As an avid and disappointed Met fan today I have to say something that makes me sick to my stomach. Last year like most Met fans, I sat in my home and watched the Atlanta Braves choke away a playoff spot and be eliminated on the last day of the season. I laughed and cheered so loudly because of all the Braves have done to my teams over the years. (what also gave me much joy was the Red Sox were collapsing at the same time). I thought Chipper Jones was going to retire because of his knee injuries and the fact that he was not around to give his team that supportive net or timely hit made it a sad end to a career that most deem a hall of fame one. Still in all I was pleased that St. Louis got in and later won the World Series and ths looked like they were in a decline. Finally right?
The Braves have been the National Leagues best regular season team over the last 20 years. They have won 13 division titles i think and played in 5 World Series. They have been on television during the Chipper Jones era as much as much as the Yankees and Red Sox have been. In fact the two consistent names over that period that we have heard most about are Chipper Jones and Derek Jeter. They both have become the symbols of dedication and loyaty in sports. Think about all sports. How many players have started with one team and finished with that team over the last 20 years? Tim Duncan. John Stockton. Kobe Bryant. Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Leborn James left their teams to chase rings and greener pastures. Chipper Jones has been the face of the Atlanta Braves for 20 years and last night his team got him back to the big stage one last time. He led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a double and the Freddie Freeman hit a monsterous homerun and the Braves won 4-3 and are in the playoffs.
The funny thing is that Chipper has been getting a send off like no one has seen since Kareem left basketball. Every team has given him gifts. Motorcycles here. Free food there. Trips around the world. Merchandise and commemorative items that he will never forget. i always thought that Chipper Jones was Public enemy number one around the league. He was booed as much as any star player can be. He beat up every team in the league. He could have been a candidate for 500 homeruns if he did not suffer injuries late in his career and if he had played the year the Braves wanted to bring him up. Remember he wrecked his knee his first season and did not play. Chipper has really been a thorn in the side of the Mets in the regular season as well as the post. The bigger question that most people have is why did the Baves fail so often in the post season with all of that pitching and annoying timely hitting? How many times did Chipper come up and deliver the big hit to start a rally or win the games for the Braves. How many times did he frustrate your team over the years?
Is he a first ballot hall of famer? Of course he is. He played on great teams, with great players and had an impact on games like few others before him. He will probably be ranked in the top 5 or 6 thrid basemen ever to play the game. Brooks Robinson mayhave been a better defender but I would rather face him over Chipper Jones with the game on the line. He is the George Brett of this generation. Brett haunted the Yankees and Chipper haunted the Mets. Atlanta Brave baseball has been blessed over the last 20 years to have had Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, and Chipper. they also had Bobby Cox who made sure that this fine machine would function properly on all levels. So I reluctantly wish the Braves well this Post season. i can take comfort that my team will never have to face Chipper again. It is an end of a great era of baseball. Get it done Atlanta. You have the pieces...
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