VIERA, Fla. — For many Atlantans, seeing Chipper in pinstripes would be akin to Herschel coming back to play his senior year at Florida.
It’s not going to happen, Chipper Jones said.
Jones coming out of retirement to play for the Yankees was little more than a pipe dream for Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, who knew as much when he tossed out the name of the Braves icon during a conversation with New York writers Monday.
The New York tabloids had only a few hours to sensationalize and completely overplay the notion of Chipper playing in the Bronx before he quashed it via Twitter.
“Enough with the rumors!” Jones tweeted Monday afternoon. “While I am flattered about the speculation of being enticed out of retirement, I’m happy with life as a bad golfer!”
Jones, 40, retired after a 19-year career spent entirely with the Braves. The team will retire the eight-time All-Star and 1999 National League MVP’s No. 10 jersey and induct him into the Braves Hall of Fame on June 28.
Since announcing a year ago that he would retire after the 2012 season, Jones has never wavered on the decision.
He reiterated last month, during a brief stint as a guest instructor in Braves camp, that he had no itch to play again and that he would not return at any point during the season, despite speculation he might be enticed to return to the Braves during the playoff race.
Cashman, dealing with a lineup beset by injuries, said he would love to have Jones and that he’d be a “perfect fit” for the Yankees.
“I’m flattered, but no,” Jones said in a message to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution later Monday. “My knees can no longer take playing baseball at its highest level. Plus I can’t imagine donning any uniform other than a Braves uni! I’m looking forward to being more of a father to my boys and a better hack on the golf course!”
