Braves.Today.Com

Updated 11:57 a.m.

By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com

ATLANTA – There was no doubt that Chipper Jones and the Braves would agree on a contract extension. The only question was when.

That question was answered this morning, Atlanta announcing it has locked up the defending NL batting champion to a three-year contract extension. The deal, believed to be worth around $40 million, also includes a fourth-year vesting option that could keep Jones in an Atlanta uniform through 2013.

For Jones, now the longest-tenured Brave with the offseason departure of John Smoltz, it makes it almost a certainty he will retire with the franchise that drafted him No. 1 overall out of high school in 1990.

Braves fans will tell you Jones – one month shy of his 37th birthday – is the single-most critical piece of Atlanta’s puzzle. Despite battling a variety of nagging injuries the past four years, the six-time All-Star has evolved into one of the best hitters in the game, and one of the best switch-hitters of all time.

He’s the only switch hitter to top 400 homers (408 entering Sunday night’s season opener at Philadelphia) while maintaining a .300 career average (.310 entering the season). Last year, Jones won his first batting title, hitting .364 during a season where his average stayed above the magical .400 mark into mid June.

Watching the painful departure of Smoltz – Jones publicly criticized Braves’ management after the right-hander signed as a free agent with Boston – Jones wanted no part in a similar scenario unfolding after the 2009 season, when his current contract expired.

Now, Jones appears to be a mainstay in the Atlanta lineup – provided he can stay healthy – well into the next decade.

Making his major-league debut in late 1993, Jones missed all of 1994 with a knee injury. He returned in 1995 and finished second to Hideo Nomo for NL rookie of the year, but helped drive the Braves to their lone World Series title.

A drive to return to the postseason after being on the outside of October the past three seasons, coupled with the influx of young talent that many believe will make the Braves contenders again, no doubt played a role in Jones’ commitment to stay with the organization. In the past, he’s reworked his deals to free up money, cash the Braves needed to stay among baseball’s elite.

And while there’s no denying Jones could have landed more money on the free-agent market after this season, there also is no arguing the fact Chipper wants to finish things where he started them, and that’s in Atlanta, in the postseason.

Now that the deal is done, it’s up to Hoss and his teammates to drive the Braves back into the postseason.

Now on to yesterday’s game, as we finally get closer to Opening Night:

Atlanta 4, Boston 3 (10 innings, exhibition)

Top of the Order: On the day Atlanta awarded the center field job to rookie Jordan Schafer by trading Josh Anderson to Detroit, the Braves rallied to steal one in extra innings at Lake Buena Vista, running their spring record to 18-10.

The Good: The buzz surrounded the all-Japanese pitching matchup of Boston’s Daisuke Matsuzaka and Atlanta’s Kenshin Kawakami, and Kawakami lived up to his part of the billing with six strong innings. The Japanese right-hander, who will make his debut for the Braves at home April 11, allowed four hits and two runs with two walks and four strikeouts. In his second game back from a strained calf, Garret Anderson went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. Martin Prado tied the game in the ninth with a run-scoring single, finishing 2-for-2 with a stolen base. Brooks Conrad won it with a ground-rule double in the 10th. Brian McCann returned to the lineup after taking a foul ball off his finger Saturday, going 1-for-1 with a double, a run scored, and a walk. Eric O’Flaherty probably locked down a bullpen spot with four more strikeouts in 1 1/3 innings, giving him 13 Ks in 8 2/3 innings. Closer Mike Gonzalez struck out the side in a scoreless ninth.

The Bad: Manny Acosta, once thought to be a lock to make this team, gave up three hits and one run in 2/3 innings, and it’s possible Manny doesn’t make the cut. Jeff Francoeur struck out twice, doubling his total number of whiffs from all of spring (maybe I jinxed him by mentioning that yesterday morning). The Braves left nine on base.

View from the Sports Garage: First of all, I hate to see Josh Anderson go. I really, really liked that kid, and wish he’d gotten more of a look last season. But with that said, there is no denying Schafer has far more upside, even if that means watching a 22-year-old rookie with no major-league experience go through the inevitable ups and downs that will mark his 2009 season. And no, I don’t think the race is still on, so all you Gregor Blanco fans out there, start making your plans to go see Gwinnett play because that’s where Gregor is going. Schafer has struck out 16 times in 61 Grapefruit League at-bats, a number that surely has the attention of every pitching coach in the NL East. But with that said, what Schafer brings to the table – a cannon arm, great instincts, power potential, great speed, and the potential to develop into a superstar – outweigh the fact the kid probably will see a steady stream of breaking balls on the outer half of the plate. I think you’ll see Schafer hitting leadoff, too. Yes, that’s a lot to ask for a rookie. But, with Yunel Escobar hitting behind him, Schafer figures to see better pitches than he would batting in front of the pitcher. It’s going to be interesting to say the least, but the Braves have determined Schafer is ready for this. The future is now, and the lights go on – mercifully – in five days. Here’s hoping Schafer, and the Braves, are ready.

On deck
Braves vs. Astros
7:05 p.m. today, Kissimmee, Fla.

The Skinny: Derek Lowe toes the slab for the final time this spring, the Braves’ No. 1 starter who will take on the Phillies in the season opener Sunday night (as well as start the April 10 home opener). Lowe gave up five hits and one run in six strong innings Thursday against Toronto, walking nobody while fanning seven. So far this spring, D-Lowe has walked two while striking out 24 in 22 innings.

Speaking of Opening Night …

For those of you in the Atlanta area, I’ll be watching Sunday night’s season opener with a group of Braves fans and baseball folks at Jocks N’ Jills Galleria (near the confluence of Interstates 285 and 75, on the northwest side of town). Come join us as the season begins!

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