Appreciate Chipper Jones while you still can — Aaron does
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Henry Aaron said he knew the Braves had made the right choice with Chipper Jones. (AJC photo)
(Updated: 2 p.m.)
Enjoy this season because it will be your last look.
Enjoy watching Chipper Jones because the chance to watch a first-ballot Hall of Famer – and if he’s not enshrined in his first year of eligibility, I’m surrendering my vote – just doesn’t come around very often.
Jones isn’t the best position player in Braves’ history. That’s only because there’s a guy named Henry Aaron ahead of him. Sometimes, being in second place is an honor — especially when the guy who is in first place is bowing in your direction.
“I remember when we took Chipper in the draft,” Aaron recalled Thursday. “There were a lot of people in the organization who thought we should take that pitcher [Todd Van Poppel]. But I saw star written all over Chipper, and I put my vote in. There were quite a few people involved in that decision. I can tell you this: Some are going to say now that they voted for Chipper, but I know they didn’t.”
These are how the fortunes of franchises can change.
In 1990, the Braves passed on Van Poppel, in part because he told the organization he wouldn’t sign with them. So they drafted Chipper Jones, who would go on to bat third for a World Series team as a rookie, win an MVP award and a batting title and amass seven All-Star selections. And counting. Van Poppel had an unspectacular, injury-plagued career that spanned six organizations (two of them twice) and ended eight years ago with a career ERA of 5.58 and less than four wins per season.
Jones got emotional, particularly when addressing teammates. (AP)
Jones’ career will start and end with the Braves. Enjoy him one final year. The Braves’ third baseman announced Thursday he will retire after this season. The decision was less a surprise than the timing, two weeks before the season opener. But Jones wanted to end speculation that might serve as a distraction for his team this season, particularly after some remarks he made last week to out-of-town reporters regarding his health were misinterpreted.
“There’s no set of circumstances that can persuade me to come back — no hedging,” Jones said, adding that he wanted to spend time with his family.
Believe it. He has been on the relative year-to-year plan for a while. But he was always prompted to come back because he believed he could still perform at a high level, he enjoyed playing with this current group of teammates and his desire to get back to another World Series still burned.
It wasn’t for the money, and here’s where we will address the loud and misguided ones.
Some fans have believed Jones should’ve retired long ago, suggesting his career extension was all about dollar signs. I believe Jones put it best last year when he said, “I still feel like I have something to offer, and the cynical fan can really kiss my ass. 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.”
Jones long has been under-appreciated. He deserves a statue outside of Turner Field — two if you want him batting both left- and right-handed.
Beyond the blur of statistical evidence, what he has brought to the team in leadership and help to young players can’t be measured. He has been an icon for the franchise and the city of Atlanta. We’ve had too few of those.
“I think many great players in Chipper’s era are under-appreciated, and the reason for that is the way the system is,” Aaron said. “Baseball is a lot different than it was 10, 15 years ago. People look at players, I guess, by the money they make. Chipper falls into that category of players who have not only meant a lot to the Braves but to the city. When you see a ballplayer like this come along and you watch him for 19 or 20 years, sometimes you don’t fully appreciate him until after he’s gone.”
Jones choked up at several times during Thursday’s news conference, particularly when he addressed his teammates.
“You kept me young, or at least as young as a 40-year-old man can be,” he said.
Jones knows the body is wearing down. Aaron, when asked to named Jones’ greatest attribute, said, “His determination. He has played through so many injuries.”
This will be your final chance to watch him and appreciate him. One player, one franchise, 23 years, 19 seasons. When it’s over, he deserves a bow.
By Jeff Schultz
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305 comments Add your comment
Nativebird
March 23rd, 2012
9:14 pm
2nd Best Brave position player ever. In terms of all time, all Braves players…here it is:
1. Hank Aaron ( please…there is no question).
2. Greg Maddux. That’s right, 355 wins are you freaking kidding me…in the HEART of the offensive steriod era of baseball! That kind of performance is like 19th century christy Mathewson type stuff. Just incredible and wholly under-recognized.
3. Warren Spahn- yes mostly in Milwaukee but who cares….top 2 greatest left hAnders of all time and a freaking iron- man.
4. Chipper Jones. 2nd best greatest pure switch hitter that ever lived.
5. Tie between Eddie Matthews and Phil Niekro. The epitome of the 3rd base slugger and a quintessential 300 game winner on flat out horrible otherwise team’s.
