Kevin C. Cox - Getty Images
If we have seen the last of Chipper Jones, then we've seen some pretty good years. With the help of Baseball Reference I have compiled some fun facts about Chipper.
Chipper Jones home run facts:
- 436 career HRs against 299 different pitchers
- Most HRs against Steve Trachsel (7), second most (6) against Randy Johnson and Shane Reynolds
- Most road HRs at, where else, Shea Stadium (19)
- Most HRs against a team, actually the Phillies (45) followed closely by the Mets (44)
- He has one 3-HR game, and 38 2-HR games
- He hits more HRs in the first inning (77) than any other inning, hits the fewest HRs in the second inning (21)
- His first career HR (a solo shot) came off of Josias Manzanillo of the ... wait for it ... New York Mets on May 9th, 1995 ... wait for it ... as the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth to win the game
- He has six career grand slams
- He has seven career walk-off HRs
All-time career ranks for Chipper:
- 30th in OPS (46th in OBP, 41st in SLG)
- 69th in runs scored
- 31st in runs created
- 94th in hits
- 57th in doubles
- 37th in home runs
- 3rd in home runs by a switch hitter
- 52nd in RBI
- 25th in walks
- 34th in intentional walks
- 112th in strikeouts
- 40th in extra base hits
- 51st in total bases
He is the only switch hitter in Major League baseball history to have a career .300 average and hit at least 300 home runs.
Hall of Famer, hands down.
HawksBaseball2 - August 13, 2010
I hope Chipper and Murphy go in toghether.
taney71 - August 13, 2010
Another one that Joe Pos pointed out a while back is
That Chipper will be one of 5 players to finish with a .300/.400/.500 or better slash line
Zeus12888 - August 13, 2010
.300/.400/.500
He’s a rare member of this club. It includes Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gherig, Stan Musial, Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, Tris Speaker, Mel Ott, Harry Heilmann, Frank Thomas, Manny Ramirez, and Edgar Martinez.
BenDuronio - August 13, 2010
wow.
MBL1 - August 13, 2010
i’m about to cry
saipol - August 13, 2010
+1 million
jwrocks - August 13, 2010
same here
MBL1 - August 13, 2010
yep
HalleyGator - August 13, 2010
Surely he’s a first ballot. What scares me is that you’ll have Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, Bobby, and Chipper all within a couple years of each other and I could see the voters wanting to spread it out a bit.
Bobby Cocks - August 13, 2010
Time to book our trips to New York!
MBL1 - August 13, 2010
Definitely
eaheckman10 - August 13, 2010
Dude is amazing. The .300/300 homer line for a switch hitter and the .300/.400/.500 line are amazing.
And oddly enough, the first autograph I ever got was from Josias Manzanillo…
cbwilk - August 13, 2010
I LOL'ed at this one
Josias Manzanillo? I’ve got to hear the story of why you decided that he would be your 1st autograph… was it simply just an opportunity thing or was there something else to it?
theatlfan - August 13, 2010
Complete accident of opportunity. He played here in Norfolk in 94 when I was 12 and we went to a game that they gave away white Tides hats. My mom suggested that my sister and I go down and try to get them signed. I came away with autographs from Manzanillo and Bill Pulsipher, both of whom I would get many times a few years later when I started collecting cards. I don’t remember having any kind of revelation at the time that made me think I should start getting stuff signed, it was just one of those things. Funny to think that years later, now that I have nearly 40,000 baseball cards signed, that my first autograph was a journey man pitcher on a giveaway hat.
cbwilk - August 13, 2010
Ha pretty cool
jbeachbum24 - August 13, 2010
Undoubtedly.........
The best all around switch hitter I ever saw. Hands Down !!!
ggotch - August 13, 2010
I really hope he comes back next year – as much as I think he wont.
Chipper Jones, my hat is off to you for being one of the greatest players I have ever had the honor of watching.
justincredubil02 - August 13, 2010
Why do I see him...
rengotiating a reduced salary next season to reflect his reduced playing time and need for others on the roster to fill in any voids, and obvously coming back for one last run at a ring so his career doesn’t end on an injury?
Mr. Sanchez - August 13, 2010
I wonder...
Would the player’s union ok a deal in which Chipper took a reduced salary but got paid the rest of his contract as a consultant in the front office. I know they have problems with players taking pay cuts, but it seems like Chipper would be all for it.
weekapaug09 - August 13, 2010
He could always agree to a Bonilla-like deferment...
or move it to 2012 when he’ll almost certainly be retired.
