His real name is Larry Wayne Jones, Jr. but we all know him as Chipper. He is the third baseman for the Atlanta Braves and has been a starter and major contributor for the Braves at either third base or in left field since 1995. Now at 36 years old he is basically the “face of the franchise.”

I am a big Chipper Jones fan! I know that he has some detractors, but I feel that Chipper is one of the top 10 players in baseball at the present time. I feel that his statistics and his achievements document my claim, and his importance in the Braves’ lineup is also well-documented.

Jones began the 2008 season as the leader in nine different categories in the Atlanta Braves record book. Among these categories are home runs (393), runs batted in, (1,319), hits (2,156), doubles (429), walks (1,162), on base percentage (.403), runs (1,314), total bases (3,832), and extra-base hits (856). He needs nine more games to take over the lead in games played at 1,927 and only 111 more at bats to take over the lead in that category with 7,099.

In Braves’ franchise records, which include the Boston Braves and Milwaukee Braves records as well, Jones is generally listed in the top three in most categories along with Braves’ Hall of Fame greats Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews. As his career heads towards a close, he will most likely overtake these great players in some of these categories.

Jones is a clutch hitter, and in his 13- year career he leads all major league players in game-winning hits with 183 game-winning runs batted in. To solidify his ranking as one of the game’s best players over the past 13 seasons, he ranks 6th in hits, 9th in home runs, 6th in RBIs, and 17th in batting average.

His career batting average entering the 2008 season was .307 which ranks him as the second leading hitter among switch hitters in major league baseball history, behind only Frankie Frisch (.316). His 393 home runs rank him 3rd on the all-time home run list by switch hitters, trailing only Mickey Mantle (536) and Eddie Murray (504).

Chipper has played very well in post-season competition as he has a .272 average in division series action, .315 in league championship series games, and .273 in World Series action. He has a total of 13 home runs in post-season play. He also has a .400 batting average in five All-Star game appearances.

These factual stats show just how much Chipper has achieved in his career in Atlanta. His leadership qualities and his importance to his teammates cannot be measured in statistics but are obvious to the success of the Braves during his career. He is a player whom the Braves cannot afford to lose over a long stretch of games.

And yes, I’ve heard the old “he gets hurt too much” complaint. He has been injured a few times over the past few years, but injuries are something that no one can predict or avoid, especially if they are playing hard. I’ll take Chipper, and you take your favorite third baseman; we’ll go head-to-head and I’ll win that battle every time.

There are a few questions left in Chipper’s career. Can he reach the 500 home run plateau, can he get 3,000 hits, will he make the Hall of Fame, and will he finish his career in Atlanta? Well, Chipper says he wants to play until he’s 40, so that is at least four more years to add to his numbers.

Five-hundred home runs are certainly achievable, and 3,000 hits are a possibility also. He will have to stay relatively healthy to reach these goals but I think that he can do it. I also think that he a sure-fire Hall-of-Famer, especially if he reaches the aforementioned milestones.

As for remaining a Brave throughout his entire career, I’m not sure. The Braves have a history of trading their great players at the end of their careers with little regard to their contributions to the organization. They sent Hank Aaron to the Brewers, Eddie Mathews to the Astros, Warren Spahn to the Mets, Phil Niekro to the Yankees, Dale Murphy to the Phillies, Lou Burdette to the Cubs, David Justice to the Indians, and Del Crandall to the Giants. Whether they will hang on to Jones is still unknown but to let him finish his career anywhere else would be heresy!

Chipper Jones is a great player toiling in a small market. If he had been with the Yankees, Red Sox, or Dodgers throughout his career he would be considered one of the greats of all-time. Can you imagine him playing his career with the Yankees and hitting with that short right field porch in Yankee Stadium. He would already have his 500 homers and be mentioned in the same breath as DiMaggio, Mantle, and Maris.

Yes. I’m a big Chipper Jones fan and my collection of over 1,400 different Chipper baseball cards is evidence to that fact. I assert that he is the heart of the Braves and the man they can’t do without. I now have a new “sports” goal in my life. I want to be present in Cooperstown when Chipper is inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. I look forward to that day!