Chipper has tendinitis, won’t need surgery

Chipper Jones does not need surgery on his ailing right shoulder.

Results of his MRI were released by the Braves Wednesday and they confirmed what team trainers had suspected, that the pain in Jones’ throwing shoulder was caused by acute tendinitis.

Braves orthopedist Xavier Duralde prescribed therapy and a strength program. Jones should be 100 percent by spring training.

“I’m going to take about a week off and get on to rehabbing it and try to get it strengthened before I start my weight program in November,” Jones said Wednesday afternoon.

He was still feeling a little soreness from undergoing a dye-injected MRI on Tuesday but expected that to clear up in a few days. The news of not having to have offseason surgery came as a relief.

“I had to take Tristan to get his tonsils out this morning and he was not happy,” said Jones of his 3-year-old son. “I’m sure I wouldn’t have been happy either (facing surgery).”

Jones did not start the final eight games of the season because his shoulder bothered him too much to make the throws at third base. He pinch-hit six times, going 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs and three walks. That helped him ice his first National League batting title while hitting a career-high .364.

At age 36, he beat out Albert Pujols (.357) to become the oldest switch-hitter to ever win the batting title.

Jones played 128 games this season, the third lowest total of his career after playing only 109 games in 2005 and 110 in 2006. He missed time this season with problems with his shoulder, hamstring, knee, quadriceps and back. Of those, only the hamstring strain put him on the disabled list.