Live from the ballpark, pondering life without Cox and Chipper
It’s a reflex: Something happens with the Braves, you ask the man in charge. So I sought out Bobby Cox on Wednesday afternoon, and I said: “If Chipper does quit, what do you do for a third baseman next year?”
Cox smiled. Then he said: “Not my problem.”
And that’s when it hit. For all the changes undergone by this organization these past two decades, nothing has or could prepare us for what’s surely coming next spring. We’ve seen the Braves without Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux; without John Smoltz and David Justice; without Terry Pendleton at third base and without Andruw Jones in center field … and we’ve heard them without Skip Caray and Pete Van Wieren … but we’ve never encountered anything like what’s apparently at hand.
No Bobby Cox in the dugout. No Chipper Jones batting third. No remaining touchstones to the era of baseball that made us care about the Braves in the first place.
Cox has announced his retirement. Chipper stands to announce his any day now. (After Wednesday’s game he said: “In good time.”) Yes, there’s symmetry there. As general manager, Cox drafted Jones No. 1 overall in June 1990, and since arriving in the big leagues to stay in September 1993 the great switch-hitter has known only one manager. And we on the periphery have come to regard them as a package deal.
We’re about to see the package unwrapped. We’re about to see the Braves work with two fewer numbers at their disposal. (Surely Nos. 6 and 10 will be retired along with their distinguished wearers.) We’re about to see the final holdovers from the run of excellence severed from the team they made great.
Think of it this way: Cox won division titles over 14 consecutive completed seasons managing the Braves, and if you credit Chipper as being part of the improbable 1993 NL West championship team — he was a September call-up — he was part of 12 first-place finishes. Only two other members of the 2010 club have been part of even one Atlanta division title: Tim Hudson and Brian McCann, each of whom arrived in 2005.
How would it feel, McCann was asked, to become the senior Brave among everyday players? Said McCann, who’s all of 26: “Until something happens [with Chipper], I don’t think that’s something I want to comment on.”
And what is there to say? We all knew the day was coming when the Braves would be without Cox and even without Chipper, but that won’t mean the day itself won’t hit us like a two-by-four upside the ol’ noggin.
Loading ...Back to the original premise of today’s exercise: What might the Braves do for a third baseman? I asked the ascendant Troy Glaus if relocation to first base is a permanent career move. He said no. “In my heart I’ll always be a third baseman. Actually, I’ll always be a shortstop, but we know that’s not going to happen. I could play third.”
For the Braves? In 2011? “Maybe,” Glaus said.
We’ll have plenty of time to bat this around these next few months. (Glaus, as we know, is working on a one-year contract and might be slugging his way out of the Braves’ price range.) But the question itself gives us pause: We’ve never had to ask what the Braves would do for a third baseman because we’ve come to expect Chipper to be standing on the left side of the infield, same as we expect to see Cox at the near end of the dugout.
Next year we might not see either. No Chipper at the hot corner. No Cox grousing about balls and strikes. No “Crazy Train” when the No. 3 spot comes up. No Cox with his awful nicknames.
No Bobby Cox and no Chipper Jones. And what, Bill Acree was asked, would that mean?
Said Acree, the Braves’ director of travel/equipment manager and a team employee since 1966: “The world would come to an end.”
And it might. It just might.
With that, we’ll open the phone lines. (Which have been open all along, but bear with me.) I’ll be here to chat during tonight’s Braves-Rays games, and I’ll let you know if anyone retires. Unless I’m the retiree. In which case I’ll just close the computer and walk away.
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228 comments Add your comment
JT
June 16th, 2010
7:21 pm
If the Braves make the World Series and Bobby Cox retires, he would probably come out of retirement for one day to manage the All Star Game.
The most famous example of this occurring is John McGraw in 1933 – the man BC passed for the ejection record.
Mark Bradley
June 16th, 2010
7:23 pm
Chipper Jones with a one-handed single to right.
Mark Bradley
June 16th, 2010
7:28 pm
Pena bunts for a hit and heads to second on Chipper’s error.
bob
June 16th, 2010
7:34 pm
Cox’s legacy goes back to his GM days when he managed and constructed an organization that is still pumping out players like Heyward and Hansen every year.
Life without Jones is here today. I was a big fan, but he is a liability on payroll now.
Mark Bradley
June 16th, 2010
7:35 pm
Tommy Hanson pitches around the error.
