Chipper Jones is out for the year with a torn ACL, but let’s hope this isn’t it for the man who has played his entire major league career for manager Bobby Cox. Chipper has made it known since last season that retirement could be around the corner, but like Baseball Tonight’s Eduardo Perez, I don’t see Chipper calling it quits now that his season has ended unexpectedly. He wants to go out on his own terms, and these aren’t them. At 38, his career is nearing the end, but I find it hard to believe that he will be able to say good-bye after watching from the bench as his team battles for the National League crown.
If he’s truly done, Chipper’s numbers speak for themselves: a .306 career batting average and .405 On-Base Percentage, 436 home runs, 147 stolen bases, 2,490 hits, two Silver Sluggers and an MVP award. The six-time All-Star won a batting title at the age of 36, hitting a staggering .364 to edge Albert Pujols, who hit .357. He is also tied for the most home runs in a season by a switch-hitter (45 in 1999; Lance Berkman accomplished the feat in 2006). A little known fact about Chipper is that he and Paul Waner hold the Major League record for most consecutive games with an extra-base hit (14). Chipper will join Waner in Cooperstown as soon as he is eligible.
How ‘bout that?
How about Jered Weaver? The 27-year-old righty leads the majors with 182 strikeouts and is having his best season (11-7, 2.87 Earned Run Average) since his rookie year (2006), when he went 11-2 with a 2.56 ERA. Since the All-Star break, Weaver has been even better, posting a 1.93 ERA, limiting opponents to a .204 batting average, and averaging seven innings per outing over six starts. With the Rangers playing so well in the AL West, the Angels are unlikely to win the division for the fourth straight year and may even finish under .500 for the first time since 2003, but they have to be pleased with how their ace has pitched this season.
How about Kevin Correia? After struggling initially following his brother’s tragic death in May, the Padres pitcher has been a major contributor of late to the team’s rotation. In five starts since the All-Star break, Correia is 4-1 with a 3.60 ERA and was just one out shy of going six innings or more in each outing. In his best game, Correia held the Dodgers to four hits – all singles – over 5.2 scoreless innings. At 9-7, a few more strong starts the rest of the way can help the San Diego native top his career-high of 12 wins set last season.
How about the Orioles? Since Buck Showalter took over as the team’s manager, the Birds have been white-hot, winning eight out of 10, including four one-run games. The O’s are playing so well that they no longer hold the worst record in the majors, having passed the Pirates with their 40th win of the season. One interesting tidbit that seems highly unlikely of a team with a .348 winning percentage is this: thanks to two extra-inning victories since Showalter became the skipper, Baltimore is tied with Philadelphia for the major league lead with 10 extra-inning wins, losing just three such games.
Morrow’s performance nothing short of exceptional
Congratulations to Brandon Morrow, who came within two strikes of throwing a no-hitter against the Tampa Bay Rays last Sunday before Evan Longoria’s infield single with two outs in the ninth. Morrow threw 137 pitches on his way to striking out 17 in a 1-0 Blue Jays victory, fanning Dan Johnson to end the game with the tying run on third base. Roy Halladay may be gone, but Toronto has a good young pitcher to enjoy for the foreseeable future.
Keywords: Albert Pujols, All-Star, Baltimore Orioles, Baseball Tonight, Bobby Cox, Brandon Morrow, Buck Showalter, Chipper Jones, Cooperstown, Dan Johnson, Eduardo Perez, Evan Longoria, Jered Weaver, Kevin Correia, Lance Berkman, Los Angeles Dodgers, Paul Waner, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Roy Halladay, San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays
