Sports Columnists

By Eric

September 15, 2005 05:28 PM | Link to this

Andruw has indeed had a great year but, alas, I fear the Braves are settling into postseason form as of late….

By derek

September 15, 2005 05:31 PM | Link to this

ahh the braves fan. an odd bunch to be sure. so, let me see if i have this straight; andrew jones hits 50 hr’s for the first time in his CAREER and now you’re a ‘believer’? yeah, i’m a believer as well. i believe that ALL players will have a career year at some point in time. you make it sound like no one has ever hit 50 hr’s. and please, dont hold back on predicting GT will be in the national championship game this year. i mean, you correctly foresaw GT beating an auburn team that started a new qb and lost its starting backfield to the nfl. that is nothing short of brilliant! i cant wait to take in your show at the punch line this weekend.

By Nicholas Irwin

September 15, 2005 05:53 PM | Link to this

With all the recent talk about the bullpen and the team slumping and all that, it kind of sucks that Andruw’s accomplishment last night has been overshadowed by it. In fact, I don’t recall seeing one entry today on this with all the other talk. This is a crying shame.

Here’s a guy who a great many of us (myself included) were just about getting ready to ride out of town on a rail. While he had good numbers several times, especially two years ago (36 homers and 116 RBIs), something never seemed to click. He was simply not becoming the guy who we all thought he could become. He didn’t show much work ethic at time, he showed up to so many spring trainings overweight and out of shape that it was becoming a running joke. Many of us were starting to think that this was all we were gonna get from Andruw Jones. A decent power hitter who would disappear in the clutch and who’s focus would wane several times during the year. I can say that I personally was not fully in the “get rid of Andruw” camp but one more year of this type of play and I would have been and to be quite honest, I wouldn’t have been all that upset if we had.

But this year we have seen a completely different Andruw Jones. He didn’t show up to spring training out of shape. Instead of his normal winter routine, he dedicated himself to staying in shape, working out and watching film all winter long. He seemed to finally get what everyone had been telling him about laying off of bad breaking balls, not trying to pull everything, opening up his stance, etc. He has gone from someone that people were universally starting to call a dud of sorts (even the national media was jumping on the bandwagon at the beginning of this season) to a player who, in my opinion, is unquestionably the MVP of the National League this year. Without Andruw Jones, this team would be in last place in the NL East. He put this team on his shoulders and carried it all by himself in early summer. There are still two weeks left in the season and he has thus far hit 50 home runs and driven in 125 runs. He is on pace to hit 55 and drive in 139, which would be 19 and 23 ahead of his previous career bests, respectively.

He has become the player we all thought he could. Rare is the person now who thinks it would be prudent to get rid of him and dump his salary. He’s having one of the best seasons in Braves franchise history, and I for one don’t think he’s getting the credit he deserves in some circles. His detractors quote his average with runners in scoring position and OPS (a useful statistic, but way overblown by the eggheads who orgasm over it at ESPN)…blah blah blah. Lost in this is the fact that, last I checked (which was a week or two ago), he led the majors in game-winning hits. When the game is on the line, he delivers. What’s more important: that or getting a single in the first inning with runners on 1st and 2nd. I think we all know the answer to that question.

By Brian, Sandy Springs

September 15, 2005 08:31 PM | Link to this

What bothers me the most about Braves fans (and I am a season ticket holder)and the so-called media experts is that Andruw Jones has ALWAYS been a great player. The man has won 7 Gold Gloves! Many people forget that when he came to the majors, he was 18 years old! How many of these fans and baseball experts could handle the pressure of being called the next Willie Mays at 18? Heck, when I was 18, I was a freshman in college trying to wake up for class at noon.

Andruw Jones is a good man, good father and great baseball player. We are lucky to have the chance to watch a future Hall of Fame player grow up in front of our eyes.

What about Jeff Francouer when Sports Illustrated called him the Natural. Do we need to run him out of town when he has a sub .300 year? Grow up Atlanta fans! Embrace this team and be happy for the outstanding team we have!

By Jim

September 15, 2005 08:52 PM | Link to this

What happened to Andrew this year?

Well it is exactly what needs to happen to many major leaguers…. in other words copy someone that is super successful.

Remember in the spring when the Braves announcers talked about Andrew loading up on tapes of Pujols at bat…? Well during this off season he not only got the tapes, he built a super batting cage at home and decided to copy a GREAT hitter…

Now he is a Great Hitter ! …. and we are elated….

Now if some of the other Bravos would take this to heart and decide to make them selves even better: …think of what Furcal would be with Brett Butler’s slap to left with two strikes….

I’m sure there are more examples as well…

By geechee

September 15, 2005 10:22 PM | Link to this

derek you said “you make it sound like no one has ever hit 50 hr’s”.

You make it sound as though hitting 50 homers in a season is no big deal. Lets look at the last 80 plus years in baseball. Shall we? In the 1920’s only one man hit at least 50 homers. Guess who? In the 1930s again only one player was able to reach 50. In the 1940s, it was the same, only one. In the 1950s there were two who reached the 50 milestone. In the 1960’s finally there was three. In the 1970s we were back to only one player being able to reach 50. In the 1980s exactly zero ever reached 50.

Then came the wonderful 1990s, decade of the Braves, but also,the decade of better baseball in a bottle and the golden years for such major league cheaters such as perjurer Raphael Palmero, admitted steroid user Canseco, and not man enough to admit it players such as Bonds, McGuire, and Sosa. There were suddenly 12 players to reach 50 in the 90s which should have alerted somebody to something. Of course it is hard to be alert as you turn your back.

So better baseball through chemistry aside, yes hitting fifty homeruns in one season is monumental. Equally monumental was Andruw stepping up and taking charge when Chipper went down.

How many of the players who hit fifty homers also won a gold glove, I’m not sure, but it has to be minuscule.

Even if you hate the Braves, you have to agree with the vast majority of major league players who feel Andruw is the MVP.

By bird dirt

September 15, 2005 11:49 PM | Link to this

if andruw doesn’t win mvp, then there is a conspiracy. carring a team to first place with 13 rookies on the roster at one time is insane. unfortunately, i’ve read some writers who are leaning toward albert pujols—i’m guessing they just have deep down feelings of guilt for such a talent always ending up in second place. pujols deserves recognition, but he is still just the bridesmaid this year, too. andruw has always been my favorite braves position player. i’ve always perfered trading chipper or anyone else over andruw any day. even with his hot and cold hitting through the years, he’s always put up good numbers, and no one in the field can even come close to saving as many runs as he does. after leo mazzone, no one helps out the braves pitchers like andruw does (see tom glavine).

By Chris

September 16, 2005 01:13 AM | Link to this

Where would St. Louis be without Pujols? In first place, most likely. Where would the Braves be without Andruw? Playing one hell of a game of catch-up right about now, I’m guessing. When your best everyday player (Chipper) goes down, and you (Andruw) have 50 home runs on a team on which no one else even has 20, that speaks for itself. Andruw lost his insurance when Chipper got hurt, and put the team on his back and carried them. When Chipper came back, Andruw’s performance didn’t slip. He’s actually gotten BETTER (remember the 2 home runs on Chipper’s 1st game back in the 5 spot? Maybe we should try that a couple more times before the postseason). Andruw in a walkoff. And Jeff Brantley and John Kruk need to take a walk. Comparing Pujols’ defense with Andruw’s, especially when you talk of saving runs, is laughable.

By T Robb

September 16, 2005 03:31 AM | Link to this

Good man, Mark. You never know when the light’s going to come on. Some guys max right out of the gate, some guys take a while. I had started to lose faith, but here we are.

By Derek

September 16, 2005 07:59 AM | Link to this

Andruw is having a great year, but other players have hit 50HR and haven’t been MVP, and not very many have done it batting in the 270’s. I hope he does win but the voters are going to see his avg., obp, and SO and probably pick #5 from baseballs best team who has been robbed a couple of years, and with the injuries they have had it will figure in, or a player from another baseball town who has led the league in batting all year im afraid.