T-Bone
June 16th, 2010
7:37 pm
Great article, MB. I don’t think we realize how good we had it during those years of 14 straight championships. Sure, we should have won 1 or 2 more World Series rings, but I’ll take what we had for a 2 or 3 year flash in the pan. We’ll miss both of those guys in a big way.
Besides, how many people can say that they saw a Hall of Famer throughout his entire career? If you’ve been watching the Braves since 1995, you can.
Now . . . on to the future. Maybe Chipper will announce his retirement, then go on a tear and lead this team to a World Series championship in his and Bobby’s last year, then stick to his word and let Frank Wren use that money to re-sign Glaus.
todd grantham
June 16th, 2010
7:37 pm
Mark, did you have to stifle a laugh when McLouth told you he could still play third?
todd grantham
June 16th, 2010
7:38 pm
“nothing doing” shades of Skip. I heard his voice reading that.
Mark Bradley
June 16th, 2010
7:39 pm
I never stifle a laugh, Coach Grantham.
Mark Bradley
June 16th, 2010
7:41 pm
Yunel with a two-out double to right-center. Split the outfielders.
todd grantham
June 16th, 2010
7:41 pm
especially when speaking to McLouth?
todd grantham
June 16th, 2010
7:42 pm
how long did Bobby hesitate before answering “not my problem”?
Mark Bradley
June 16th, 2010
7:43 pm
Cabrera strikes out.
I don’t remember Bobby hesitating one millisecond.
Feeanch
June 16th, 2010
7:47 pm
Hanson’s got good stuff tonight.
T-Bone
June 16th, 2010
7:47 pm
So here we are in first place . . . can you imagine what is could be like if Chipper and McCann and Yunel start hitting like they are capable of, and if we could get real, consistent production fom center field and left field?
todd grantham
June 16th, 2010
7:49 pm
what’s the Ted on-site blogging won-loss record?
Feeanch
June 16th, 2010
7:49 pm
Hanson’s got good stuff tonight. We’ll probably get 8 runs since it’s the day after a KK start.
Herschel Talker
June 16th, 2010
7:50 pm
Pondering life without an imbecile running the Braves and a 3B five plus years past his prime. Perish the thought.
Roy Hobbs
June 16th, 2010
7:50 pm
Tommy pitching around the error is part of what makes him different than KK. Last night KK just seemed to totally lose concentration after the error in the 1st.
Tami
June 16th, 2010
7:50 pm
I’m thinking that the Braves will have to get used to retiring a few numbers in the next couple of years. Greg’s #31; Tommy’s #47; John’s #29; Chipper’s #10 & Bobby’s #6. I believe only Greg’s has actually been retired and is already up in the outfield.
I guess I wouldn’t be too surprised if Chipper goes when Bobby goes. I’ve been wondering the last couple of years how soon Chipper would go out when Bobby did. Of course, I expected Bobby would go out first. I’m just mildly surprised that they’d go out at the same time. I guess how I envisioned it would go for Chipper would be that he’d just follow Bobby after his current contract ran out.
Very intriguing scenario that David from Equatorial Guinea sent in. But, I agree. Unless someone comes up with a specific rule/regulation buried deeeep within the baseball handbook, I believe Selig would ask Bobby to come back for one last hurrah and manage the NL team.
Mark Bradley
June 16th, 2010
7:52 pm
Hanson is throwing well. Breaking ball is outstanding.
Tami
June 16th, 2010
7:54 pm
Yep….Hanson is smokin’ tonight. Much, much better than last night. The Braves have a fighting chance tonight, IF they can manage a few runs against THEIR pitcher.
LuisG
June 16th, 2010
7:55 pm
Nice picture! Chipper could use it as inspirational for tomorrow’s game, since Mr. Hohn will be the home plate umpire for that game.
JASon
June 16th, 2010
7:57 pm
Funny article. I assume it was meant as a joke.
Mark Bradley
June 16th, 2010
7:59 pm
Prado with an infield hit. Then Heyward with a single off the second baseman’s mitt. First and third for No. 10.
Mark Bradley
June 16th, 2010
8:00 pm
Chipper strikes out. Cox to argue the checked swing.
Elon Brave
June 16th, 2010
8:00 pm
I can get my head around Chipper retiring, but I can’t get my head around Chipper not being a part of the organization. Glavine not being around would have been no big deal (he left before), but gosh, it is super hard for me to not see Chipper until he is a guest in the commentary booth for an inning or something.
