Chipper Jones 4-4 tonight 4 rbi and added to the all-star roster today..........

onebamafan · July 3, 2012 11:28AM

Chipper is having a pretty good day so far. I just saw a stat that really suprised me, Chipper is third for most rbi by a third baseman, he only needs 3 rbi to surpass Brett to become the all-time leader. Thoughts on his career........HOF first ballot, yes or no? I am not sure.

grote15 · July 3, 2012 11:34AM

I am a Met fan, but even I would have to say he is a first ballot HOFer in my eyes. Classy player, never been in trouble or any scandal, and a terrific player.

thenavarro · July 3, 2012 11:36AM

Congrats to Chipper and Braves fans, I'm glad he made the All Star game

Mike

corvette1340 · July 3, 2012 12:21PM

<< i like chipper more than brett and schmidt

but i would take schmidt over chipper if starting a team

as between brett and chipper, it's a toss up >>

I would definitely take Chipper over Schmidt or Brett if starting a team. Those 2 are way too old to field the position!

In all seriousness, I've always been a huge Braves fan and Chipper is a first ballot HOF'er for sure.

MyDaughtersNameIsMattingly · July 3, 2012 12:23PM

Considering he is a 1st ballot HOFer AND did it clean, it would have been an injustice had he not be selected.

The great ones deserve their sendoff

addicted2ebay · July 3, 2012 12:31PM

5 for 5

Close to 500 HR'S man would have liked to see him have made it.

JoeBanzai · July 3, 2012 12:33PM

Chipper is a first ballot HOF'er all the way!

As far as all time greats I'll pick Schmidt first, Matthews. Jones and Brett are all right below him but not by much.

Would love to have seen Killebrew play his entire career at third. That would have eliminated two serious injuries and given him at least one possibly two more Home Run titles and over 600 HR's total.

Joe

perkdog · July 3, 2012 12:46PM

And tommorow he will go on the disable list with a sore knee or something

swartz1 · July 3, 2012 12:52PM

<< I am a Met fan, but even I would have to say he is a first ballot HOFer in my eyes. Classy player, never been in trouble or any scandal, and a terrific player. >>

time to do some research...

perkdog · July 3, 2012 1:01PM

<< 

<< I am a Met fan, but even I would have to say he is a first ballot HOFer in my eyes. Classy player, never been in trouble or any scandal, and a terrific player. >>

time to do some research... >>

I find it funny that Chipper gets a free pass for infedelity yet Tom Brady was called out for it LOL

But I do agree that Chipper is a first ballot and I got no problem with him whatsoever.

grote15 · July 3, 2012 1:03PM

<< 

<< I am a Met fan, but even I would have to say he is a first ballot HOFer in my eyes. Classy player, never been in trouble or any scandal, and a terrific player. >>

time to do some research... >>

If you're referring to an extramarital affair, really? You would consider that scandalous? In the world of professional sports? Really? LOL..

What I meant by "being in trouble," was being charged with a felony, caught using PEDs, or some other transgression that might at least
result in a suspension or sanctions by MLB..

perkdog · July 3, 2012 1:07PM

<< 

<< 

<< I am a Met fan, but even I would have to say he is a first ballot HOFer in my eyes. Classy player, never been in trouble or any scandal, and a terrific player. >>

time to do some research... >>

Enlighten us, o well informed one..

Edit to add: If you're referring to an extramarital affair, really? You would consider that scandalous? In the world of professional sports? Really? LOL.. >>

Hi Tim!

Hey NOBODY is perfect!

ATLANTA (AP) -- Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, perhaps the team's most recognizable star, has acknowledged publicly that he fathered an illegitimate child born seven months ago.

"I've messed up royally," Jones said Wednesday during an interview with Morris News Service at his Atlanta home. "I've messed up just about as bad as a man can mess up without killing somebody. I've committed adultery and I'll pay for that the rest of my life.

"I want to take this opportunity to publicly apologize to my wife, to the fans and to the Braves organization for not representing myself very well and not doing the things all those people expect me to do. I ask for forgiveness."

