Chipper Jones
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| Atlanta Braves — No. 10 | |
| Third baseman | |
| Bats: Both | Throws: Right |
| Major League Baseball debut | |
|---|---|
| September 11, 1993 for the Atlanta Braves | |
| Selected MLB statistics (through 2006) |
|
| AVG | .304 |
| OBP | .402 |
| SLG | .542 |
| Home Runs | 357 |
Larry Wayne Jones, Jr. (born April 24, 1972 in DeLand, Florida), better known as Chipper Jones, is a prominent Major League Baseball third baseman for the Atlanta Braves. He is considered one of the finest pure hitters in baseball today, as well as one of the finest switch-hitters in baseball history. Jones debuted in 1993 and has played his entire career with the Braves. He remains one of the few active baseball players with a career .300+ average.
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[edit] Early career
Jones was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 1st round (1st overall pick) of the 1990 amateur draft. He made a quick jump through the minors to make his major league debut on September 11, 1993.
After sitting out the entire 1994 season with an ACL tear in his left knee, Jones came back strong in 1995, leading all major league rookies in RBI (86), games played (145), games started (123), plate appearances (602), at-bats (524), and runs scored (87). He went on to win The Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award, and finished second in the BBWAA Rookie of the Year balloting behind Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo.
[edit] MVP Season
In 1999, Jones won the National League MVP award after becoming the first player to ever hit over .300 (.319), slug 40 home runs (45), 40 doubles (41), record 100 walks (126), 100 RBI (110), 100 Runs scored (116), and steal 20 bases (25). Jones led the Braves to the World Series against the New York Yankees that year, in which the Braves were swept. He did, however, hit their only home run in the series, against Yankees' starter Orlando Hernández.
Before facing the New York Mets in the NLCS in 1999 Chipper told Mets fans "when it gets to postseason time, put their Mets stuff away and put on Yankees apparel." Mets fans responded during Games 3 to 5 by chanting "Larrrrrryyyy", Jones's given name; and instead of K cards putting up pictures of Larry Fine of the Three Stooges when he or any Brave struck out.
[edit] 2000 to present
Before the start of the 2002 season, Jones announced his willingness to move from third base to left field, a position he had last played in his rookie season in 1995, to make room for the incoming Vinny Castilla. Jones proved adequate in left field, but following two more early playoff exits in 2002 and 2003 and a hamstring pull in the early 2004 season, he moved back to his regular position of third base.
On August 16, 2004 Jones hit the 300th home run of his career in a 5-4 victory over the San Diego Padres.
In a 12-season career, Jones is a .304/.402/.542 hitter with 357 home runs, 1,070 walks and 1,197 RBIs in 1,761 games. He is behind only Mickey Mantle and Eddie Murray on the all-time switch hitters career home run list. He is considered one of the game's best all-around hitters.
He is the only switch hitter in Major League Baseball history to have a .300+ career batting average and more than 300 home runs. Mickey Mantle, widely regarded as the greatest switch hitter of all time, ended his career with a .298 batting average.
Jones has emerged as a team leader in recent years and is well-respected in the clubhouse. Following the 2005 season, Jones reworked his contract with Braves to free up more money to pursue elite free agents, as well as virtually assure he will end his career in Atlanta. The revamped deal gave the Braves fifteen million dollars over the course of the next three years, as well as six million to use in 2006. The new deal also converted two final team option years to guaranteed contracts.
On June 10, 2006, Jones became the Atlanta Braves all-time RBI leader when he drove in his 1,144th RBI against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park, passing former outfielder Dale Murphy. Jones remains behind Hank Aaron (2,202) and Eddie Mathews (1,388) on the franchise's all-time list.
On July 15, 2006, Jones recorded his 1,902 career hit to become the Atlanta Braves' all-time hits leader, passing Hank Aaron. The next day he hit a home run to extend his extra-base hitting streak to 14 games, matching the Major League record set by Pittsburgh's Paul Waner in 1927.
On August 14, 2006, Chipper had his first career 3 home run game. Jones homered in his final three at bats in the Braves 10-4 win over the Washington Nationals. Jones finished the night 4-5 with 5 RBIs.
[edit] World Baseball Classic
Jones was selected to play in the inaugural 2006 World Baseball Classic (along with Braves teammate Jeff Francoeur). He hit a home run in his first at bat of the Classic against Mexico off of future teammate Oscar Villarreal. In fact, prior to the at bat Chipper told a coach that he would hit a home run on the first strike he saw[citation needed]. This would hold up to be the game-winning run for Team USA against Mexico.
[edit] Accomplishments
- TSN Rookie of the Year (1995)
- 5-time All-Star (1996-98, 2000-01)
- National League MVP (1999)
- 2-time Silver Slugger at 3rd Base (1999-2000)
- Holds the Major League Record for most consecutive games with an extra-base hit (14, tied with Paul Waner).
- 8 straight 100 plus RBI seasons (1996-2003)
- Most homeruns in a season by a National League switch hitter (45 in 1999)
- Third most home runs for a switch hitter behind Eddie Murray (504), and Mickey Mantle (536)
- Has the most R.B.I.'s by a Atlanta Brave and the most home runs by a Atlanta Brave (note this is while playing for the Braves not career totals)
[edit] Trivia
- Jones played baseball at the North Florida prep school The Bolles School.
- Jones is an avid hunter and owns the Double Dime Ranch near Carrizo Springs, Texas.
- In 1998, Jones was a subject of scandal due to his fathering of a child — with a Hooters waitress, not his wife at the time, Karin.
- Jones and his second wife (Sharon) have three children, Larry Wayne III (Trey), Tristen, and Shea, named after Shea Stadium, where Jones hit his first major league home run on May 9, 1995.
- Jones enters the batter's box to the Ozzy Osbourne song "Crazy Train", though in recent years he has used Trick Daddy's "Let's Go", which samples heavily from "Crazy Train".
- On May 31, 2006, Jones passed Hank Aaron for second place on the all-time Atlanta Braves career home run list, blasting his 336th career home run to the opposite field against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He now trails only Dale Murphy for the Atlanta club record (371).
- On August 14, 2006, Jones had his first career three-homer game against the Washington Nationals. The home runs came on three consecutive at-bats.
- Chipper appears on one of the alternate covers of Athlon Sports baseball annuals which has covers from all MLB teams.
- Chipper worked his way up through the minors and broke into the big leagues as a short stop.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Baseball-Reference.com - career statistics and analysis
- Chipper Jones at ESPN.com
- Player page at Baseball Library
| Preceded by Ben McDonald |
First overall pick in the MLB Entry Draft 1990 |
Succeeded by Brien Taylor |
| Preceded by Sammy Sosa |
National League Most Valuable Player 1999 |
Succeeded by Jeff Kent |
Categories: Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | Major league players from Florida | 1972 births | Living people | National League All-Stars | Atlanta Braves players | Major league third basemen | 2006 World Baseball Classic players of the United States | People from Volusia County, Florida | People from Atlanta | People from Texas
