Holding court in front of his locker Thursday afternoon , Chipper Jones said, “I just want to put the cork back in the bottle” regarding the talk about his presumed impending retirement. While that isn’t likely to achieve the desired effect, Chipper won’t accommodate those looking for him to discuss the subject – claiming he won’t address his career status again until the season is over. Jones told the assembled media that he didn’t want to take the focus off a Braves team currently sitting at first place in the NL East, or from Bobby Cox’s final season as manager for that club. He said that he had met earlier in the day with team president John Schuerholz. Not that he was entirely cagey about his intentions. At one point in the proceedings, he said, “Let’s face it, we all know which way I’m leaning.” For all intents and purposes, it’s likely then that this is the final season of his career, but it won’t be made official one way or the other until the 2010 season is over. It won’t stop the media from discussing the possibility, but it will keep reporters from hounding him and his teammates about hints regarding his position. Jones was not scheduled to be in the lineup for Thursday’s game against the Rays, but Cox said he was simply giving Jones the night off.
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Chipper Jones Doesn’t Want Retirement Talk To Obscure Braves Season
