TOWER GROVE — This past weekend, Chipper Jones’ son, Shea, got to visit his namesake for the first time. Jones and the Atlanta Braves visited Shea Stadium, home of the New York Mets, for the final time, a locale that embraced Chipper Jones as “Larry Jones,” a favorite (but beloved) rival and annual target of cheers. He grew so fond of the place — and hit so well there — that he named his son after it.
The only question this past weekend was would he get to play there for his son.
Jones has been slowed by a sore back, another ailment added a list of them for the 36-year-old switch-hitter. How the discomfort factors into the batting race is unclear: Jones has enough plate appearances to sit out the rest of the season and have his average still stand as the tops in the league. Others are chasing his .365. He got there by playing Sunday, the Braves final game at Shea Stadium.
He went 3-for-5.
Pujols went 4-for-11 in the wasted weekend at Pittsburgh, and he hits Cincinnati needing Jones to bat enough to drop from .365 or on a serious tear to catch Jones at .365. Both competitors have been in a joust for the title before. Pujols won it back in 2003. Jones was edged on the last day of the season a year ago, by Matt Holliday. The title even went to game No. 163, as Holliday’s statistics from Colorado’s one-game playoff against San Diego counted toward the regular season. Holliday won. Jones shrugs.
“This season for me is not going to be any more or less gratifying if I win or lose the batting title,” he said earlier this season during his visit to Busch Stadium. ”It has been a very disappointing season because of the way we’ve performed as a team. … Certainly you’d like to have a title like that on your resume. I hit the best I’ve ever hit during the course of the season. I can’t let myself be disappointed.”
Continuing Bird Land’s series-by-series tale of the tape for the batting title (back with the baseball cards in a few moments):
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CHIPPER JONES
.3647 (155-for-425)
vs. Philadelphia Philles, at Turner Field
Career vs. Phillies: .339 (185 games)
2008 vs. Phillies: .440 (11-for-25)
Career at Turner Field: .323 (865 games)
2008 at home: .405 (90-for-222)
Career vs. Jamie Moyer, Tuesday: .364 (4-for-11)
Career vs. Adam Eaton, Wednesday: .429 (6-for-14)
Career vs. Cole Hamels, Thursday: .308 (4-for-13)
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ALBERT PUJOLS
.3601 (175-for-486)
vs. Cincinnati Reds, at Great American Ball Park
Career vs. Reds: .370 (119 games)
2008 vs. Reds: .407 (11-for-27)
Career at GABP: .355 (59-for-166)
2008 on the road: .355 (87-for-245)
Career vs. Bronson Arroyo, Tuesday: .278 (10-for-36)
Career vs. Aaron Harang, Wednesday: .359 (14-for-39)
Career vs. Edinson Volquez, Thursday: .000 (0-for-2)
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CHAIN LINKS: Here’s the Journal-Sentinel’s take on Ned Yost’s firing. … Our utility man Nate Latsch has some must-read entries over at the blog to which he contributes, Prep Insider: This one is on Josh Outman’s major-league debut. And this one is about prep pitcher Jacob Turner, a name to know next June, and his commitment to North Carolina. … The 2009 Guinness Book of World Records reaches bookstores today, and, yes, the local group of 40 guys who set the record for longest baseball marathon are in there. Not identified by our individual names but by our telling number: 32 hours, 29 minutes, 25 seconds.
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