Chipper Jones, who made his
major-league debut in 1993 — the same year the Marlins joined the league
— announced Thursday that he will retire after the season.
Nobody has played in more games against the Marlins nor hit more home runs against them. In his 236 games against the Marlins since 1995, Jones has a .299 batting average and 40 home runs.
Jones has more than a season’s worth of at-bats (834) just against the Marlins. The Phillies’ Jimmy Rollins is next on the list with 782.
“He’s one of the best third basemen ever to play the game,” Marlins shortstop Jose Reyes said. “He’s a future Hall of Famer.”
Said Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen: “When you talk about Chipper Jones, you talk about the Atlanta Braves and baseball in general. [He] did it clean.”
Guillen credits Jones for being able to experience his one and only World Series as a player — the 1999 Fall Classic in which the Yankees prevailed over the Braves.
“I never see anybody perform in the clutch the way he did that year,” said Guillen, who spent the 1998 and ’99 seasons with the Braves.
Jones turns 40 next month.
“My teammates make me feel older,” Jones said. “When I see Ozzie managing and Robin Ventura managing, guys that I played against, it makes me feel old. But I’m happy for those guys, and I’m happy that I got to play with them and against them. I learned a lot from Ozzie. He’s a wonderful personality and a great man. I love that guy to death. He’s awesome.”
Injury updates
With Opening Day fast approaching, Guillen said he told injured outfielders Logan Morrison and Giancarlo Stanton that time is of the essence.
“I told them, ‘You want to make this ball club, you better hurry,’ ” Guillen said.
Morrison (knee), Stanton (knee) and Greg Dobbs (hamstring) have received medical clearance to resume baseball activities, and Guillen said he would have a better idea about each player’s health status Friday.
• Left-handed specialist Randy Choate threw live batting practice Wednesday and is scheduled to appear in a minor-league game Friday. Marlins pitching coach Randy St. Claire said Choate, who has not pitched this spring because of a strained muscle in his right side, will likely appear in his first Grapefruit League game Sunday.
Marlins tie braves
The Marlins totaled 13 hits Thursday but still tied the Braves, who evened the score in the ninth on a passed ball and settled for a 5-5 tie in 10 innings.
Miami took a 5-4 lead into the ninth, but the tying run scored from third when Jose Ceda’s pitch got past catcher Luke Montz for a passed ball.
Terry Tiffee Hanley Ramirez John Buck Ricky Nolasco allowed three runs on five hits over 4 1/3 innings.
Lohse gets start
The Cardinals now plan to send out Kyle Lohse when the defending World Series champs face the Marlins in the season opener April 4. Chris Carpenter was expected to make the Opening Day start for St. Louis in the first-ever game at Marlins Park but had a setback related to a bulging disk in his neck. Josh Johnson is on tap to take the mound for the Marlins.
• Javier Vazquez, 35, hasn’t ruled out the possibility of pitching again, but he also doesn’t sound like he’s in any hurry to return. “I haven’t felt the slightest itch to play,” Vazquez told the Puerto Rican newspaper Primera Hora. “But I haven’t announced my retirement because who knows if, three months or a year from now, I get the urge to play again.” Vazquez was the Marlins’ top starter last season, especially over the latter half, going 13-11 with a 3.69 ERA.
UPCOMING pitchers
Friday: Marlins RHP Carlos Zambrano (9-7, 4.82 ERA) vs. St. Louis Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright, 1:05 p.m., Jupiter.
Saturday: Marlins LHP Wade LeBlanc (5-6, 4.63) vs. Boston Red Sox (to be announced), 1:05 p.m., Jupiter.
Nobody has played in more games against the Marlins nor hit more home runs against them. In his 236 games against the Marlins since 1995, Jones has a .299 batting average and 40 home runs.
Jones has more than a season’s worth of at-bats (834) just against the Marlins. The Phillies’ Jimmy Rollins is next on the list with 782.
“He’s one of the best third basemen ever to play the game,” Marlins shortstop Jose Reyes said. “He’s a future Hall of Famer.”
Said Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen: “When you talk about Chipper Jones, you talk about the Atlanta Braves and baseball in general. [He] did it clean.”
Guillen credits Jones for being able to experience his one and only World Series as a player — the 1999 Fall Classic in which the Yankees prevailed over the Braves.
“I never see anybody perform in the clutch the way he did that year,” said Guillen, who spent the 1998 and ’99 seasons with the Braves.
Jones turns 40 next month.
“My teammates make me feel older,” Jones said. “When I see Ozzie managing and Robin Ventura managing, guys that I played against, it makes me feel old. But I’m happy for those guys, and I’m happy that I got to play with them and against them. I learned a lot from Ozzie. He’s a wonderful personality and a great man. I love that guy to death. He’s awesome.”
Injury updates
With Opening Day fast approaching, Guillen said he told injured outfielders Logan Morrison and Giancarlo Stanton that time is of the essence.
“I told them, ‘You want to make this ball club, you better hurry,’ ” Guillen said.
Morrison (knee), Stanton (knee) and Greg Dobbs (hamstring) have received medical clearance to resume baseball activities, and Guillen said he would have a better idea about each player’s health status Friday.
• Left-handed specialist Randy Choate threw live batting practice Wednesday and is scheduled to appear in a minor-league game Friday. Marlins pitching coach Randy St. Claire said Choate, who has not pitched this spring because of a strained muscle in his right side, will likely appear in his first Grapefruit League game Sunday.
Marlins tie braves
The Marlins totaled 13 hits Thursday but still tied the Braves, who evened the score in the ninth on a passed ball and settled for a 5-5 tie in 10 innings.
Miami took a 5-4 lead into the ninth, but the tying run scored from third when Jose Ceda’s pitch got past catcher Luke Montz for a passed ball.
Terry Tiffee Hanley Ramirez John Buck Ricky Nolasco allowed three runs on five hits over 4 1/3 innings.
Lohse gets start
The Cardinals now plan to send out Kyle Lohse when the defending World Series champs face the Marlins in the season opener April 4. Chris Carpenter was expected to make the Opening Day start for St. Louis in the first-ever game at Marlins Park but had a setback related to a bulging disk in his neck. Josh Johnson is on tap to take the mound for the Marlins.
• Javier Vazquez, 35, hasn’t ruled out the possibility of pitching again, but he also doesn’t sound like he’s in any hurry to return. “I haven’t felt the slightest itch to play,” Vazquez told the Puerto Rican newspaper Primera Hora. “But I haven’t announced my retirement because who knows if, three months or a year from now, I get the urge to play again.” Vazquez was the Marlins’ top starter last season, especially over the latter half, going 13-11 with a 3.69 ERA.
UPCOMING pitchers
Friday: Marlins RHP Carlos Zambrano (9-7, 4.82 ERA) vs. St. Louis Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright, 1:05 p.m., Jupiter.
Saturday: Marlins LHP Wade LeBlanc (5-6, 4.63) vs. Boston Red Sox (to be announced), 1:05 p.m., Jupiter.
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