20 or more errors.
Adrian Beltre (who most consider to be one of the best defensive 3rd basemen playing today) had 19 in 2010 and has 3 seasons where he had at least 20 or more errors.
“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.”
Tracy
February 28th, 2011
5:56 am
Chipper has been a great player and a face to the Braves, but I think people are letting their “fan” side come out when I keep seeing “1st round HOF’er”.
He won’t get 3k hits or 500HR. He won 1 MVP, 1 batting title and has never won a gold glove. I think the lack of gold gloves is going to hurt his HOF chances bad. Players who got in with his career stats, 2500 hits, sub-500HR had awesome defense on there side..ie..Andre Dawson.
He might sneak in, might, but if he does it certainly won’t be on the first couple of tries. Sorry, just being realistic.
raymond
February 28th, 2011
6:11 am
Chipper is too selfish to recognize he is hurting the team. His mindset is I’m chipper Jones and will go out the way I want. the end will not be pretty but it will be his own fault.
davidinvirginia
February 28th, 2011
6:36 am
This cynical fan will wait until Chipper makes it thru a season playing enough (and well enough) to make his ridiculous salary justified…and for him to go thru a season without any Hooter’s related injuries.
To quote an old politician (from back when some of them used to be worth something): “Whenever they tell you it’s not about that money, it’s about the money.”
Mickey Lolich
February 28th, 2011
6:52 am
I applaud Chipper for never cheating, injuries take their toll when you aren’t a juiced up Roid Monster, give the man his due. His body wore down, that should happen by the time you are 39 in a pro sport with the wear and tear, he didn’t cheat and that’s something to cheer for these days. People are quick to worship Manny Ramirez when they should appreciate what Chipper has done.
Tech Sucks
February 28th, 2011
6:53 am
Chipper rules. Screw the cynics.
JSS
February 28th, 2011
7:20 am
scottbravesfan
February 28th, 2011
1:25 am
JSS,
“Eddie Mathews had nothing to do with the Tigers winning the world series in 68. He didn’t start and rarely played.”
Did he play in 1968 series? Was he on the post season roster? Did he get a World Series share (of the Championship winnings)? The answer to all three was yes!!! He started Game 4 of the Series at third base! He pinch hit in Game 1.
So do think that Tiger fans somehow think less of Mathews, Gates Brown, or Ray Oyler? I can tell you having gone to college in SE Michigan, the answer is “NO!”
Who sits in larger in Atlanta lore? Francesco Cabrera or Greg Olsen? You picked the wrong bone to gnaw on!
On the Braves teams of the late 50’s, that is the history of the franchise since its inception. They always came up short when they were front runners. They had the 58 title won and took their foot off the peddle (again)… In 1959, they tried, the back end of the rotation was in shambles… They sealed their coffin when they traded Billy Bruton (1960). He was the glue of the outfield and the batting order…
AF
February 28th, 2011
7:25 am
who wouldn’t want to play a game all their life. Most people grow up though and look at contributing to society. His “play” has absolutly zero impact on my life.
cango247
February 28th, 2011
7:27 am
i LOVE having his bat back on our line-up, but honestly would like to see him hitting 5th in the line-up McClouth/Schafer(L), Prado(R), Heyward(L), Uggla(R), Jones(S), McCann(L),Gonzalez(R), Freeman(L)….looks like a more potent line up than Prado, Heyward, Jones, Uggla, McCann… to me
phil
February 28th, 2011
7:32 am
Where do you keep hearing people say it’s about the money? As you say, only a moron would think that. But to lump a bunch of people together and cast them into a collective mother’s basement isn’t really being fair. It’s possible that people are merely expressing an honest opinion, wrong though it obviously is.
I’m thrilled that Chipper’s going to play again, Lord willing. But I’m also glad that he’s sacrificing his salary this year since, after all, it’s about the team. It takes a big multi-millionaire to do that, and I’m proud of him.
Buckeye
February 28th, 2011
7:33 am
With $141M you’d think he could afford a razor. Looks like a damn redneck and/or switched at birth with the lead singer from metallica.
He’s kinda like Roethlisberger and the backwards hat…..
