GOODBYE CHIPPER JONES, AND GOOD LUCK!

I have always admired Chipper Jones.  As a Yankee fan, we played them a few times in the Post Season and to tell you the truth, I was always afraid of the Atlanta Braves.  Andruw Jones and Chipper Jones were 2 big reasons why.

Chipper played harder than many players and you knew he loved and respected this game, plus, players respected him.  But last night, Chipper's farewell tour ended, and on a sour note unfortunately. A terrible call by the umpires, once again, and Turner Field went nuts! I don't blame the Braves fans at all. The umps should be handled the play gracefully and professionally, after all, that's why they're there, but it was an utter disaster. Quite simply, Umpires are on the field to keep order, to make good calls and to move the game along.  None of that happen last night in the NL Wild Card game. The Braves may have lost because of it.



 But it's not that play that I want to harp on today. No. It's the heart and true professionalism in Chipper Jones that I'd like to address.  Jones was disappointed in the bad call, this is true, but he blamed himself for a throwing error in the 4th inning that opened the door for the Cardinals to score 3. I was reading Cincinnati.com (HERE) this morning, the best article of the day about last night's game and I'm taking alittle from it so you can see just how much of a gamer Chipper Jones is:

"'Made a good play on the pick got a two seam grip, and it just sailed on me no other way to explain it,' Jones said. 'Looking back I realized later on that Beltran had to stop because of the hold on the line drive, and if I had to do it all over again, I probably would have double clutched and made sure I got a four seam grip, and give Uggla a little more time to get to second base, and give myself a better opportunity to make a truer throw... But we gave up six runs on six hits, and I don't know how many of them were unearned. But as far as I'm concerned the only one they should have scored was the homer.'

Jones did not feel the infield fly call by Holbrook hurt the Braves as much as his throwing error. 'I'm not willing to say that that particular call cost us the ballgame. Ultimately, three errors cost us the ballgame, mine probably being the biggest. Did it cost us one out? Did it cost us one run, possibly more? Yes. But I'm not willing to sit here and say that that call cost us the ballgame.'"

You have to feel for Jones.  There should have been a celebration at Turner field even if the Braves lost.  Last night was an embarrassment because of a horrible call by the umpires.  Anyone in their right mind knows that call was wrong. 

My post today is simple. Chipper, I watched you play your whole career and I admire you. You're a champion and a future Hall of Famer and the best of luck to you, from Bleeding Yankee Blue!

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