Whopper Dawg
March 23rd, 2012
10:51 pm
Well said, Jeff. It is one of my pleasures of life to watch Chipper play baseball for the Braves.
Eric C.
March 23rd, 2012
11:10 pm
Nativebird, not sure how you can leave Dale Murphy off of that list. Just like Maddux dominated in an offensive era, Murphy was a slugger’s slugger in the offensive dearth of a pitching era.
There were many games when Murphy was the only reason to watch the Braves in the mid 80s. I HATE that Dale Murphy never played in a WS…one of the classiest people to ever put on a MLB uniform…too bad he wasn’t on the roster for 1991.
JSS
March 24th, 2012
7:42 am
October 3rd (go look at the schedule)… To paraphrase Morgan Freeman from the film ‘Glory:’ Tell ya’ Momma and Poppa, it’s the Jubilee!
Lawman
March 24th, 2012
9:01 am
Everyone has made bad decisions/choices in their lives at one time or another, none of us are perfect or without fault. So, why do these mental midgets/morons who have to make negative comments about another’s past mistake need to keep raking up trash when the past is behind someone and they have learned from their errors.
We are talking about a man who has played a game he loves and for one community/team that he respects. He has restructered his contract to benefit the organization, changed positions without complaint, played with injuries, mentored young and upcoming teammates, put up HOF numbers and does not the money.
No athlete is a god, even though some think differently, but Chipper is an example of a ball player who loves the game, plays hard and is all for the team. Chipper, thanks for the memories and showing us what a true professional is – the mental midgets who spout their venom need to get a life and learn what their faults are and learn from them as well.
larry(notLARRY)
March 24th, 2012
9:19 am
Is it JSS or ASS
Swing for the Fence
March 24th, 2012
10:05 am
It has been many grand years and a joy to watch Chipper. He plays for the love of the game and that sets him apart.
Chris
March 24th, 2012
10:25 am
2 seasons too late.
Chris
March 24th, 2012
10:27 am
“He plays for the love of the game and that sets him apart.”
Don’t kid yourself. The last 2 seasons he played to get every penny he could prior to hanging it up. 1 championship across 2 decades, much of the time with the best pitching staff in baseball.
Sideline Dude
March 24th, 2012
11:19 am
He was to be appreciated 10 years ago. That’s when he should have retired. Now, he’s just a hanger-on. Chipper – Don’t wait until this season is over & you’ve only been able to play half of the games, RETIRE NOW.
Sid
March 24th, 2012
11:52 am
JSS
March 23rd, 2012
12:12 pm
I appreciate that he was novelty… He was a switch hitter and the third best one in the history of the game…
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I think your oldtimers is kicking in.
NEEDS TO LEAVE NOW!!!!!!
March 24th, 2012
12:21 pm
Once again – THE GIMPER JONES – THE DISABLED VETERAN – is headed to the slice and dice table……he can’t stay healthy, he can’t play….he can only HOBBLE off into the sunset….what a freaking waste of a roster spot and the money we have to pay him….RETIRE NOW GIMPER – you worthless piece of baseball memorabilia………….
Sid
March 24th, 2012
12:58 pm
NEEDS TO LEAVE NOW!!!!!!
March 24th, 2012
12:21 pm
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Disabled Veteran? You think our fighting men and women of this country are a joke? You are the worthless piece of _ _ _ _….!!
JSS
March 24th, 2012
1:54 pm
Is is “larry” or “slarry?”
JSS
March 24th, 2012
1:58 pm
Hey Sid…
Have a great day dreamers!!!
I won the pool at the English Beat concert last night! Larry Wayne just set a new record! He’s starting the brand new season on the DL!!! You don’t even have to start the final countdown at 162 this time!!! Go Chipper, and take the orthopedist with you!!!
bulldogbubba
March 24th, 2012
2:03 pm
Clusters – Do you have StinkyWintes ready to go at 3rd?
JSS
March 24th, 2012
2:05 pm
Hey, here’s some good news! Chipper can do a Minor League Rehab retirement tour as well! Get ready Rome or Gwinnett, he’s coming to a stadium near you, scoop up those tix at State Farm or Cool Ray!!!
JSS
March 24th, 2012
2:21 pm
@ Lawman…
Don’t let redundancy hit you on the way to the witness stand…
G
March 24th, 2012
4:27 pm
I guess we should appreciate him on the DL again?