Jones sat with his wife, Karin, and described the pain he caused when he told her about an affair he began with a Michigan woman 18 months ago, the news service said.

"It was the worst day of my life. It was terrible," he said. "Just seeing how much pain I can inflict on another human being without putting my hands on them is just unbelievable. I'll never do it again."

The affair was one of several Jones had following the 1996 World Series, the news service said. During the Braves' final spring training in West Palm Beach, Florida, in March 1997, he met a waitress at Hooter's and the woman, who has returned to her Michigan home, gave birth to a boy in March.

Jones said he will support the child, although details have not been worked out.

"I was going through a pretty rebellious period where it didn't matter what Karin said, I was going to do the opposite," Jones said. "I was really self-absorbed."

Jones met his wife while he played at Class A Macon in 1991. They were married after the 1992 season.

They sought counseling last winter, and Jones said he has turned away from the bar scene.

"You keep getting temptation thrown in your face and eventually you're going to slip up," he said. "I had to make a decision on what the most important thing in my life was. The most important thing was Karin."

Mrs. Jones said her Christian background had helped her through the troubled time. Asked why she stayed with Jones after he admitted his affairs, she admitted, "I almost didn't. Honestly, it was faith, pure and full. I didn't stay because of the ballplayer, that's for darn sure, because I hated the ballplayer at that point.

"It was because of all I had invested in the relationship. I got on my knees, fought with God, ran, went to counselors, called my friends in the wee hours of the morning and went through a severe depression about leaving for good," she said.

The two said their relationship is improving.

"The most important thing to me is not baseball, it's not image, it's reconciling; it's getting my priorities straight again," Jones said. "I'm kind of throwing myself into my relationship with my wife right now, trying to make things work."

With his all-American image, Jones is a spokesman for the Braves' Big League Lunch Program for area schoolchildren and devotes much of his free time during the season to baseball clinics for kids.

"I want to be a better role model," he said. "I've gone out to schools and I've been on TV and I've said all the right things and it appears like I've done all the right things, but I was really leading kind of a hypocritical life.

"It's time I started practicing what I'm preaching," Jones said.

grote15 · July 3, 2012 1:11PM

Hey, Paul!

Maybe I'm just too jaded, but while that may have fallen under the category of "inappropriate behavior" as far as his former wife was concerned,
I would not put that kind of transgression in the same category of scandalous behavior that results in
committing a crime, being caught using PEDs, or driving drunk or anything that I would term scandalous. For all we know, his marriage may have been essentially over anyway; point is, no one
knows for sure and that is a private issue between Chipper and his (now) ex-wife. Really a non-issue for me when judging him as a person because we don't
have any idea what went on in his marital relationship. He is also doing the right thing by supporting this kid instead of running away from
his responsibility like many other athletes who father children out of wedlock.

bigdcards · July 3, 2012 2:02PM

Plus, thanks to Antonio Cromartie, athletes get credit for remembering their kids names. So Chipper has that too.

orioles93 · July 3, 2012 3:01PM

1st ballot hall of famer no doubt. has always been one of my favorite players. hes a class act.

digicat · July 3, 2012 3:12PM

<< Really a non-issue for me when judging him as a person because we don't have any idea what went on in his marital relationship. >>

Well, we do have it from Chipper's own mouth: "I've messed up just about as bad as a man can mess up without killing somebody."

addicted2ebay · July 3, 2012 3:22PM

Hard to say no to those Hooters Chicks

grote15 · July 3, 2012 3:57PM

<< 

<< Really a non-issue for me when judging him as a person because we don't have any idea what went on in his marital relationship. >>

Well, we do have it from Chipper's own mouth: "I've messed up just about as bad as a man can mess up without killing somebody." >>

Do you really believe what a ballplayer tells the media after being exposed in that situation is always going to be sincere?

Bonds never used steroids either..

