Chipper Jones Ends All Star Game Career In Style

Before Tuesday night’s Major League Baseball All Star Game at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City National League manager Tony La Russa enlisted Atlanta Braves legendary third baseman Chipper Jones to give a speech to rally the troops. The 40-year old told his All Star teammates, which he referred to as the “elite of the elite” that he was “not going out losing his last one.”

You can see Chipper’s complete pregame speech: HERE

Well, Jones’ speech must have really gotten into his teammates heads, because they came out swinging in full force against American League starting pitcher and Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander, the best pitcher in baseball in my opinion, and slapped him around for five first inning runs.

With one out in the first San Francisco Giants center fielder Melky Cabrera single and then scored on a RBI double by Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun. After Braun’s double, St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Carlos Beltran and San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey were both walked by Verlander. San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval, who I thought was wrongfully voted to start the game by Giants fans stuffing the ballots, cleared the bases with a three RBI triple. Sandoval was then driven home by Braves second baseman Dan Uggla on an infield single.

The NL squad would add three more runs in the fourth inning off of Texas Rangers pitcher Matt Harrison when Cardinals shortstop Rafael Furcal triples and then was driven home by Cardinals Matt Holliday, as a designated hitter, on a single. Cabrera than followed that up with a two-run homer, which solidified his winning the game’s MVP Award.

Chipper Jones entered the game for the National League in the top half of the sixth inning in the designated hitter role. My excitement level jumped immediately even before I saw Jones on the television screen, because I knew he was going to bat before seeing him thanks to the Kauffman Stadium PA playing Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train”, Chipper’s longtime at-bat music, in tribute to the third sacker.

The at-bat marked Chipper’s first at Kauffman Stadium, the only ballpark in baseball that Jones hadn’t previously played at during his 19-year career in baseball. As Jones took to homeplate the Kauffman Stadium fans gave him a fantastic ovation, just as they had during the player introductions, and Jones acknowledged the ovation by stepping out of the batter’s box to tip his cap. Jones’ only rival as far as ovations during the game was the Kansas City Royals hometown player Billy Butler, who went 0-for-2 during the game, much to the crowd’s chagrin.

Fittingly in Chipper’s final career All Star at-bat he got a base hit off of Chicago White Sox pitcher Chris Sale on a perfect placed single just past Texas Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler. It wasn’t a blast by any means, but as former Braves legend Tom Glavine said on his newly started Twitter profile said it’ll look like a line drive in the box score. Chipper had a smile on his face almost immediately upon hitting the ball and legging it out to first base. It wasn’t a Cal Ripken Jr. 2001 All Star Game home run moment, but it was just fine for Chipper and fans everywhere. I can honestly say that I’ve never cheered as loudly for a squibber that just eeked through the hole.

Jones said about the hit after the game: “I was trying to run it out all the way. I mean, 40 years old legging out an infield hit in the All-Star game – that’s exactly the way I scripted it.”

You can see Chipper’s final career All Star Game at-bat: HERE

The National League would go on to win the All Star game 8-0 behind fabulous pitching performances. The National League pitching staff frankly made the best hitters in the American Leaguer look like Little Leaguers on Tuesday night. The shutout was the first in an All Star game since the NL shutout the AL 6-0 in 1996, when fellow Braves legend John Smoltz earned the win and Chipper made his All Star Game debut. It’s also fitting that Jones began and ended his All Star tenure in shutout games.

Jones ended his All Star Game career with a .429 batting average (6-for-14) with a home run and RBI in eight All Star Games (only played in seven).

It was just a magical night all around for both Chipper Jones, his fans and especially this fan. There have been many of those along the way, and hopefully there will be many more during the final second half of Chipper’s career.