By Joe Roman

September 16, 2005 09:09 AM | Link to this

Thanks Mark. Credible columnists are those who can admit when they are wrong. Andruw is having his break out season. We’ll see more of the same for years to come. The usual know nothings throwing cold water on his accomplishmehts are surely people who have never even stood in against a high school fireballer. It ain’t like on TV folks. Baseball is much more difficult than it looks. No player I can ever remember begins his career at the peak of his game and stays there. Even the best rookies improve over time. Otherwise, the opposition figures them out, and their careers are short. The bonus with Andruw is the way he makes attending a game so exciting just by watching the way he plays center field. It’s not even the spectacular stuff. The way he anticipates the flight of the ball and positions himself makes him the best ever….and yes, I saw Willie Mays play. The reason Mays looked so flashy is he didn’t have Andruw’s talent for judging the flight of the ball. It’s also why Andruw makes it look so easy. If Andruw was hitting .240 and ten homers a year, he’d still be the best centerfielder in the game.

By richard m royal

September 16, 2005 09:46 AM | Link to this

apology accepted. i have been on my seat since Andruw call up thru in one year a, aa, aaa,Majors in Aug.i grew up watching Gibson, Mantle, Kaline,Mays, Brooks Robinson, taking a transister to school when Larsen pitch a Perfect Game for the Yankees.

We all need to’root’ for someone besides are glorious self. One word describes Andruw from His # 1 Fan. I’m 7 years into recovery from that which grabbed Summeral, a fatal “disease” called alcoholism.

May-be Andruws glitter may-be for that reason was an extra ray of hope.

Youngest to hit home run playoffs. 5th or better to reach 100,200,300 home runs in the HISTORY of baseball,yes his encore came early, homering in the house that Ruth built.

RBI’s Andruw saves 100+ per year with his glove,playing from 155-162 games a year vs. Chipper, Nomar etc.The CRIME is, the SHAME is the Atlanta So called sport writers struck out and missed the price of admission, in article on Andruw. A-Rod commands 25 millon a year. Andruw played as hard for 3 years at under $150,000. The reason the Braves have won 13 Pennants is the classic”strength” up the middle and I don’rt mean ss,and 2nd. HOW bout the opposing team stealing RBI from Andruw each game. Congratulations on your Apology about Andruw…”all that glitters is not gold” this time it is 24 carat. cell: 678.576.1448

By richard m royal

September 16, 2005 09:49 AM | Link to this

ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD. ANDRUW JONES IS. THE SHAME IS, HIS HOME TOWN WRITERS CAN’T CONNECT THE DOTS TO hof aNDRUW.

By Claudette

September 16, 2005 10:30 AM | Link to this

Andruw is a great player. And I am glad he is showing everybody want he can do.

By Rodger

September 16, 2005 10:45 AM | Link to this

Andruw has indeed been saving games with both his bat and his glove. What may be most important recently is he is saving them with his attitude. He has become a leader to not only the younger players, but note Chipper’s clutch hitting again of late.

Maybe we should also cast a vote for the “LVP”-the bullpen. Or maybe, the pitching in general, outside of Smoltz, Hudson, Sosa and Farnsworth, there seems to be no one we can count on.

By Nina

September 16, 2005 10:57 AM | Link to this

Hey Chris! I was laughing out loud myself when I heard Brantley comparing Pujols’s defense to Andruw’s. Talk about guys needing to be at the Punchline… By the way, all of you saying Andruw doesn’t deserve MVP for 50 HR’s are missing the point entirely. He does not get MVP for 50 HR’s…he gets it for the being the MOST VALUABLE PLAYER to his team. And no one can deny that he has been ALL THAT. No one.