Grow up, Dude and lose the chew while you’re at it.
Unloyal, short-sighted, ignorant, disturbed Braves fan
February 28th, 2011
7:44 am
So if the money doesn’t matter, and he’s playing because he loves his teammates, why doesn’t he play this season for, say, $2M and let Wren spend the other $12M on a top-line outfielder?
JSS
February 28th, 2011
7:45 am
@ Guest…
The only person who “might” be comparable with Jones might be Freddie Lindstrom… But even Lindstrom put up multiple (4) 400+ chance seasons and 1-500+ chance season…
Sorry, Chipper Jones has the least chances of any Hall of Fame candidate defensively at Third Base… That switch hitting batting prowless will be his road to Copperstown…
cooper
February 28th, 2011
7:47 am
As much as I have enjoyed Chipper over the year it look’s like he is going to be one of those that will be forced out eventually. As much as I hate it I hope Atlanta will have the guts to do what need’s to be done when the time comes.
The truth of the matter is Chipper looked very slow at third even when he was not hurt last year. He could not get to some ball’s in the hole that he had alway’s had no trouble getting to in the past. Also I was a very good shortstop in my youth and I can tell you beyond any doubt Chipper was slow in reacting to the ball last year.Meaning he react’s to a ball hit to the left side probably a half second more than he has in past year’s. I would rate Chipper no better than a 5 out of 10 as far as defense after last year.
Escaped from Email Purgatory
February 28th, 2011
7:47 am
“This accusation generally comes from the short-sighted, ignorant and disturbed segment of the populace that vents on sports talk radio and posts comments on blogs, all behind the comfort of anonymity.”
Schutz, you gushing missive about Chipper neglected to point out how you pander to we short-sighted, we disturbed, we ignorant who you apparently despise. Now that you’re getting it all off your chest, how about coming clean on your true feelings for the folks who make up the “First!” contingent?
Whatever his motivation, it’ nice to see Chipper Jones motivated about SOMETHING besides looking for ways to take games off for piddling little injuries. This trait has been the hallmark of his career the past four or five years. That and the fact he rarely comes through in the clutch in the playoffs. Somebody called him the extension of Bobby Cox on the field. There’s a dig and a complement if ever I’ve heard one.
I’m not a big fan of Chipper’s, but I’ve always stayed away from his personal life with my comments about him. But I can tell you, Larry Chipper’s “exclusive” words to a fawning Jeff Schultz are consistent with the character of the man who’s made his share of mistakes.
Seems the words of we basement dwellers stung a little bit too. The mighty Chipper deemed it necessary to respond in kind. “Kiss my ass” he says. “Look at my bank account” he brags. Classy indeed.
Well for all the good and bad posted about Chipper, I don’t think I ever heard anybody claim he was particularly bright.
In Fredi I Trust
February 28th, 2011
8:03 am
For those fans that said Chipper was doing this for the money, they should be ashamed of themselves. How many players past or present would restructure their own contract, or even offer to restructure their own contract so the team could go out and sing another player that would make his team a true contender? Chipper did just that, so obviously he is about the game as well as securing a great life for his family.
When its all said and done, Chipper Jones will retire wearing only a Braves uni in his career. That can’t be said much in this era of professional baseball. All I can say is that I truly hope that Chipper has one hell of a season and proves everyone wrong.
Shug
February 28th, 2011
8:11 am
Seems those ‘roids are making the Chipster a little aggressive.
Tami
February 28th, 2011
8:12 am
I know Chipper isn’t playing for the money….he’s playing for his fans and his team. He’s set for life, and can retire any time he feels like it. But the competitor in him wouldn’t/couldn’t/shouldn’t go out on an ACL injury if he can at all avoid it. I for one am glad he’s back, and hope to see him play through his contract that ends with the 2012 season. Then, he is offered a job in the organization as the Braves will definitely still need him! I hope Chipper has a fantastic season!
bye richt
February 28th, 2011
8:17 am
yea you cynical bastards , kiss his ass !
go chipper go
February 28th, 2011
8:18 am
yea , kiss his ass !
HereComesBream
February 28th, 2011
8:22 am
Lets go Chip! I am so ready for the season to get started!