Chipper Jones
From BR Bullpen
Larry Wayne Jones
- Bats Both, Throws Right
- Height 6' 3", Weight 228 lb.
- Debut September 11, 1993
- Born April 24, 1972 in DeLand, FL USA
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[edit] Biographical Information
Chipper Jones has played 15 seasons in the major leagues through 2008, mostly as a third baseman and all with the Atlanta Braves. He was the National League MVP in 1999 and the National League batting champion in 2008. By at least one measure, Jones was the best hitter in the National League in 2007 - he led the NL in Adjusted OPS+, an overall measure of how good a hitter is. Although it was his first time ever leading the league in OPS+, his mark of 166 was not his career best; he had posted an OPS+ of 168 in 1999, and he would go on to record an OPS+ of 174 in 2008.
Through age 36, he has 408 lifetime major league home runs and a 145 Adjusted OPS, which puts him at # 49 on the all-time list and two points above the 143 Adjusted OPS of another Braves third baseman, Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews.
He was the first overall pick in the 1990 amateur draft. He is the all-time leader in home runs by a switch hitter in the National League. In 2006, he had extra-base hits in 14 straight games, tying the major league record set 79 years prior by Paul Waner.
Inspired by his hot hitting at Shea Stadium, Jones named his son Shea.
Through 2008, there are four Hall of Famers on the list of the most similar players, but all of the others on the list are still eligible for election. Nobody has a similarity score as high as 900, though, showing that Chipper is becoming a unique player.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 1995 Topps All-Star Rookie Team
- 6-time NL All-Star (1996-1998, 2000, 2001 & 2008)
- NL MVP (1999)
- 2-time NL Silver Slugger Award Winner (1999/3B & 2000/3B)
- NL Batting Average Leader (2008)
- NL On-Base Percentage Leader (2008)
- NL OPS Leader (2007)
- 20-Home Run Seasons: 14 (1995-2008)
- 30-Home Run Seasons: 6 (1996, 1998-2001 & 2004)
- 40-Home Run Seasons: 1 (1999)
- 100 RBI Seasons: 9 (1996-2003 & 2007)
- 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 8 (1996-2001, 2003 & 2007)
- Won a World Series with the Atlanta Braves in 1995
| NL MVP | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 1999 | 2000 |
| Sammy Sosa | Chipper Jones | Jeff Kent |
[edit] Records Held
- Home runs, National League, switch-hitter, season, 45, 1999
Most consecutive games, extra-base hits, 14 (tied with Paul Waner), 2007 Most consecutive seasons leading off career, 20-home run seasons, 14 (tied with Eddie Matthews)