Goot · July 3, 2012 4:02PM

<<

>>

Never understood the Larry stuff. Larry made a career off of beating your asses.

grote15 · July 3, 2012 4:09PM

<< 

<<

>>

Never understood the Larry stuff. Larry made a career off of beating your asses. >>

It was a love/hate relationship--NY fans liked to get on his case calling him by his given name but
respected and admired his talents. Chipper relished it as well and even named his kid "Shea."

digicat · July 3, 2012 4:26PM

<< Do you really believe what a ballplayer tells the media after being exposed in that situation is always going to be sincvere? >>

You just said that we don't know anything. I just told you what he said in the press conference. He didn't deny it. He admitted it. If he falsely admitted remorse, then that's another strike against him.

He apparently was engaged in a number of flings while he was married to his first wife. She tried to stick around after all this came out, but had enough and filed for divorce.

Is it shocking that a professional athlete cheated on his wife? No. Is it scandalous? Yes.

corvette1340 · July 3, 2012 7:36PM

Lol, the forum morality police out in full force again I see. When it has nothing to do with him as a player. If off field problems excluded players from being Hall worthy then there would be like 2 players in Cooperstown.

cincyredlegs · July 3, 2012 8:13PM

I have always enjoyed watching Chipper play. In my mind, he is a classy player and the 2nd greatest Brave beyond only Hank Aaron. He was never in trouble, never accused of steriods and was a gamer. He still is a very good player and played the game the way it was inteneded. Injuries took part of his career (those dang hamstrings) but if he isn't a 1st ballot HOF'r then no one is.

Mark

LodiBrewFan · July 3, 2012 9:10PM

Braves mega star + class act = HOF

This formula will one day hold true for Dale Murphy too, til then 'Go Chipper go!'.

Bobby Cox, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and Jon Smoltz will probably make it in before Chipper.

Should be a good HOF run over the next few years for Braves fans

dennis07 · July 3, 2012 10:53PM

<Close to 500 HR'S man would have liked to see him have made it.>

Playing the majority of his career at Turner field is part of what cost him the 500.
Right to right center is where fly balls go to die. Now if he would have played a few years
at yankee stadium.....

digicat · July 4, 2012 1:58AM

<< Lol, the forum morality police out in full force again I see. >>

So, you can cheat on your wife and still be considered "classy"? Or is that just classy in a "on the field" sort of way?

grote15 · July 4, 2012 2:00AM

<< I have always enjoyed watching Chipper play. In my mind, he is a classy player and the 2nd greatest Brave beyond only Hank Aaron. He was never in trouble, never accused of steriods and was a gamer. He still is a very good player and played the game the way it was inteneded. Injuries took part of his career (those dang hamstrings) but if he isn't a 1st ballot HOF'r then no one is.

Mark >>

+1 and well stated.

swartz1 · July 4, 2012 2:38AM

<< 

<< Lol, the forum morality police out in full force again I see. >>

So, you can cheat on your wife and still be considered "classy"? Or is that just classy in a "on the field" sort of way? >>

+1

seems like all we do anymore is lower the bar...

digicat · July 4, 2012 2:39AM

Chipper = 1st balloter. Probably well north of the 90% mark.

But, you can't say that he's never been involved in a scandal. That's my only point.

swartz1 · July 4, 2012 2:39AM

oh yeah, and he probably only cheated once...

grote15 · July 4, 2012 2:40AM

And Lincecum never inhaled, LOL..

digicat · July 4, 2012 2:44AM

<< And Lincecum never inhaled, LOL.. >>

Actually, rumor is that he gets baked before every start. Your point?

Oh, and to beat you to it: Pablo Sandoval's a wife-cheat too. He might be worse, but the police haven't finished their investigation.

