I am just loving Chipper Jones’ hitting tips:
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Chipping In
Batting advice from Chipper Jones:
I have always heard, “Keep your eye on the ball.” I had never heard an explanation of how to keep your eye on the ball.
Here’s a nice picture of Aaron Judge doing just that. And of course, Jones.
The Chance to Hit .400
My friend Jim Storer and I went on a .400 kick this morning, looking for batters that carried a .400 BA through at least their first 200 AB of a season. With MLB talking about playing an 82 game season, the qualify plate appearance minimum works out 254 plate appearances. An everyday player should get between 280 and 340 PA (a shorter season may mean more players get to play the full year, as late season injuries won’t be a problem). That probably puts most qualifiers between 230 and 300 AB. Someone could go 92 for 230, or even 120 for 300, and hit .400 for season.
While no one qualified for a batting title hitting .400 since Ted Williams, a number of players reached a point in the season where they accumulated at least 200 at bats with a .400 BA. I could not do an exhaustive, search due to the time it takes to run the data. Instead, we chose 24 solid candidates, usually people who had a career of high averages, or maybe one outstanding season. The list tested is on this spreadsheet, twenty four batters in all. The query search the entire careers of these batters, and on the second sheets it lists the dates, at bats, hits, and batting average of the days at which they accumulated at least 200 AB for the season with a rounded BA of at least .400. Of the 24 tested, twelve accomplished the goal.
Chipper Jones accomplished the feat in 2008, finishing a game at or above .400 fourteen days in June. An exhaustive search since then indicates this was the last time it happened. In the intervening years, strikeouts rose a great deal, and strike outs are the batting average killer. Given an eleven year history without this being accomplished, I’d say the odds of a .400 hitter qualifying for the title in a shortened season is low.
Unless someone puts his mind to it. My two favorite candidates would be Mike Trout and Christian Yelich. Both hit for high BABIP and excellent home run power. While their strikeout rates are high, they are not outrageous. Miguel Cabrera lowered his strikeout rate, enabling him to win the triple crown. If Yelich or Trout decides to go for it and really concentrate on putting the ball in play, they might take it a step further. A .400 year, even in a shortened season, would be something that would captivate fans. It might even create a Hall of Fame case for the player who accomplished it. In a short season, anything can happen.
If anyone thinks of a player who should be added to the test list, let me know in the comments and I’ll run the numbers.
Update: Good calls in the comments on Lenny Dykstra in 1990 and Paul O’Neill in 1994. I have added them to the spreadsheet. I also checked Joe Torre, but he did not qualify.
Hall of Fame Day
Cooperstown becomes the focus of the baseball world this afternoon at 1:30 PM EDT as the 2018 class receives their plaques and makes their speeches. There are a large number of inductees, as the writers voted in four players. Vald Guerrero, Trevor Hoffman, Chipper Jones, and Jim Thome receive the highest honor the baseball writers bestow. Jack Morris and teammate Alan Trammell won the nod of the veterans committee, honoring the great Tigers teams of the 1980s. Sheldon Ocker takes the J.G. Taylor Spink Award (writing) and Bob Costas receives the Ford C. Frick Award (broadcasting).
There are arguments about a few of the inductees, especially Morris, Trammell, and Hoffman. This is not the day for that, however. All these players brought a great deal of joy to baseball fans, and it’s a day to remember that. Congratulations to all!
Two Momentous Events
Chipper Jones may miss his Hall of Fame Induction ceremony for another major event:
After his election into the Hall in January, he announced that he had another child on the way. A boy, his sixth.
He and wife, Taylor, picked Cooper as the child’s name. Cooper’s expected due date is the day after the induction ceremony.
…
The couple have a contingency plan in place should Taylor go into labor ahead of the ceremony. They have visited the local hospital in Cooperstown, just in case, and his speech will be pre-recorded.
If the baby comes tonight, Chipper can hold it while he gives his speech tomorrow!
Mantle and Jones
Chipper Jones idolized Mickey Mantle, and talks about the time they met, well before Jones was famous:
“It was one of the only times where I found myself, the night before, practicing how I was going to meet somebody in the mirror,” Jones recalled.
When the moment came, he couldn’t get any of the words he had practiced to come out of his mouth.
“That’s how high a pedestal this guy was on,” Jones said, chuckling at the memory.
Composing himself, Jones finally began a conversation.
He wondered how Mantle dealt with the adulation, always carrying himself with a mythical aura that would still drive some fans to tears long after he was done playing.
“Mickey, does this ever get old?” Jones asked. “How do you keep this in perspective?”