Mr. Sanchez - August 13, 2010
I think Chipper would do what he wants, regardless of what the MLBPA says.
justincredubil02 - August 14, 2010
now that's progress
Braves24 - August 13, 2010
Come back next year! Don’t go out like this
HeywardFTW! - August 13, 2010 via mobile
Also, think about the influence he has had on so many other of our players. Sure Chip could sometimes come off as arrogant; however, never i have seen a more loyal and selfless player. The impact of having on our team could never truly be described. Furthermore, the respect he gained from the rest of the league was always fun to see. As i watched games on tv, it was impressive to see how much the other team’s players would talk to him while he was on base. Ill surely miss him when he retires.
HawksBaseball2 - August 13, 2010
I hadn’t thought of it for a while, but this post reminded me of Rollins from the Phillies. He was in an aweful slump when they came into Atlanta one time last year. Rollins knew that Chipper was swinging a bigger bat than most and sought his advice. Chipper gave Rollins one of his bats and it actually helped bring Rollins out of his slump.
I hope he’s around the Braves organization for the next few decades, he is one of a kind.
bighop - August 13, 2010
hadn't heard this story
cool of chipper, but why give your arch rival’s sparkplug a bat to help him out of the slump?! haha…neat story, however.
Jareth Cutestory - August 13, 2010
I wondered “why” too, I guess it’s the kind of man he is.
bighop - August 13, 2010
his 1999 season:
the ONLY player in MLB history to record the following in the same season:
pretty friggin’ awesome. he’ll be back…
Jareth Cutestory - August 13, 2010
WOW!
My guess is the chances are better than 50-50 for him to come back next season.
fandave - August 13, 2010
Chipper’s last HR was against the Giants, but the one before that was against the Mets. It would be awesome if both his first and last career HRs were against the Mets.
As much as I want Chipper to return next year, I don’t think he will.
TonyAlmeyda - August 13, 2010
i think he's too competitive to go out on an injury
i like the idea someone posed earlier of him reducing the terms of his contract and coming back for one last hurrah. rehabbed, rested, stretched :) and ready to go.
Jareth Cutestory - August 13, 2010
I think he’ll come back too, but not necessarily for the reasons you listed.
I am not trying to digress here, but last year Tom Glavine was signed to a contract that it seems the team had no intention of honoring. When Glavine completed rehab, the team simply pronounced him “unable” to get out major league hitters (although he had no problems getting minor league hitters) and released him to save money. That put Glavine in the position of having to either sue the Braves and suffer the PR damage of being “greedy” or allow the Braves owners to screw him out of his money. He choose the latter. Now what on earth does that have to do with Chipper?
Simple. Chipper has 2 guaranteed high money years left on his deal. The story I’ve head is that he talked to the Braves about retiring at the end of the season and they, once again, don’t want to live up to their contractual obligations. So if he can possibly recover from this and play again, even if badly, I think he’ll return just because the Braves are rumored to be trying to get out of paying what they owe him if he retires.
I’m not sure that a player or a team can throw out what is left on a contract and shorten its duration or money. The CBA may specifically prevent this. It’s a different league, but the current CBA in the NHL has explicit language that prevents that. It may be the same in baseball.
For those of you who for some reason still think that the Braves are “doing everything they can” to win this season, as I write this the current rumor is that Brandon Hicks was called up.
Zontar - August 13, 2010
If Chipper really cared about getting every dollar possible...
his contract the last 5-10 years would have been for a lot more money. I don’t think he’d throw away money, but I’m sure he’d be willing to work with the front office on it, or at least he always has shown that willingness in the past.
Mr. Sanchez - August 13, 2010
A link to this so called story or it's no more than a rumor.
HEYJUDE - August 13, 2010
really.
I say the Glavine situation was 1st and foremost a baseball decision.
fandave - August 13, 2010
I was speaking of the "so called" Chipper situation.
I agree the Glavine situation was a baseball decision. Glavine had left the Braves, and had returned. Chipper has been a Brave his entire career, and has taken less money than he could have probably gotten somewhere else. I don’t see the FO treating these situations the same.
HEYJUDE - August 13, 2010
I think the union doesn’t allow players to redo contracts like that.