Sonny Clusters
March 24th, 2012
5:52 pm
We was all ready to give up on the Henry Grady statue idea and what does Chipper do? He goes on the DL! Of course, nobody knew what was happening when he announced his retirement but we was thinking that was smart because announcing a bad knee in spring training (was it the hole he stepped in while deer hunting?) could be very unpopular. We think this is very unfair for Prado who has to move again but it shows what a great team player he is. We was thinking this improves the defense but so would HGS. The Braves other answer would be rookies at ss and 3b and that would be dangerous. Does it seem odd that nobody was prepared for this? Coming off an EPIC Collapse must be hard on everybody.
jeff
March 24th, 2012
6:21 pm
As many accolades as Chipper Jones has amassed over the past 20 yrs, he could never Eclipse the Greatest Third Baseman in Braves History; Eddie Mathews.
ATL kid living in Arizona
March 24th, 2012
7:10 pm
I had a business trip to New York once and it was a travel day. I was travling through Flushing, NY and passed by Shea stadium. On a whim, I decided to see if those love to hate Mets were in town. Wouldn’t you know that they were and they were playing the Bravos. Of course I had to grab my Braves hat out of my suitcase in the parking lot and bought an upper deck seat behind home plate. Wouldn’t you know it, when number 10 came to the plate, all the LARRY ….LARRY chanting started. I got up from my seat and started doing orchestra motions like I was conducting the Atlanta Symphony. They all told me to sit down and shut up. Mr. Jones did his thing and belted a double driving in some key runs in a Braves victory on the road. I winked at a Mets blowhard and said – “That’s why you guys can’t stand him! But it’s also why you have to respect him!” What can a guy say after that – he shook his head and agreed.
Thanks Chipper. You are a hell of a player and will be sorely missed by Atlanta fans AND baseball fans far and wide!
Mako
March 24th, 2012
7:42 pm
Sorry, but I can’t resist, I know I said no more negative comments about Jones……but this is just screaming for my Achy Breaky Jones comment!
Stinger2
March 25th, 2012
4:39 am
Clusters: I thought you were finished with your negative and silly nonsense comments about Chipper and the Braves at least on this blog. I see now that you are continuing to rant on and on with the same old references such as Henry Grady monument, etc. If you are going to continue, at least come up with some new silliness and legitimate comments /complaints about the Braves.
Chris
March 25th, 2012
8:44 am
More milking by the former superstar….all the while, naive worshippers reflect on days gone by. Hard to believe he’s hung on to get the very last penny possible as praise still rains down.
cloudodust
March 25th, 2012
8:47 am
JS, I think this is a good piece. It’s hard to walk away from the game you love, but for Chipper, I think he’s timing it out about right for the Braves benefit as well as his. Chipper is on the money about who he deems, the cynical fan.
Chris
March 25th, 2012
9:58 am
“Chipper is on the money “…..yeah, you’re certainly right about that…….
L Hutson
March 25th, 2012
10:04 am
Vinny, time to leave your Mom’s basement and get a life…As a Met’s fan even with all the destruction #10 has put on my team…I can appreciate what he means to the Braves, MLB and the ATL…He’s earned the right to end his career as he sees fit…
Larry
March 25th, 2012
10:24 am
You idiots that bash Chipper…are more useless than I have words for. The simple facts escape you. He is STILL one of the most feared hitters in the league. Whether it be a single, double, or the admitted declining HR, pitchers have a ton of respect for the man. There are few 3rd basemen that handle the hot shot to left, bare-hand throw to first OR second…and playing hurt may have been his downfall. You’ll never get it and who cares?
Blob Horner
March 25th, 2012
10:46 am
Enter your comments here
Sid
March 25th, 2012
10:58 am
JSS
March 22nd, 2012
12:37 pm
Sid
March 22nd, 2012
12:26 pm
JSS
“I’m not your puppet nor do you have an audience.”
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Then stop running your chops like Chipper did through his proxies in the media! He (and you) are big *** talkers when he was telling his detractors how was going to prove father time wrong! Guess what? He sure showed the universe his big stones. Well, when he wasn’t on the shelf putting a dip in his mouth!
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I hope you understand JSS that your response is just stupid man. It makes you
read like your a mental patient. Frankly, it seems like you are jealous of Chipper Jones.
You are pissed at your own deficiencies, quit raggin’ and naggin’ on a good ballplayer.
Sid
March 25th, 2012
11:02 am
JSS
March 24th, 2012
1:58 pm
Hey Sid…
I won the pool at the English Beat concert last night! Larry Wayne just set a new record! He’s starting the brand new season on the DL!!! You don’t even have to start the final countdown at 162 this time!!! Go Chipper, and take the orthopedist with you!!! Have a great day dreamers!!!