By Braves fan

September 16, 2005 11:01 AM | Link to this

I hope Andruw wins MVP. But I can’t say that Pujols isn’t deserving. What I will say is all the experts are using the wrong arguments to explain why Pujols should win MVP. They all keep saying his team has had injuries and that he’s had to carry his team. True but not anywhere near the extent that Andruw has had to carry his team. Plus the NL East is much tougher than the NL Central. So the Cards could have been in cruise control and won their division. Every day is a fight in the East. The experts have also tried to say that Pujols is a great defensive 1Bman. So what? CF is the most important defensive position behind SS. If that’s going to be their criteria then Pujols will lose. If I were a St. Louis writer I’d be hammering home stats to pump up Pujols, because that’s where he has a legitimate edge over Jones (except HR’s and rbi’s).

By Marty

September 16, 2005 11:04 AM | Link to this

As a huge fun of Andruw since he came up, it is all the more special for me to see him become one of the two or three best all-around players in the majors. Keep it up, Andruw, and know that you have some real fans.

By Daryl P

September 16, 2005 11:16 AM | Link to this

I have to give Andruw (smiley) Jones all the credit in the world. I like most everyone was losing patience on his lack of emotion in his game. I always hated it when he would strike out on a horrible pitch and smile all the way back to the dugout but he seems to have matured were he is even taking a leadership role on a team of overachievers. Well done!

By jeff

September 16, 2005 11:17 AM | Link to this

Pujols is a great hitter. And while i empathize with him for losing out to Barry all of those years, Andruw has meant more for his team this year than any other player in the league. Without Dru, we’d be in last place! I truly believe that. Sure St. Louis had their share of injuries. However, at different periods of the season, Pujols had Walker, Rollin, and even Reggie Sanders. When Chipper went down, Andruw had the Richmond Braves. Defensively, he saved runs. With games on the line, he drove in the winning run. Baseball is filled with politics. It’s not right that Andruw will be shunned because writers feel that they owe it to Pujols from previous years. I think the catagories that really matter is RBI’s and GW RBI’s. And last I checked, Andruw leads both categories. Would St. Louis be the same without Pujols? No. But the have other veterens to carry the team. Without Dru, any chance of winning a 14th division title would have been gone back in July. Therefore, that alone makes Andruw more valuable than Pujols this year.

By david

September 16, 2005 11:27 AM | Link to this

Hey,Derek one thing needs to be established,Pujols has not been robbed of any MVP’s he has finished 2nd&3rd in the voting for a reason he was clearly not the best player in those seasons. Pujols is a great player and I’m sure he will win a MVP at some point in his career,but he has not been unjustly deprived of the MVP in the past and if he doesn’t win this year it will be because Jones has had a more MVP type year just as Bonds in previous seasons.

By Edgar

September 16, 2005 12:17 PM | Link to this

Andruw Jones has done nothing more than mature as a man. He’s got a family that he cares about very much and that has carried over into his profession as a ball player. I’m sure there’ll be jokes and off color comments about what I have written here but if the Braves are to continue to win year after year this organization needs to keep him here. He still hasn’t reached the peak of his career and during the next 3 to 5 years his offensive numbers will increase. Chipper Jones is getting to the twilight of his career and Andruw is inheriting the leadership role he so greatly deserves. This is why all these rookies are making a difference. Andruw has put these guys on his back and look where they are today. As far as post season is concerned, if these guys get hot at the right time they might suprise a few of us as well as themselves. If Andruw can carry them during the regular season there’s no reason why he can’t do it during the playoffs.

By Philip

September 16, 2005 12:30 PM | Link to this

It’s about time Jones started taking your craft seriously. See what happens when Andruw decided to actually work out in the off season…God forbid he actually try to prepare himself for his chosen profession. Better late than never. Hopefully his new found dedication will continue for years to come.

Andruw Jones for MVP!!!

By Lew Hartman

September 16, 2005 01:40 PM | Link to this

God help the National League pitchers if he ever hits for average, too.