Mantle told the young ballplayer of a recurring dream.
“I’m standing at the pearly gates. God walks up, and apparently I’ve got this worried look on my face. He says, ‘Mickey, I’m gonna let you in. But can you sign these dozen baseballs?”
Jones roared with laughter.
So did everyone else in the room.
The 2018 Hall Election
Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome, and Trevor Hoffman reach the 371 vote mark to make the Hall of Fame. Congratulations to all!
Edgar Martinez fell 20 votes short. I hope he makes it next season.
Hall of Fame Day
The Hall of Fame election announcement comes this evening on MLB Network. David Schoenfield at ESPN previews the selections. It looks like three players, Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, and Vladimir Guerrero will get elected. Edgar Martinez and Trevor Hoffman are on the bubble.
Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are now on their sixth ballots (players remain for 10 years). They continue to see their percentages increase, and both are at 64 percent. The purge of voters from 2015 to 2016 that reduced the number of voters from 549 to 440 helped them, but you have to think that the elections of Mike Piazza in 2016 and Ivan Rodriguez in 2017 — two players caught up in PED speculation — helped as well. The totals for Bonds and Clemens will fall after the private ballots, and it’s not clear that they’re on an inevitable path to the Hall of Fame. It does seem clear that Joe Morgan’s email to all voters in late November asking them not to support PED users — issued from a Hall of Fame email address apparently with the approval of the Hall itself (Morgan is a board member) — has had little effect on voters.
Mussina Gaining
Nearly 40% of the Hall of Fame ballots are public, and Mike Mussina is doing well among that set of voters. He is up 14 votes among that group, which won’t put him in this year but may give him momentum for the 2019 class.
Right now, it looks like Vlad Guerrero, Chipper Jones, and Jim Thome will make it, with Edgar Martinez and Trevor Hoffman on the edge. I’ve noticed in the past the early public voters appear to be more generous with their votes.
Famous Slams
Cy Morong publishes a list of Hall of Fame batters who hit home runs off Hall of Fame pitchers:
The other day I mentioned to a friend that I had been to a game in Montreal in 1997 and saw Chipper Jones hit a grand slam off of Pedro Martinez. As you can see from the list below, the last case was in 1995 (and the last one before that was in 1985). That ten year gap is interesting.
Maybe it has been happening less in recent years or decades as the number of teams expanded, possibly making it less likely for future Hall of Famers to face each other. Now it probably takes time for cases to make the list since it can take years for players to get into the Hall, so that might be the reason why it has not happened in twenty years. Of course, it also depends on the writers and any selection committees that choose players. Roger Clemens, for example, allowed grand slams to Mike Piazza and Frank Thomas. Without a PED issue, Clemens would be in and we would have some more recent cases.
Note that Greg Maddux did not allow a regular season grand slam until 1996, and only gave up three for his career. He did allow a slam to Will Clark during the 1989 playoffs. Mark McGwire, John Olerud, and Benito Santiago hit the homers. Without the PED stain, McGwire would be in and we would also have another example. It’s also clear it took a very good hitter to slam Maddux. Santiago was the first of the three.
Ignoring Hernandez
Chipper Jones will not watch games umpired by Angel Hernandez, and he wants you to stop as well:
Our only recourse, as fans, is to turn the station whenever he, or his crew, are on the field. When viewer numbers go down, MLB will notice.
— Chipper Jones (@RealCJ10) July 6, 2013
I think it’s a great idea. Hernandez is working the Braves series this weekend. If you hurt the broadcasters, who have a great deal of power with MLB, it might just work. Remember, Angel was the umpire who did not overturn a home run call on review when everyone and his mother could see the call was incorrect.
Hat tip, BBTF.
The Possession
Chris Johnson leads the NL with a .407 batting average. Johnson formerly played for the Astros and Diamondbacks, posting a career slash line of .276/.315/.430 through 2012. Now with the Braves, and mostly filling in for Freddie Freeman, Johnson is off to an amazing start.
What happened? I think it’s obvious:
- He is playing for the Braves
- His primary position is third base
- His initials are C.J.
You might say the Braves have a Jones for a Johnson. Here, Chris homers against the Pirates. Photo: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
It’s quite obvious that Chipper Jones didn’t retire, but possessed the body of Chris Johnson. (I will grant that Chipper might be a Time Lord and regenerated into Chris Johnson, but that’s a bit far fetched.) It has nothing to do with small sample sizes. 🙂
Johnson is showing better plate discipline this season. He swinging less at pitches outside the zone, more at pitches inside the zone, and making more contact on both. We’ll see if he can carry that through the entire season.