Broccoman - August 13, 2010
The union can’t prevent him from structuring his contract in any way he wants. They can encourage him not to, but they don’t have any power to limit him.
cbwilk - August 13, 2010
F the MLBPA
iamthesgt - August 13, 2010
I agree.
cbwilk - August 13, 2010
Coming back or not, you’ll always be my favorite Chipper. You’re the reason I like the Braves and the reason I like baseball. You’re the reason I played third base, and the reason I wore #10 from little league to high school
eaheckman10 - August 13, 2010
and he is the reason i try to be switch hitter
joshant - August 13, 2010
He only need 19 RBI more to pass Mantle and become 2nd in all time RBI for a Switcher
joshant - August 13, 2010
By the the Giants
just traded for Guillen… awesome
MikeTrain - August 13, 2010
Boys,
He is coming back. Think positive. Chipper is too much of a warrior to go out like this I know he will be back
CJ10JHEY22 - August 13, 2010
needs to retire
$13M is too much for someone at his age coming off major knee surgery. would we go into the open market and pay a similiar player the same. No – team is better off taking his salary and acquiring a player or two that will make an immediate impact.
llabyug - August 13, 2010 via mobile
Perhaps you're right
But the Braves owe it to him to allow him to rehab. Baseball is a business obviously, if you’re on this site then you obviously know that. But the FO won’t stop him from rehabbing and trying to come back. I don’t believe in telling a franchise icon no. This is not a Griffey situation, Chipper can still contribute on the field. It would be different if he was doing terribly, but he’s been playing extremely well the last few months.
E-Lizz - August 13, 2010 via mobile
Chipper is very close to a few milestones, which could be a factor.....
14 HR shy of 450
10 hits away from 2,500
7 doubles away from 500
9 RBI away from 1,500
19 RBI away from passing Mantle
3 SB away from 150
And to a much lesser extend…..96 BB away from 1,500
Shame…
Undocorkscrew - August 13, 2010
extent*
Undocorkscrew - August 13, 2010
And really good...
At blowing bubbles!
Jman781 - August 13, 2010
On last photo:
Notice the word “Bust” on the front. I think not!
Note: I exceeded height tag limit so y’all could read the front of the card…
Jman781 - August 13, 2010
^One last photo...
Jman781 - August 13, 2010
oh my gosh….he’s so young. But you can tell it’s him…barely.
MBL1 - August 13, 2010 via mobile
I just think Chipper won't let his career end like that
The man wants to leave on his own terms, and this is certainly not what he had in mind. An injury forcing him out while his team is in first place would absolutely kill him. He’s still got enough for one more season.
Bronn - August 13, 2010
Without trying a comeback!
ESPN just announced that Chipper said he would not retire without trying to comeback. Surgery tomorrow.
wadlinger - August 13, 2010
I cried like a baby during his
E-Lizz - August 13, 2010 via mobile
Damn mobile commenting!
I cried like a baby during his press conference. I hope he’s strong enough to return next year… But if not, he had a hell of a career. I’ll be there in Cooperstown the day he is inducted.
E-Lizz - August 13, 2010 via mobile
did they televise the press conference?
I just got off of work and would love to see it!
asset - August 13, 2010
They showed it live on MLB Network
I’m sure they’ll be showing clips of it in the next few days
E-Lizz - August 13, 2010 via mobile
I'm happy Chipper is not retiring after this season.
I look forward to watching him play again next season!
HEYJUDE - August 13, 2010
I join you in happiness.
fandave - August 13, 2010
Last night, I had the oddest dream.
I was at a gathering at someone’s home, all familiar faces. I walked past Chipper who was sitting in a large chair (one of those chair and a half type things) and he reached out and grabbed my hand and pulled me down to sit on his lap. I told him to be careful because of the knee healing from the surgery and he just laughed. He slid over and we shared the chair and talked, arm in arm. It was a TOTAL brother-sister type vibe. Like I had known him all my life and we were pals.
I looked at him and asked if he had made his mind up and he said he’d love to be able to come back and play again because he really didn’t want to end his career on an injury. I told him if anybody could do it – he could.
Then, I woke up.
I haven’t seen any coverage today, so I’m gonna catch up a bit before the game….
NCChopper - August 13, 2010
wow.
What an awesome dream…like a vision or something, haha.
How did you remember all that? I wanna know your secret.
MBL1 - August 13, 2010 via mobile
I actually condensed it in the post there was a lot more.
I have very vivid dreams usually – and when I remember them afterward, it’s a bonus.
NCChopper - August 14, 2010
lucky you
I barely remember my dreams, which really stinks…one time I dreamed that I was swimming in a pool of skittles. lol.
MBL1 - August 14, 2010 via mobile
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