Click HERE to see box score of game

Chipper Embarks on Final All Star Game as Baseball's Future Harper, Trout Debut

Tomorrow night’s Major League Baseball All Star Game will truly feature a changing of the guard moment when phenom rookies Mike Trout (20 years old) of the Los Angeles Angels and Bryce Harper (19 years old) of the Washington Nationals take the field in the first All Star Game as Atlanta Braves future hall of fame third baseman Chipper Jones takes his All Star bow in his eighth appearance.

Phenoms Bryce Harper, left, and Mike Trout to make All Star debuts

I’ve  thoroughly enjoyed watching Chipper Jones career ever since his rookie season in 1995 (the very first year I became a baseball fanatic) and I hope to do the same with both Trout and Harper, both who appear to be the real deal. Though, tonight’s All Star Game kind of has that out with the old, in with the new feel to it and I can’t wait to watch Harper (who I’ve only seen play once) and Mike Trout (who I haven’t seen play yet) in action there’s no doubt that for me tonight is about Chipper Jones (of course because that is who this blog is dedicated too).

Chipper's last All Star Game workout

When I went to St. Louis in May to say my in person farewell to my baseball hero I thought I might shed a tear upon seeing Jones play up close for the last time, but I didn’t. My emotions may not be kept that in check later this evening when he takes to the baseline with his fellow National League All Stars for player introductions at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. Oh I can picture his ovation now from the fans as he tips his cap. Despite the NL being the visitor, it wouldn’t surprise me if Chipper got an even bigger ovation than the Royals own Billy Butler.

While being at the All Star Game with his children and getting that ovation from the fans would be a great moment I just hope that National League manager Tony La Russa finds a way to put Jones into the ballgame. Chipper has to at least take one final All Star at-bat in his final appearance. I know that it might be hard though to find the playing time for Jones as the National League squad as an incredible four third baseman with San Francisco Giants Pablo Sandoval starting at the hot corner and New York Met and St. Louis Cardinal David Freese on the bench with Jones. Wright is having the best season among all third baseman in the NL and deserves to play. Freese is likely a favorite of La Russa’s as he was the World Series MVP on the La Russa managed Cardinals last year, which might get him playing time over Jones.

If La Russa can’t find a way to get Chipper into the game than it truly will be a crime perpetrated against baseball fans everywhere. 

I’ll be watching tonight’s All Star Game with great anticipation of Chipper stepping out onto the field at Kauffman Stadium, which by the way is the only field in baseball that Jones has never played at in his career. Maybe he’ll have a truly magical moment like Baltimore Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. did in his final All Star game back in 2001 when he hit a home run and won the game’s MVP award? Either way I’m sure it’ll be a moment that neither Chipper nor myself will ever forget.

Chipper Named to All Star team, has 'Dream Game' on Same Day

On the same day that Atlanta Braves slugger Chipper Jones was named to his eighth career All Star team he also had a game for the ages that he himself referred to as a “dream game.”

Earlier in the day Jones had been named to the National League All Star squad as an injury replacement for Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp, who was voted into the NL’s starting lineup by the fans.

Jones had initially been left off of the National League’s All Star roster, but was included by National League manager Tony La Russa in the Final Five voting with fellow teammate Michael Bourn, St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese, Washington Nationals young phenol outfielder Bryce Harper and Arizona Diamondbacks hot second baseman Aaron Hill.

Jones’ selection to the NL squad as an injury replacement, means that neither he nor his fans will have to wait until Thursday to see whether or not he’s an All Star and means that Bourn, Freese, Harper and Hill has less competition to make the squad. Freese is the current Final Five vote leader with a little less than two days remaining to vote.

Jones told the press that he always looks forward to the All Star experience and especially looks forward to sharing the moment with his children in his final year in baseball. Hopefully Chipper will see some game action, at least as a pinch hitter. It might be hard for him to get much playing time with three third basemen on the team (four if Freese wins the Final Vote) with San Francisco Giants Pablo Sandoval and New York Mets third baseman David Wright also being on the squad. It’d be a nice honor if NL manager Tony La Russa named Jones as the team’s starting designated hitter, but I realize that is probably not going to happen.