Dry Farm
The Yankees farm system is so dry Brian Cashman is trying to coax players out of retirement.
Final Hit?
With two out in the bottom of the ninth, Chipper Jones records an infield hit. Freddie Freeman then hits a ground rule double to left-center, and Dan Uggla come up representing the tying run. It’s not over, thanks to Chipper!
Update: Uggla grounds out to second, and the Cardinals win 6-3. They’ll face the Nationals on Sunday, unless the protest by Fredi Gonzalez is upheld. Fans are throwing debris on the field again, in a classless display of frustration.
Chip Shot
Chipper Jones makes an error on a potential double play ball, and the Cardinals turn that into three runs as they now lead Atlanta 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth. After his great season at the plate, it would be sad for Chipper to go out losing due to a poor defensive play.
Update: With runners on first and third in the bottom of the fourth and one out, Andrelton Simmons bunts. The throw to first hits Simmons in the helmet and it looks like both runners scored. Simmons, however, was not in the running lane, so he is charged with interference and the runners return to their bases.
Chip Shot
Chipper Jones gets a game winning RBI as his three-run homer supplies the Braves with a win over they Phillies 8-7. It was the 15th walk-off RBI of Chipper’s career, which started in 1993. In that time, only two players have more; the amazing David Ortiz with 18, and Chipper’s old teammate Andruw Jones with 17.
The Eyes Have It
Chipper Jones comes to bat in his last All-Star Game and gets a seeing-eye single as Ian Kinsler broke the wrong way on the ball. The NL leads 8-0 in the top of the sixth.
Harper Votes for Chipper
Bryce Harper would vote for Chipper Jones for the All-Star team:
After hearing he was on among the five finalists, Harper was reverent to one notable competitor: Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, a veteran who is playing well in his final season before retirement.
“It’s an accomplishment, I guess, but you got Chipper up there,” he said. “So, I think a Hall of Famer should be able to go to all-star game his last year. If I was going to make a vote, I’d go vote for Chip.”
I tend to agree with Bryce. Harper’s season is impressive for a 19-year-old, and a very good season, but it’s not exactly all-star yet. Chipper is one of the all-time greats, and deserves the bow. That said, I would still be torn between the two. The first All-Star expansion I remember was to give room to put Willie Mays on the team at the end of his career in 1973. If Bryce were at the level of Mike Trout, he would have been picked already.
Jones Drained
Chipper Jones had the hematoma on his leg drained.
“I feel so much better now,” Jones said. “It was throbbing. It let me know with everything that I did. Now, we’ve relieved a lot of the pressure down there and I can’t feel my heartbeat [in the ankle] anymore.
Jones said he was told my doctors that had he not had the surgical procedure he would have been dealing with the issue into September. Although he would have been able to play prior, he would have faced more problems had the area suffered another hit, such as from a foul ball.
He should be back in action at the end of his 15 days on the disabled list.
Chipper Disabled
Chipper Jones goes on the disabled list due the batted ball that hit him in the leg:
The Atlanta Braves have placed Chipper Jones on the 15-day disabled list with a bruised left leg and recalled catcher J.C. Boscan from Triple-A Gwinnett.
Boscan is starting Saturday’s game against the Washington Nationals.
Jones has missed seven straight starts. He still isn’t ready to play after hurting his leg May 18.
He pinch-hit Wednesday, so he can’t play until the end of the first week of June. The Braves are 21-8 when Chipper plays, 5-13 without him.
Late Night Roundup
It took the Athletics 12 innings, bu they ended the Rays winning streak with a 4-3 victory. Former Rays slugger Jonny Gomes played the hero. He came in as a pinch hitter, walked twice, stole an extra-base hit from Carlos Pena, and homered in the twelfth for the winning run. Gomes is not hitting for average this season, but his .386 OBP and .587 slugging percentage makes him productive at the plate.
Giving Albert Pujols a night off worked for the Angels as they beat Toronto 6-2. Substitute first baseman Mark Trumbo homered, singled and walked. C.J. Wilson pitched another great game, going eight innings and striking out nine.
Denard Span singled leading off the fourth inning for the Twins, but that was the only hit for the team as Felix Hernandez pitched eight shutout innings. The King walked two and struck out nine as he lowered his ERA to 1.89. Steve Delabar pitched a perfect ninth to finish off the 7-0 Seattle victory. In their last four games, the Twins have been held to 3, 0, 5, and 1 hit, with a two hitter against them early in the season. At the moment, the team seems offensively challenged. Ten teams collected more hits on Saturday and the Twins did in their last four games combined.
