R.C. Collins Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Chipper will retire at end of season10:03 am March 22, 2012, by Chris VivlamoreLAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — This will be it for Chipper Jones.The Braves’ future Hall of Fame third baseball announced today that the 2012 season will be his last. The Jones played all 18 years with the Braves, who made him the No. 1 pick of the 1990 draft, where he won a World Series and a National League MVP award.Jones, 40, ranks as the Atlanta Braves franchise leader in nearly every offensive category with a .304 career batting average, 454 home runs, 526 doubles and 1,561 RBIs in 2,387 games. His home-run total ranks 33rd in major league history.Jones’ 18 years of service with the same team leads all active major league players, bettering Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera (17 years with the Yankees).The Braves and Jones, a seven-time All-Start, are discussing a yet-to-be-determined role with team following the season.Jones finished second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting in 1995, the season the Braves won the World Series. He was the league’s Most Valuable Player Award in 1999 when he hit .319 with a career-best 45 home runs and 110 RBIs.He won his first career batting title in 2008 with a .364 average (league-best .470 on-base percentage). It marked the second-highest single-season average ever for a switch hitter. Mickey Mantle hit .365 for the Yankees in 1957.Jones is the only switch hitter in Major League history to post a .300 career average with more than 300 homers, and his career batting average ranks second all-time among switch hitters. He also ranks third behind Mantle’s 536 and Eddie Murray’s 504 career home runs by a switch-hitter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dvt5045 Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I love Chipper I basically grew up watching him as a younger kid but its definitely time for him to move on. We could defintely use the money on other pieces. Hope he goes out strong and with a bang. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.C. Collins Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 Time can be a cruel thing, but no one can say this is a bad decision. Take the time to watch and respect watching a Hall of Famer this year. Many Atlanta fans have taken that for granted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mookie3127 Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 He's been the face of the franchise and I wish him the best, but it's time. I'm glad that he's given plenty of notice so that the team can make the appropriate roster moves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Pilgrim Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 The reason I wore #10 in baseball and football, the reason why I wore my socks high and the reason why I fell in love with baseball as a kid. Sad day today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknøwn Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 A lot of my best memories growing up had to do with the Braves whether on tv or in person and Chipper had a lot to do with that so it is a sad day and even though he isnt the MVP threat he once was it will be weird next season not having Chipper in uniform Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falconsfan567 Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Next year won't be the same. It's sad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falconsfan567 Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mookie3127 Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 No team and fan base will be happier to see him go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falconsfan567 Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Just saw a tweet that Chipper took out the lineup card today and got a standing ovation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ransack Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 Hard to believe we've gotten to witness 5 Hall of Fame careers (potentially 6). It was a great run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falconsfan567 Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 Hard to believe we've gotten to witness 5 Hall of Fame careers (potentially 6). It was a great run.Yeah. And speaking of which why has there not been an announcement about the Braves retiring John Smoltz's number this year?2009 - Maddux2010 - Glavine2011 - Bobby2012 - Smoltz?2013 - Chipper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknøwn Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 I believe those announcements usually come in May Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K26dp Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 .303/.403/.507, 19 HR, 29 doubles, 73 RBI, 77 BB, 70 Ks.That's what an average Chipper Jones season has been since hitting age 35. Injuries have taken their toll on him staying in the line-up, but the man can still hit today, and probably will be able to until the day he dies. He's a Top 5 Brave of all-time, and a first ballot HoFer.He gets a lot of crap about his contract, but he's been worth his $13 million/year, even with the injuries. The Braves will be hard-pressed to replace his production next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falconsfan567 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 .303/.403/.507, 19 HR, 29 doubles, 73 RBI, 77 BB, 70 Ks.That's what an average Chipper Jones season has been since hitting age 35. Injuries have taken their toll on him staying in the line-up, but the man can still hit today, and probably will be able to until the day he dies. He's a Top 5 Brave of all-time, and a first ballot HoFer.He gets a lot of crap about his contract, but he's been worth his $13 million/year, even with the injuries. The Braves will be hard-pressed to replace his production next season.But not just that. How much money has Chipper given away over his career to stay with the Braves and to allow the Braves to stay competitive? He's the best Atlanta Brave ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atlbravesfalcs7 Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 The reason I wore #10 in baseball and football, the reason why I wore my socks high and the reason why I fell in love with baseball as a kid. Sad day today.this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K26dp Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 But not just that. How much money has Chipper given away over his career to stay with the Braves and to allow the Braves to stay competitive? He's the best Atlanta Brave ever.That's a really good question. Chipper has never filed for free agency, always extending with the Braves before it gets to that point. Just looking at similar hitters as Chipper that became free agents agents when Chipper would have first been eligible (@2001), I see Scott Rolen and Vladamir Guerrero; both changed teams to get big pay-days and made several million more than Chipper made over the same time. Chipper didn't want for anything I'm sure, but he certainly would have made more had he tested free agency and signed with the Yankees, Mets, or other higher market team.And agreed, he's been the best Atlanta Brave player to date.Just out of curiosity, I ran fWAR values for all Braves since 1966 (first year in Atlanta). I think it produces a reasonable list of the Top 10 Atlanta Braves.1. Chipper Jones 87.52. John Smoltz 80.93. Greg Maddux 74.44. Andruw Jones 69.05. Hank Aaron 58.46. Tom Glavine 56.97. Dale Murphy 47.18. Phil Niekro 46.19. Javy Lopez 28.210. Brian McCann 26.8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falconsfan567 Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 That's a really good question. Chipper has never filed for free agency, always extending with the Braves before it gets to that point. Just looking at similar hitters as Chipper that became free agents agents when Chipper would have first been eligible (@2001), I see Scott Rolen and Vladamir Guerrero; both changed teams to get big pay-days and made several million more than Chipper made over the same time. Chipper didn't want for anything I'm sure, but he certainly would have made more had he tested free agency and signed with the Yankees, Mets, or other higher market team.And agreed, he's been the best Atlanta Brave player to date.Just out of curiosity, I ran fWAR values for all Braves since 1966 (first year in Atlanta). I think it produces a reasonable list of the Top 10 Atlanta Braves.1. Chipper Jones 87.52. John Smoltz 80.93. Greg Maddux 74.44. Andruw Jones 69.05. Hank Aaron 58.46. Tom Glavine 56.97. Dale Murphy 47.18. Phil Niekro 46.19. Javy Lopez 28.210. Brian McCann 26.8I would say that list is pretty dead on. I think people seem to forget how valuable Javy Lopez was to the Braves in the 90s and into the 2000s. But that being said I was kinda surprised to see him ahead of David Justice. I guess Justice's time with the Braves just didn't last long enough before he was traded to the Indians. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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