By Ricardo Cortez

September 17, 2005 12:28 AM | Link to this

Babe Ruth………1920-54HR ………1921-59HR ………1927-60HR ………1928-54HR Hack Wilson…….1930-56HR…190RBI!!! Jimmie Foxx…….1932-58HR ……..1938-50HR Hank Greenberg……..-58HR Johnny Mize…….1947-51HR Ralph Kiner………..-51HR …….1949-54HR Willie Mays…….1955-51HR Mickey Mantle…..1956-52HR …..1961-54HR Roger Maris………..-61HR Willie Mays…….1965-52HR George Foster…..1977-52HR Cecil Fielder…..1990-50HR Albert Belle……1995-50HR Mark McGwire……1996-52HR Brady Anderson……..-50HR Mark McGwire……1997-58HR Ken Griffey Jr……..-56HR Mark McGwire……1998-70HR Sammy Sosa…………-66HR Ken Griffey Jr……..-56HR Greg Vaughn………..-50HR Mark McGwire……1999-65HR Sammy Sosa…………-63HR ……..2000-50HR Barry Bonds…….2001-73HR Sammy Sosa…………-64HR Luis Gonzalez………-57HR Alex Rodriguez……..-52HR ….2002-57HR Jim Thome………….-52HR

ANDRUW JONES……2005-50HR and counting…

Only 21 players BEFORE Andruw have hit 50HR in a season…only 36 times has it been done overall…Gehrig never did, Aaron never did, Williams never did, Dimaggio never did…

Bonds only once.

Only 20 players have 500 career HR…kind of puts it into perspective, doesn’t it?

There have been more no-hitters than 50 HR seasons…

The only more rare stats are: 100 stolen base seasons (20), 500 career HR (20), perfect games (19)…Triple Crowns (16 times, Hornsby and Williams did it twice each), 60 doubles in a season (6), 50 save seasons (10) Gagne and Rivera twice, 50 win seasons (5)…30 triples in a season (3) and seasons UNDER .99 ERA (2 times).

There have been 392 pitchers with 350 innings pitched (when will we see THAT again?), 42 times have pitchers won at least 40 games, 250 times have pitchers had an ERA UNDER 1.99…22 pitchers have won 300 games in a career (one more than have hit 50 HR in a season), 25 hitters have 3000 career hits, 24 have 1600 RBI in a career, 36 have 500 career stolen bases…

My point by taking you down “memory lane is: ENJOY THIS! HISTORY DOESN’T HAPPEN RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES VERY OFTEN…For example: 14 pennants in a row…ONE World Championship…

By Larry

September 17, 2005 08:37 AM | Link to this

Mr. Bradley,

I believe you’ve been wrong at least one other time in your life. In July, didn’t you reply in to me that the Florida Marlins were finished and dumping players?

Still think they, and the Phillies, are finished?

By fasteddie

September 17, 2005 10:18 AM | Link to this

All good stuff; but nobody addresses how much of a leader he has become. When the bullpen blew another big lead against the Nats, he paced the dugout like a caged tiger, shaking his head and glaring at them all in the dugout. When Chipper saved the day with a two-out two run homer (and Andruw followed with one of his own) Joe Simpson made the comment that “Chipper just saved the entire bullpen from being taken out by Andruw.” He is giving his all and is no longer reticent to let the others know that he expects no less from them. Eddie in Tampa

By Sloan Howard

September 17, 2005 12:09 PM | Link to this

Derek, you are a condescending idiot. Andruw deserves the MVP for hitting 50 non-steroid enhanced home runs, but more for doing it in the most clutch situations that he has faced in his career. He has been THE offense for the Braves this season with a little it of Chipper, Franceour, and the baby Braves mixed in.

By dannycardwell

September 17, 2005 05:14 PM | Link to this

other than andrew, i doubt theres more than 2 others on the 50 homers list since 1990. bonds, sosa, macguire,palmero,and several others shouldnt be counted. as good as albert pujols is he had good hitters in front of and behind him to see better pitches. andrew has had no protection at all behind him from the all star break until the present. i imagine the improvments in andrew can be in the fact he has gotten married, settled and is more focused than i have ever seen him. he came in in better shape than in the last 5-6 years and on a mission. chipper has undergone a lot of changes as well. put a consistant hitter behind andrew and the sky is the limit.

