CINCINNATI — After some deliberation, Braves third baseman Chipper Jones began a two-game minor league rehabilitation Saturday night at Single-A Rome after all.
That was the original plan for Jones, who hopes to play two games this weekend and be activated from the disabled list Monday for the start of the Pirates series. The Braves will re-evaluate him Monday.
Jones felt some soreness in his surgically repaired right knee after working out for several days with Triple-A Gwinnett last week and thought he might simply do clinical rehab over the weekend and not play in games.
But the Braves want him to get some injury rehab games in before being activated, so rather than putting that off until next week, Jones agreed to play two games in Rome this weekend.
As the designated hitter Saturday night he went 0-for-2 with a walk. He took a called strike three in his second plate appearance and grounded out to second in his third appearance. He left after six innings. He is scheduled to play either as the designated hitter or at third base Sunday.
Jones underwent arthroscopic surgery July 9 and expected to return in two to three weeks. If he’s able to return Monday, he would be right at the two-week range.
Record for Kimbrel
Craig Kimbrel was a 10-year-old kid in Huntsville, Ala., when Kerry Ligtenberg saved 30 games for the Braves as a rookie in 1998. He knew Ligtenberg’s name, but was about two or three years from watching the Braves religiously.
Now Ligtenberg knows a little about Kimbrel, too.
With his 31st save of the season Friday night against the Reds, Kimbrel surpassed Ligtenberg for the Braves’ rookie record for saves in a season. And he has 60 games to go.
The record for saves by a rookie in major league history is held by Neftali Feliz, the former Braves farmhand who had 40 last season for the World Series-bound Texas Rangers.
When asked what he figured his chances were for having these kind of numbers at this point in the season, Kimbrel said, “No shot. We’re playing a lot of winning baseball. That’s why I’ve had so many opportunities.”
Kimbrel was leading the majors in saves with 31 entering Saturday’s game, two ahead of Giants closer Brian Wilson’s 29.
He had pitched 18 consecutive scoreless innings, while going a perfect 13-for-13 in saves, with only six walks and 31 strikeouts, a streak that began June 14. He hasn’t blown a save since June 8 against Florida.
Better command of the strike zone has helped turn him from a rookie finding his way to a stabilizing force at the back end of the Braves’ bullpen.
“He has cut down those dreaded base on balls in the ninth inning,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.
Kimbrel has walked only six in his past 18 innings. He walked 15 batters in his first 32 innings.
Uggla returns, Schafer waits
Braves second baseman Dan Uggla returned to the lineup Saturday afternoon after missing two starts with a strained left calf. He ran in the outfield before the start of Saturday’s game to prove to Gonzalez he was ready and showed no ill-effects during the game.
“It felt good,” Uggla said afterward. “I was able to do what I wanted to on it.”
Center fielder Jordan Schafer is coming along a little more slowly from his jammed left middle finger. He hit indoors for the first time Saturday, but wasn’t ready to return to the lineup.
“It’s all a matter of that flexibility to grab the bat,” Gonzalez said. “With left-hander Dontrelle [Willis] going [Sunday], maybe give him another day or so.”