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I hope you understand JSS that your response is just stupid man. It makes you
read like your a mental patient. Frankly, it seems like you are jealous of Chipper Jones.
You are pissed at your own deficiencies, quit raggin’ and naggin’ on a good ballplayer.
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Somebody take his computer away.
DePlane
March 25th, 2012
11:38 am
Idjits, everyone is entitled to their own opinion…remember? Even you…yeah you.
I never said I don’t appreciate Chipper for what he’s brought to the Braves over the years. But the oft injured player who wants the adulation for an entire year before he retires never sits well with me. He is still getting paid right? So shutup and play and when you actually retire I’ll give you your accolades. If you can’t play, then retire and I’ll give you your accolades. But don’t treat me like I’m supposed to drink the kool-aid when you ain’t doing nothing yet this season.
Sid…jealous? What are you smokin’? We can rag on whoever we want, it’s a free country right?
You appear to be one of those loyalists who will attack anyone if they have an opinion different from yours. Well have at it…and enjoy…your entitled…just like I’m entitled to voice my own opinion. But don’t be generalizing because somebody doesn’t hero worship your hero. Nuff said.
Scott
March 25th, 2012
12:29 pm
Thank you, Chipper, for a great career.
Atlanta is proud of you and we will see you in the Hall of Fame.
Have a fun final season, you deserve it.
GO BRAVES !
Blob Horner
March 25th, 2012
12:37 pm
Seeing these two Braves Icons side by side draws to mind the salient parallels between them. They were both the best of their generation at their position, maybe top two franchise position players in Braves history(only Matthews enters into the debate), their career stats are remarkably similar, Hanks power numbers and longevity higher, Chippers obp a bit higher, but both all-time elite numbers. Both saw their late career and team results flag, perhaps due to some casual training habits(Hank smoked, chipper went hunting), and both saw their fan base follow a concurrent drop-off. Both had strong opinions that may have alienated some of their fan base, some of it not as introspective as the decerning fan may have expected. I’m not convinced that either had the type of personalities that inspire teammates to a higher level, the 6th tool of the great player, but few players were that complete package. The other parallel is that they will both be missed and revered once they are long gone.
Chris
March 25th, 2012
1:37 pm
“I’m not convinced that either had the type of personalities that inspire teammates to a higher level…”
This is one of the most insightful comments yet. 1 championship over 2 decades, much of the time with the best pitching staff in baseball. That’s classified as a “NUFF said!”
Atlanta Stadium
March 25th, 2012
1:56 pm
Ed Mathews will always be known as the Braves best third baseman, and forever {damn} Paul Richards for sending him to Houston.
Sonny Clusters
March 25th, 2012
2:07 pm
Stinger2, are you preaching somewhere today? Or just on this blog? You remind us of a nosy neighbor . . . one that peeks through the window at you when you get home. You may be sick and probably should get some help. While you’re out, stop by Walmart and buy yourself a Braves tee shirt so we can tell you’re a “true” fan. Silly little man.
Stinger2
March 25th, 2012
3:27 pm
Clusters: I did not preach but I did go to SS and Church. Now that I am back let meset the record straight:
I have no problem with you or anyone else having your opinion about the Braves. My concern
is about how you use your comical wit to continue posting the same disparaging or negative nellie remarks without anything new to add. Everyone incluing Mark B. and Jeff S. know you do not like Chipper and Fredi. So what is your point in continuing to post the same thing? Find something new you do not like about the Braves. By the way, if Chipper were your son, would you like to see other people posting what you post about him?
Sonny Clusters
March 25th, 2012
6:19 pm
Silly little man. We might say the same about you . . . always posting the same thing and always posting about us. Go find a hobby. Read a good book. Stay out of our business. Silly, silly, little man.
JSS
March 25th, 2012
8:42 pm
Blob…
Don’t let Wally Berger get in the way of your warped Chipper reality… It is Aaron, Mathews, maybe Jones, Berger, and Murphy… Those three are interchangeable… But without Murphy, the Braves are somewhere else playing like the hockey teams… He and the emergence of 1991 team saved the franchise!
JSS
March 25th, 2012
8:56 pm
“By the way, if Chipper were your son, would you like to see other people posting what you post about him?”
Larry Wayne Sr is a grown man, he better be worrying about his social security, medicare, and trying to keep his grandkids insulated from their Pop’s past deeds…
JSS
March 25th, 2012
9:03 pm
“You are pissed at your own deficiencies, quit raggin’ and naggin’ on a good ballplayer.”
