With a throwing error and an infield single, Third Baseman Chipper Jones' career comes to end in a 6-3 loss to the Cardinals. The Atlanta crowd cheered him one last time for a great career when he went up for what would be his final AB in the bottom of the 9th. He got the Infield Single, went to third on the next hit and that was it over as Uggla grounded out to end the game. His time as a 3B with the Braves and in the Majors, over.
It was a Hall of Fame career indeed for Chipper Jones. He made his debut in September of 1993 and then in what would prove to be his rookie year because of a strike, he won the World Series as part of the Atlanta Braves just two years later in 1995. Despite it being his only World Title, he still had a career to remember. He still played a bit more on the big stage as the Braves were runner ups in the World Series in 1996 and 1999. He was an 8 time All Star and even made the team this year. He was the Silver Slugger in 1999 and 2000 and was even named MVP in that 1999 season. Even in his late 30's, he still impressed batting a .364 in 2008 to win his only batting title. He was a star and well respected across the league.
His career numbers are impressive. Chipper had a career batting of .303 with 2726 hits. He also proved to be a big hitter with 468 Home Runs. He was a scoring machine with 1619 career runs scored and 1623 RBI's. Though injuries may have nicked him from time to time, he still managed to play over a hundred game in each of his full season in the Bigs except for 2010 (95 games played).
What makes his career even greater is the fact he played his entire 18 year career with the Atlanta Braves. Not many great athletes nowadays can say that they have played in just one place in their career. When it happens, there is a special kind of bond that is developed between the fans and the player. He's not known for being "Chipper Jones, The Hall of Fame Third Baseman." That title is a given. He is known and will forever be known as "Chipper Jones, Third Baseman for the Atlanta Braves."
Showing posts with label Chipper Jones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chipper Jones. Show all posts
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Friday, October 5, 2012
Cardinals Advance to NLDS Under Controversial Infield Fly Call
Earlier today were the first One Game Wildcard Playoffs in MLB history. Winner goes on to the traditional Division Series and the losers goes home. In the case of the game in Atlanta, perhaps the wrong team moved on.
The first game featured the Cardinals taking on the Braves. This game, however, would not be remembered to be the first one in this format but rather for a controversial call. In the bottom of the 8th inning with 1 out and runners on 1st and 2nd, Andrelton Simmons popped the ball between two fielders in the outfield and it dropped due to the fielders getting mixed up on who was to catch it. Simmons, however, was called out with left-field umpire Sam Holbrook calling the infield fly rule despite the fact the play was more than 50 ft away from the infield.
When Braves fans realized what had happened, they started to throw everything they had and then some onto the field to show their displeasure. The game was halted for 19 minutes as a result and Braves Manager Fredi Gonzalez managed the rest of the game under protest which was denied afterward. Two batters later, Michael Bourn struck out swinging leaving the bases loaded. The Braves didn't get any runs in the inning being down by three. The bottom of the 9th came and went with Chipper Jones getting an infield single in his last AB of his career and then two batters latter Dan Uggla grounding out to 2nd to end the game. The Cardinals win it 6-3 and go on to face the Nationals in the NLDS.
The replacement refs in football make a glaring mistake and the umps in baseball have to catch up?
Now certainly the rule is confusing and it seems like umpire Halbrook made a few mistakes: he didn't call it early, it didn't seem like ordinary effort, and it certainly didn't look like an infield fly ball of any kind. It was 225 ft from home plate for crying out loud. It was a bad call and the game certainly could've gone differently and Chipper Jones career might not be over.
A bad call haunts baseball and the postseason once more but it's worse this time around. This is a one game playoff where a mistake like this is even more harmful because there are less chances for either side to make up for the mistake. This is a black eye to baseball as it points out it's officiating weaknesses once more and perhaps a flaw in the One Game Playoff format.
The first game featured the Cardinals taking on the Braves. This game, however, would not be remembered to be the first one in this format but rather for a controversial call. In the bottom of the 8th inning with 1 out and runners on 1st and 2nd, Andrelton Simmons popped the ball between two fielders in the outfield and it dropped due to the fielders getting mixed up on who was to catch it. Simmons, however, was called out with left-field umpire Sam Holbrook calling the infield fly rule despite the fact the play was more than 50 ft away from the infield.
When Braves fans realized what had happened, they started to throw everything they had and then some onto the field to show their displeasure. The game was halted for 19 minutes as a result and Braves Manager Fredi Gonzalez managed the rest of the game under protest which was denied afterward. Two batters later, Michael Bourn struck out swinging leaving the bases loaded. The Braves didn't get any runs in the inning being down by three. The bottom of the 9th came and went with Chipper Jones getting an infield single in his last AB of his career and then two batters latter Dan Uggla grounding out to 2nd to end the game. The Cardinals win it 6-3 and go on to face the Nationals in the NLDS.
The replacement refs in football make a glaring mistake and the umps in baseball have to catch up?
Now certainly the rule is confusing and it seems like umpire Halbrook made a few mistakes: he didn't call it early, it didn't seem like ordinary effort, and it certainly didn't look like an infield fly ball of any kind. It was 225 ft from home plate for crying out loud. It was a bad call and the game certainly could've gone differently and Chipper Jones career might not be over.
A bad call haunts baseball and the postseason once more but it's worse this time around. This is a one game playoff where a mistake like this is even more harmful because there are less chances for either side to make up for the mistake. This is a black eye to baseball as it points out it's officiating weaknesses once more and perhaps a flaw in the One Game Playoff format.
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