LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – A highly accomplished former Braves corner infielder began his stint as a guest instructor at the team’s first full-squad workout Friday, but it wasn’t Chipper Jones.
Fred McGriff was in uniform and offered tips and advice throughout the workout, the second year in a row that “Crime Dog” has helped out at spring training. He’ll spend five or six days in camp.
McGriff showed up earlier than some expected, while Jones will arrive a day later than the team announced. Jones’ agent said the retired third baseman would arrive in Orlando late Friday and be at Saturday’s workout, which starts at 1 p.m., three hours later than usual because of team physicals in the morning.
Sunday’s workout will also begin at 1 p.m. due to physicals, then it’s back to the usual 10 a.m. workout schedule Monday through Thursday before the Braves open the Grapefruit League season Friday with a home game against Detroit.
Jones will stick around for four or five days. Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez was told earlier in the week that he would be in camp Friday.
“Knowing him, I bet that he stayed away on purpose on the first day" of full-squad workouts, Gonzalez said. “If I know him, he didn’t want to take away (attention from the current team). All of a sudden it’s about the Upton brothers, (Jason) Heyward and the good camp. He shows up on the first day and that (storyline) doesn’t happen.
“I’m not for sure that’s the reason, because I haven’t spoken to him. He told me he was coming. Again, maybe he realized it was the first day of full squad and he said you know what, I’ll come tomorrow.”
Meanwhile McGriff, still looking as slender as when he played for the Braves in the 1990s, wore batting gloves for the workout and filled out his uniform as impressively as anyone not named Heyward.
“He’s got his wristband on, he’s ready to go,” Gonzalez said. “I asked him if he wanted to face (Jonny) Venters or (Craig) Kimbrel. He said, 'No, that’s all right.'”
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