Chipper Jones Injured on His Farewell Tour

Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones is making his last tour of the National League that he has competed in for the last 19 years.  He like the Reds Barry Larkin will retire at the end of the season after playing his entire career with one team.

His Atlanta Braves are in Cincinnati for a four-game series.  In 122 games against the Reds, Jones has hit .297 with 21 home runs and 81 RBI.

The Reds plan to honor Jones on Thursday and he hopes to be playing by then.  He has a golf ball sized bruise on his left ankle suffered on Friday.

"I'm a day or two away from coming back," Jones said. "My range of motion isn't good enough to play right now.  I have a golf ball sized bruise and if I foul a ball off it, you might as well dig a hole and bury me."

His manager Freddie Gonzalez is hoping he will be ready by then.

"I am hopeful that he can take some ground balls and play," Gonzalez said.  Juan Francisco will take Jones spot at thirdbase and in the lineup. "We got Juan to give Jones a rest and he's done well.  You never want to play because of an injury but that's one reason we got him."

The Reds will give Jones thirdbase on Thursday after it is used all series.

The Base the Reds will give to Jones.  Ron Millenor FSOH 

"That's very cool, unique and classy," Jones said.  "That will go somewhere special in the Man Cave. I'd like to get out there and round it. "

After hearing respectful boos on the road during his career, it is an unexpected but welcome honor.

"You hear a lot of hatred when you're playing on the road but it is just fans trying to support their team.  They think that if they can get you out of the game a little bit, will help their team.  You learn to tune it out when you get out there between the lines.  If you let them get in your head, you won't last long."

"It is very cool that I'm getting the attention I'm getting now," Jones said.

The Reds fans haven't been as bad as some but there was one ugly incident that stood out to Jones.

"There have always been a lot of Braves fans in the stands when we came to Cincinnati," Jones said.  "There was one time, I was standing in left field and someone threw a beer bottle at me.  I won't let one idiot be an example of the fans here. There are one or two of those type people everywhere.  There are some great fans in Cincinnati."

Jones came to the major leagues as a shortstop.

"Barry Larkin was one of three shortstops that I tried to take something from as an example," Jones said. "Cal Ripken, Ozzie Smith and Barry Larkin.  I hope Barry is here this week."

Larkin will enter the Hall of Fame this summer and Jones will likely join him when he is eligible in five years.

"I was in my first all-star game in Philadelphia.  I was taking infield at thirdbase but I saw Barry and Ozzie taking ground balls at shortstop.  I couldn't pass that up.  I went over to get a closer look.  Ozzie was fielding ground balls and throwing to secondbase without even looking.  We were having a conversation and he fielded grounders with ease.  I looked at Barry and he said, 'don't look at me. I can't do that,'"

For the record, I don't understand the concept of the "First Ballot" Hall of Fame vote.  A player either belongs in the Hall of Fame or he doesn't.  Why some writers choose to add another level to the Hall of Fame by withholding their vote one year is beyond me.

I asked the five writers that are eligible to vote if Jones deserves the honor.  All five said they would vote for him in five years.  Dave O'Brian of the Atlanta Constitution is prohibited by his employer from voting.  Everyone he has asked said that Jones would get a vote in his first year of eligibility.