Most of these guys don't have spotless reputations, but folks really, really, really want to make (in their heads) the on-the-field greatness translate into off-the-field greatness, and that's foolishness.

grote15 · July 4, 2012 2:47AM

<< 

<< And Lincecum never inhaled, LOL.. >>

Actually, rumor is that he gets baked before every start. Your point? >>

Well, if you're going to get on the moral high horse with regard to Chipper Jones whose "scandal" never broke any law,
and was a personal matter between him and his wife, you can't dismiss the transgressions of a guy who is breaking
the law and apparently playing under the influence when he pitches.

grote15 · July 4, 2012 2:49AM

For the record, I don't really care what Lincecum does before he pitches, same as I don't really care how healthy
Chipper Jones' marriage was with his wife and what he did with any other woman as long as she was over 18 years
of age. Neither situation rises to the level of "scandalous" to me, despite the best efforts of the media.

digicat · July 4, 2012 2:58AM

<< Well, if you're going to get on the moral high horse with regard to Chipper Jones whose "scandal" never broke any law,
and was a personal matter between him and his wife, you can't dismiss the transgressions of a guy who is breaking
the law and apparently playing under the influence when he pitches. >>

I only say that Lincecum is (or was) a fantastic pitcher. I never said that he was a "classy" guy who's free of scandals.

I can tolerate scum-bags playing baseball and hitting home runs (Bonds) for my team, but I never say "Ohh, he's a great guy, his s**t doesn't stink."

digicat · July 4, 2012 2:59AM

I don't know if Lincecum is too high, or not high enough. The dude is awful this year.

grote15 · July 4, 2012 3:04AM

<< 

<< Well, if you're going to get on the moral high horse with regard to Chipper Jones whose "scandal" never broke any law,
and was a personal matter between him and his wife, you can't dismiss the transgressions of a guy who is breaking
the law and apparently playing under the influence when he pitches. >>

I only say that Lincecum is (or was) a fantastic pitcher. I never said that he was a "classy" guy who's free of scandals.

I can tolerate scum-bags playing baseball and hitting home runs (Bonds) for my team, but I never say "Ohh, he's a great guy, his s**t doesn't stink." >>

Chipper may not have been a very good husband, but he's never been in trouble with the law, linked to steroid or drug use or beaten his wife, so he's already
on a higher moral plane than most professional athletes, LOL..

digicat · July 4, 2012 3:07AM

<< Chipper may not have been a very good husband, but he's never been in trouble with the law, linked to steroid or drug use or beaten his wife, so he's already on a higher moral plane than most professional athletes, LOL. >>

Men can totally trash their integrity w/o breaking the law. Doesn't make it ok though.

grote15 · July 4, 2012 3:09AM

<< 

<< Chipper may not have been a very good husband, but he's never been in trouble with the law, linked to steroid or drug use or beaten his wife, so he's already on a higher moral plane than most professional athletes, LOL. >>

Men can totally trash their integrity w/o breaking the law. Doesn't make it ok though. >>

I guess it depends on how much emphasis you put on the institution of marriage and its impact on a person's integrity.
To me, there are many more serious transgressions than being a lousy husband.

cincyredlegs · July 4, 2012 4:41AM

Here's how I view Chipper's "Scandal":

-He made a mistake. It's not like he is perfect. Forgive and forget is what I say.
-Personally, it's none of my business what he does with his personal life.
-This kinda reminds me of the whold Tiger debacle. It's easy for people to look at Tiger or Chipper and say they are scumbags for cheating but put yourself in their position. You are young, a millionaire, very famous and traveling all over the world/US. You go out after a game and have 10-15 drop dead gorgeous girls all over you wanting to go back to your room. Now put yourself in their shoes. How many times would you have the will power to say no, no, no.

I am not saying I condone it but rather I can see how a guy like Chipper could make a "mistake".

Mark

digicat · July 4, 2012 4:51AM

<< Now put yourself in their shoes. How many times would you have the will power to say no, no, no. >>

I'd say "NO."

cincyredlegs · July 4, 2012 4:54AM

<< 

<< Now put yourself in their shoes. How many times would you have the will power to say no, no, no. >>

I'd say "NO." >>

More power to you for being able to say no. I just think the majority of men, if put in a sport celebrity's position would at some point buckle under the temptation.