Now I know he said he could never manage or something like that, and he probably wants time off, BUT
I think Chipper would make a GREAT hitting coach. He could tailor to lefties, righties, switchies, phenoms and veterans because he has been ALL of those things. He’s also a student of the game the way every hitter should be. He’s lead by example for so long, it seems like a natural transition for him to keep passing on that knowledge as a job.
Mr. Turnip-Green Jeans
June 16th, 2010
8:00 pm
Love the pic and caption. LOL
Mark Bradley
June 16th, 2010
8:01 pm
Plate umpire Paul Emmel said Chipper tipped the ball. Couldn’t tell.
todd grantham
June 16th, 2010
8:01 pm
foul tip?
todd grantham
June 16th, 2010
8:01 pm
perhaps the worst call in the history of baseball
todd grantham
June 16th, 2010
8:02 pm
i think Bobby accepted the call or he would have gotten tossed.
Mark Bradley
June 16th, 2010
8:03 pm
McCann with an RBI double over the shift.
todd grantham
June 16th, 2010
8:04 pm
how does Heyward only get 2 bases when McCann even gets 2?
Drexel Gal
June 16th, 2010
8:04 pm
If the New York Yankees could get along without Casey Stengel and Yogi Berra, then the Braves can sure as hell get along without Bobby (”Wife Slapper”) Cox and Chipper (”Goober”) Jones. Hmmm .come to think of it, the loss of Stengel and Berra signalled the Yankees’ decline that lasted more than a decade. Have a nice trip, Braves fans!
Mark Bradley
June 16th, 2010
8:04 pm
Glaus with a two-run single. He’s unbelievable.
Mark Bradley
June 16th, 2010
8:07 pm
Hinske with a two-out bunt for a hit. Also against the shift.
Mark Bradley
June 16th, 2010
8:08 pm
Just saw a flash of lightning.
Mr. Turnip-Green Jeans
June 16th, 2010
8:09 pm
how does Heyward only get 2 bases when McCann even gets 2?”
McCann’s legs are still growing. Was reminiscent of Rickey Henderson last night.
Tami
June 16th, 2010
8:14 pm
MB…did you see the stats that they put up on TV for Glaus’ RBIs with 2 outs? Outstanding. Update: RBI total is now 25. [Well...add 2 more. I'm sitting here trying to watch the game without my glasses....LOL. Maybe I should fix that.]
And…speaking of lightning: We just experienced quite a soaker in north Cobb County (Kennesaw). Been raining for nearly an hour now. Sideways downpours. No hail, and some lightning. Mostly thunder.
Mr. Turnip-Green Jeans
June 16th, 2010
8:15 pm
Did it strike you? HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO?
Tami
June 16th, 2010
8:16 pm
Darn Phillies are beating the Yanks 6-1 and the darn Mets are winning already as well. The Braves must win this game tonight to stay atop the NL East. So far, so good.
Mark Bradley
June 16th, 2010
8:16 pm
A big cloud has just passed overhead. Another en route
a
June 16th, 2010
8:17 pm
stat they just gave on TV: braves first basemen at this point last year had 26 RBI. this year they have 86. wow.
Tami
June 16th, 2010
8:17 pm
uh-oh….can the Braves speed things up a bit to make it official before the bottom falls out of the sky??!!
curtis jones
June 16th, 2010
8:18 pm
This is a revolutionary idea I know. But as for how to settle Chipper’s ridiculous contract when he retires: when he stops playing, stop paying him. Kind of like the real world.
annoying
June 16th, 2010
8:20 pm
you r a loser if you type first and at least have nothing of substance to say.. LOSER
Chipper and Bobby will be sorely missed. Although Chip was by no means a clutch player (IE championships) he was a class act and a 1st ballot HOF and Bobby’s resumes speaks for itself.. I will miss them both..
Tami
June 16th, 2010
8:20 pm
LOL…Ernie Jr sure does sound like Ernie Sr, doesn’t he?
curtis jones
June 16th, 2010
8:20 pm
I know this is a revolutionary idea, concerning how to settle Chipper’s contract when he retires. How about this? When he stops playing, stop paying him. Kind of like the real world.
Mr. Turnip-Green Jeans
June 16th, 2010
8:20 pm
Did they dump the rule requiring the first rain delay last a mandatory length of time?