In Tuesday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs Chipper has what he called a “dream game” recording his third career five-hit game, with three singles and two doubles while driving in five runs. Jones’ five-for-five night at the plate upped his batting average to .313 on the season. Chris Volstad was the starting pitcher for the Cubs and is now 0-7 on the season after getting roughed up by Jones and the Braves in a 10-3 game.

Chipper’s last five-hit game came off of the Houston Astros and starting pitcher Dave Milicki in 2002. His first career five-hit game was in 2001 off of the Arizona Diamondbacks and starting pitcher Armando Reynoso.  

Click HERE to see the standing ovation that Chipper received on his career day.

Click HERE to check out the box score from his five-for-five outing.

Chipper Needs Your Final Vote

Well, Chipper Jones unfortunately wasn’t voted in as the starting third baseman of the National League All Star team by the fans … and neither were deserving third baseman David Wright of the New York Mets and David Freese of the St. Louis Cardinals.

In a disgusting surprise, fans of the San Francisco Giants stuffed the ballot boxes in the final days of All Star voting to vote their fan-favorite Pablo Sandoval into the starting position. Sandoval’s inclusion into the game by the fans likely makes him this year’s worst All Star choice for the National League. He’s nowhere near as deserving as Jones, for lifetime achievement reasons, or Wright and Freese, for on-field reasons. This is why fan voting for the Major League Baseball All Star game is asinine. It’s just a popularity contest.

Sandoval’s inclusion in the All Star game meant that at least one truly deserving third bagger would have to miss out on the game. Unfortunately, Chipper didn’t make the NL all star squad as a reserve either. Wright was given the reserve spot by the player’s vote.

However, National League manager Tony La Russa has given fans one more opportunity to place Chipper Jones into the All Star game by including him among the five nominees for the Final Vote. Jones will be joined in the Final Vote by four other truly deserving candidates: Freese, Chipper’s Braves teammate outfielder Michael Bourn, Washington Nationals rookie phenom outfielder Bryce Harper and Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Aaron Hill.

As a future hall of famer and likely one of the five greatest third baseman to ever play the game of baseball, Chipper greatly deserves the honor of being named to the All Star game and this will likely be his last opportunity for him to make it (it’s highly unlikely that he would be added as an injury replacement).

Fellow Final Vote nominee Bryce Harper said himself that Chipper deserved the All Star nod to MLB.com: “He should have already been in the All-Star Game, no matter what. He's an All-Star, and he's been an All-Star for 20 years. I think Chip should have been there and, like I said, if I had a vote, Chip's going.”

Click HERE to see what Chipper had to say about being included in the Final Vote.

Voting for the Final Vote is open now and will continue through 3 p.m. on Thursday. You can vote for Chipper by clicking HERE.

Only 2 Days Remaining to Vote Chipper into All Star Game

There are only two days remaining to vote for the Major League Baseball All Star game starting lineups and Atlanta Braves future hall of fame third baseman Chipper Jones is fourth in the voting among National League third baseman. 

Now, I know that Jones has been injured twice during the season thus far and hasn’t played in as many games as most of the third baggers in the league. And, I also know that Jones is not nearly having as great of a season as New York Mets third baseman David Wright or even St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese, and I usually scoff at fans who vote for their favorites over the best players in the league. 

However, I can’t help but think that Chipper Jones deserves the starting nod at third base for the All Star game this year in his final year in the sport. I remember all the way back to 2001 when Baltimore Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. was voted to start the All Star game for the American League and how great of a moment that was for not only him, but for fans all across the country.

Chipper Jones deserves that moment and all true legends of baseball really deserve that moment. I have a feeling that Chipper would want to be the last person to take the honor away from David Wright, but I also know that he’d feel extremely honored by the fans if they banded together and voted him into the midsummer classic. 

I’ve done my part and voted for Chipper the maximum 25 times. Now it’s your turn to go to MLB.com and do the same.