Did they break the humidor in Colorado? The Braves beat the Rockies 13-9. The teams combined for five home runs, and Chipper Jones drove in five runs from the #2 slot in the lineup. The eight games of this home stand produced 123 runs, or over 15 per game.
Mark Buehrle gave the Marlins a complete game and a win as the Padres fell 4-1. Twenty eight of 33 Padres batters put the ball in play, but only managed five hits.
Chipper Shot
Chipper Jones homers to center in the bottom of the 11th to give the Braves a 15-13 win over the Phillies. It was a game of big swings, as the Phillies led 6-0, trailed 8-6, led 12-8, trailed 13-12, then tied the score in the ninth to send the game into extra frames. A wild night in Atlanta ends with the veteran hitting his 458th career home run, four behind Jose Canseco for 32nd all time.
Another Chip Shot
Chipper Jones saved his one hit of the evening until it counted most, driving home the go-ahead run in the ninth with a single as Atlanta score three runs in the final frame to beat the Dodgers 4-2. The Braves used five consecutive one-out singles to drive home the three runs, chasing Javy Guerra from the game and handing him his second blown save. After a rough start, the Braves stand at 12-7, first place in the NL Wild Card standings. They are 9-2 when Chipper plays.
Winning With Chipper
The Braves defeated the Dodgers Tuesday night 4-3 as Chipper Jones chipped in with a two-run homer. Jones played in ten of the Braves 18 games, and Atlanta went 8-2 in those contests. Jones revived his power so far this season, hitting .281/.368/.594.
There seems to be no good reason why Chipper is making the difference. Martin Prado plays third when Chipper is out, but Matt Diaz posted very good numbers in left when Prado is not there. Juan Francisco posted good numbers at third in his brief stint at the position. So with or without Chipper, the Braves have one good hitter and Martin Prado. They just have won more when Jones takes the field.
Matt Kemp went 1 for 3 with a walk, and is now batting .455.
The Difference Maker
Chipper Jones returned to the Braves lineup Sunday afternoon to play his third game of the season. He hit a three-run homer in the third inning and walked twice as the Braves beat Milwaukee 7-4. Jones is batting .417/.500/.917 in his small sample size. The Braves are 3-0 when he plays, 1-4 when he doesn’t.
Jason Heyward also added a home run. He’s still batting down in the Braves order despite being off to a fast start with four of his ten hits going for extra bases.
Chipper Returns
Chipper Jones returned to the Atlanta lineup Tuesday night, and the team fortunes turned around. Jones homered and singled, driving in two runs as Atlanta earned their first win of the season, 6-4 over the Astros. Jones now has 455 career home runs, and is just seven behind Jose Canseco for 32nd place on the all-time list. If he hits 21 homers this season, he’ll tie Stan Musial and Will Stargell for 28th.
Chipping In
The Braves activated Chipper Jones from the disabled list. Atlanta can use a boost after an 0-4 start. The Yankees and Red Sox started 0-3 this season, but at least they did it against teams that made the playoffs in 2011. The Braves lost their games to the Mets and Astros, teams expected to finish last in their divisions this season.
Meniscus Minuses Jones
Chipper Jones will start the season on the disabled list as he will undergo knee surgery Monday:
Two days after Jones announced this will be his final year, Braves general manager Frank Wren said Saturday that Jones will undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair torn meniscus in his left knee.
The procedure is scheduled to be performed Monday. The 39-year-old Jones will open the season on the disabled list, but the team expects him to miss only the first six games. Wren said Jones should return in time for the April 13 home opener.
This is the second year in a row Chipper needed arthroscopic surgery on a knee. This is a big reason he’s ready to retire.
Martin Prado will take over until Chipper returns.
Singing Chipper’s Praises
Via Big League Stew, the Chipper Jones Song.
Jones to Say Goodbye
Chipper Jones announced that 2012 will be his last season. That’s nice, as people around the game will be able to celebrate his career. Chipper, however, strikes me as one of those intensely competitive people that might change his mind if he has a good season.
That said, some of his statements this spring indicate he knows his body is giving him problems. I thought that there was a chance he retired during the season. I doubt that will happen now. He’ll receive honors as he makes his last visit to each ballpark, so there will be a good reason to stick around. Maybe the Mets will embed a stone with his name on it near the old spot of home plate at Shea. 🙂
With a career bWAR of 84.9, Jones is an easy Hall of Famer, especially since he appeared to be a clean player during the steroid era. I would not be surprised to see him elected on the first ballot.