October 3, 2012 can’t get here soon enough for me… The best part about Chipper and his supporters are that the louder they cry about people telling the truth about his decline, the more money I generally get from their silly bets about his mythical abilities! Sid, it just hurts you immensely that you keep putting your faith in him defying the fact that his time is up!!! D-O-N-E!!!
bulldogbubba
March 25th, 2012
11:27 pm
Clusters and Stinger2 – In the words of that famous philosopher Rodney King- Can’t we all get along?
Stinger2
March 26th, 2012
4:58 am
bulldogbubba: I can get along with anyone and I am not mad at Clusters. As I have said many times, he has a right to his opinions like everyone else does.
The reason I question him about his comments is that he uses his wit to make negative points about Chipper, Fredi and the organization in general with the same old stuff such as deer, Henry Grady monument, Chippers` injuries, etc. He has made all of us on Mark Bradley and Jeff Schults` blogs (he does not comment on DOB blogs) aware that he does not like Chipper.All I am saying is that it would be great to hear something different from Clusters. He could (if he would) use his wit to say something positive. If he does not see anything positive , then at least find something new negative to say.
IceColdATLien
March 26th, 2012
5:44 am
He took a lot of heat cuz of the stupid things he did (illegitimate kid/cheating on first wife) and the some of his arrogant ways (who could possibly be as good as he was at such a young age and NOT be cocky? I mean, dude named his son Shea cuz of how much he owned the Mets in their own digs… that may be the most cocky, but not ignorant or mean-spirited, thing I’ve ever heard of a player doing or saying… except maybe T.O.’s “I love me some me!”… which is just one of the best cockyism of all time), but he has truly become an icon of the team and the town itself.
One thing that this article should have mentioned more (at all) was that he was smack in the middle of the roided-out era when those punks Sosa, McGwire, ARod, etc. were gettin’ all the national media love, but Chip really didn’t cuz he didn’t have those ridiculous years of ridiculous numbers. Well, now that all those media hacks who showered praise on the roided-ones have one last chance this year to shower the praise on Chip that he should’ve gotten back then. If you were to take away those punk players (and even the ones who were obviously juiced but never got caught), then Chip would have at least one more MVP and several more All-Star selections. Don’t get me wrong, then guy’s stupid rich, had a great time the past twenty years playing ball for a living, so I’m not exactly feeling bad for the dude… but every media jerk in every town the Braves go to this year should not only publicly give a mea culpa on their hometown radio/tv stations for not recognizing the greatness that was Chipper Jones for all those years cuz they were so enamored with Sosas and Giambis, but they should each go up to Chipper and apologize to him. That might sound a little crazy to some of y’all, but he deserves the love and they owe it to him for not giving it up to him at the time.
And if those bozos don’t make Chip a first-ballot guy… even WITH those cheaters included in the mix… then I’ll never consider the voters with any respect ever again. If you take into account that he did what he did the right way (the natural way) then he shouldn’t even need to be voted in… they should just personally escort him into the hall as one of the absolute best of his era… and generally one of the best of any era, really. Even with what the injuries robbed him of, he’s still in the top few switch guys ever. Sure he didn’t win but one ring, but there’s just so much to be said for him being a centerpiece of the most consistently winning franchise in the game. Maybe if they didn’t have to compete with so many cheaters, they’d have had at least two more rings. Sorry for the rant, but I just f’in hate cheaters and it really galls me that the media doesn’t spend more time placing focus on the guys from that era who didn’t roid out. Let’s be honest, for all the hard work Jones has put in over the years, let’s just say he’s never had the physique of a guy doing roids… and he was still bombing 45 homers a year. Just silly…
JSS
March 26th, 2012
12:50 pm
Stinger2 would never get Lenny Bruce, Heny Youngman, or Nichols and May! You’re among genius! Clusters has grown exponentially from the early Francoeur/Parkview stuff! Now go back to sleep!
Chris
March 26th, 2012
4:35 pm
Taking up a roster spot again and jeopardizing the club’s ability to make any kind of run. All to get the very last penny he can get.
Keith
March 26th, 2012
6:34 pm
As Chipper said All of you in your mother’s basement can kiss his and mine asses.
JSS
March 26th, 2012
11:32 pm
Keith
March 26th, 2012
6:34 pm
No thanks, you both probably have same staph infection from the same training table! 10/03/2012 LFCJD!!! Ticker tape!!!