By Mike

September 18, 2005 05:55 AM | Link to this

This response is to Derek and his lack of respect for hitting 50 homers in a season. Andruw Jones just did something that only 21 other players have done….EVER. He has not had a truly “off” year and has been a steady contributer to the offense. He has never been on the DL, there, ready to play, everyday. Oh, and most believe he is the best center fielder and best all-around defensive player…..EVER. Just ask Smoltz, Maddux, and Glavine(all Cy Young regulars and future hall of famers) what kind of asset he was playing behind them in center.

By Andy

September 18, 2005 02:39 PM | Link to this

David,

Have to disagree with you regarding Pujols’ second place finish to Bonds. He was not the second best player. Bonds is a cheater. Human growth hormone and “the clear” gave him an advantage and created artificial performance at an age when no other hitter in the history of baseball has performed similarly. There is no valid or realistic way to spin his drug usage. There is simply a mountain of evidence to confirm this fact (as if his gaining 50 pounds of muscle between the ages of 27 and 37 wasn’t obvious enough). Now he says he’s going to lose 28 pounds of muscle in the off-season to reduce stress on his knee. This won’t be hard, as once you stop using illegal muscle building drugs you lose the muscle mass they created. It’s an embarrassingly transparent explanation for what will naturally occur to his physique as he stops cheating. Your position that Pujols wasn’t the best player last year makes you as clueless as the sportswriters who stuck their heads in the sand when it came time to vote. Pujols was robbed. And the only way Andruw doesn’t win this year is if the writers try to correct the obvious injustice they perpetrated on Pujols last year. Hopefully, they won’t vote with their obviously guilty consciences, but will do the right thing. Andruw Jones is the NL MVP.

By derek

September 18, 2005 09:17 PM | Link to this

sloan, you are a dimwitted moron. pujols deserves the mvp. just because your boy has 50 hr’s you think he’s gods gift to baseball. whats andrew’s batting average by the way? let me answer that for you since you’re too ashamed to say; 270. what pujols’ average? here let me answer that for you too since you’re also to ahsamed to answer that as well; 336. you are probably too stupid to understand that 336 is better than 270. pujols is batting 66 points better than your boy and with just 6 fewer hr’s. if you ask opposing pitchers who they would not like to see step up to the plate in a tight game between andrew and pujols the answer would be a resounding PUJOLS!

By derek

September 18, 2005 09:26 PM | Link to this

mike, save your andrew jones diatribe for all the other braves lackeys. like i said before, every player will have a career year. this just happens to be his. i like your ‘Just ask Smoltz, Maddux, and Glavine’ line. yeah, let me get right on that.

By david

September 19, 2005 11:40 AM | Link to this

Andy, I’m not a Bonds fan just,stating fact,he may used steriods but you don’t have proof only your thoughts,not saying your wrong but when you get a postive steriod test ala Palmeiro then all the hate is justified.Bonds played the games he was elgible for the award and he won end of story. It,s not up to you to decide who has used steriods and who has not.If you get a postive test result on Bonds-fine then bash away. My main point was that Pujols was not the best player in those 4 seasons thus he has been awarded the corresponding number of MVP trophies.

By geechee

September 20, 2005 03:43 PM | Link to this

derek, Pujols is having another great year at the plate, but that’s why they have batting titles. MVP is not just about numbers it’s about all around play valuable a player he was to his team.

Pujols plays first base. Thats where they put you when they don’t want you to work that hard between plate appearances. That is where they put great hitting catchers when their knees give out. That’s where they put great players like Julio Franco when no matter how well they play in the clutch, they simply are not as young as they used to be. That’s where they put players like Sid Bream.

Center field is a position that is so crucial that if your player is playing great defense at the position you may not be as concerned with his batting. Then again if he’s incredible in the field and he is having an unbelievable year at the plate as a manager you are overjoyed because he’s probably having an MVP season.

By derek

September 20, 2005 07:28 PM | Link to this

geechee, obviously the mvp is not based on just stats. the fact you are saying that one postion is more important than another shows you know nothing about baseball.