Mark

mcadams · July 4, 2012 7:36AM

Great thread. Its nice to see non-Atlanta folks say great things about Chipper w/o us Braves fans having to be the only promoters. If Grote can bring himself to admit that Chipper is a 1st ballot HOF'r, that's really saying something. Apparently, every one here understands how special his career has been with the exception of Digicat who continues to try and derail the thread by taking it off-topic. Digicat, your notion that Chipper somehow lacks class or integrity because he had an affair is absurd. No one is perfect and Chipper is top shelf by most people's standards. Keep digging though...

digicat · July 4, 2012 7:47AM

<< Apparently, every one here understands how special his career has been with the exception of Digicat who continues to try and derail the thread by taking it off-topic. Digicat, your notion that Chipper somehow lacks class or integrity because he had an affair is absurd. No one is perfect and Chipper is top shelf by most people's standards. Keep digging though... >>

No need to dig any further. I'll give you this though, it was a long time ago, and people change.

Someone said that he's never been involved in any kind of scandal, and as I recall, his whole wayward husband thing was quite the scandal in the late 90s. Is he still scandalous? No. Has he EVER been touched by scandal? Yes. To erase the past and say "No" is to be ignorant.

So, am I just old fashion? Is adultery not a bad thing anymore? If it is, then just ignore this old codger who failed to keep up with the changing social values, or whatever.

We return you to the previously scheduled hero worship, already in progress.

grote15 · July 4, 2012 7:54AM

Someone said that he's never been involved in any kind of scandal, and as I recall, his whole wayward husband thing was quite the scandal in the late 90s. Is he still scandalous? No. Has he EVER been touched by scandal? Yes. To erase the past and say "No" is to be ignorant.

No one is trying to "erase" the past or to even whitewash his misdeeds, if you will. Perhaps I should have elaborated when I said he hasn't been tainted by scandal, to say that he hasn't been accused of doing anything that would result in him being either indicted or sanctioned by MLB. His private life is just that, imo.

That said, when you try to extend that perspective to question whether adultery is not "considered a bad thing anymore," you're just being ridiculous.

No one is "worshipping" anyone here. Again, you're using hyperbole to make a foolish analogy.

mcadams · July 4, 2012 7:55AM

Digi- You don't get over things too well, do you? Do you have a list of all your classmates who said mean things to you in elementary school?

No one here is saying that cheating on a spouse is OK. Its wrong, we all get it. But we recognize that that 1 incident doesn't define who he is. But for some reason, you are laser focused on it and can't let it go. If we were all here debating whether or not he should be a Deacon at the Decatur Church of God...maybe you'd have a point.

digicat · July 4, 2012 8:00AM

I should know better than to argue with people on the internet. I'm done.

corvette1340 · July 4, 2012 8:08AM

you should take it upon yourself to contact his wife or boss.

digicat · July 4, 2012 9:05AM

<< Perhaps I should have elaborated when I said he hasn't been tainted by scandal, to say that he hasn't been accused of doing anything that would result in him being either indicted or sanctioned by MLB. >>

Ok. If that was your original thought, then that's fine and true. He's been true to the game and is a great player.

It'd be "classy" if Pablo Sandoval honored Chipper Jones' career by asking Tony LaRussa to start Chipper instead of himself at the AS game.

grote15 · July 4, 2012 9:44AM

<< 

<< Perhaps I should have elaborated when I said he hasn't been tainted by scandal, to say that he hasn't been accused of doing anything that would result in him being either indicted or sanctioned by MLB. >>

Ok. If that was your original thought, then that's fine and true. He's been true to the game and is a great player.

It'd be "classy" if Pablo Sandoval honored Chipper Jones' career by asking Tony LaRussa to start Chipper instead of himself at the AS game. >>

Agreed, that would be a great gesture...although I am partial to David Wright at 3B, LOL..

royalbrett · July 4, 2012 12:15PM

<< Lol, the forum morality police out in full force again I see. When it has nothing to do with him as a player. If off field problems excluded players from being Hall worthy then there would be like 2 players in Cooperstown. >>

You would be the expert in this arena.

Chipper Jones 4-4 tonight 4 rbi and added to the all-star roster today..........

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