Atlanta Braves: 7 Signs Chipper Jones Has Plenty More Baseball to Give

During spring training, Chipper Jones announced that he was going to retire at the end of the season.

Some Braves fans were happy, because they knew the team could bring in a third baseman who would play every day and not be injured as much as Jones is.

Then there were others, who know the switch-hitter's loss is going to have a profound effect on the team.

So far this season, both sides have been right.

Jones has sat out a good amount of games, but when he has played, he's been one of the better hitters on the team.

Here are seven signs that Jones still has plenty more baseball to give.

Look at the Numbers

All you have to do is look at the numbers for Jones so far this season.

In 18 games this year, Jones is hitting .318 with five home runs and 21 RBI.

He's showing that he still has it and can offer a lot to the Braves when he is in the lineup.

Nine RBI in Last Three Games

In the last three games he's played (May 2 vs. Philadelphia, May 4-5 vs. Colorado), Jones has gone 9-for-17 with two home runs and nine RBI.

Granted, two of the games were in Colorado, where the air is thin, but for a guy in his 40s, Jones is still hitting with the best of them.

If those numbers aren't impressive because two of the games were in Colorado, then why don't the other hitters have as good of numbers in all three categories that Jones does?

Low Strikeouts

So far this season, Jones has only struck out seven times.

He hasn't struck out twice in a game, which shows he can still make the adjustments needed within the game.

Jones has never been a high strikeout guy, and that's not going to change just because this is his last season.

Seven Multi-Hit Games

With seven multi-hit games so far this year, Jones is only two multi-hit games out of the top 10 in the league.

Had he been playing a few more games this year, I imagine he'd be in the top 10.

Multi-hit games are a key stat for hitters, because it shows that they can consistently get it done at the plate.

Team Record When Starting

In the 16 games Jones has started for the Braves, they are 14-2.

He came in as a pinch hitter in two other games, which the Braves lost.

That alone shows that Jones just being in the lineup has made the Braves successful.

Knowing that record, I can see where Braves fans are coming from when they get frustrated with him being out of the lineup.

Then again, if he's playing every day, would the Braves win as many as they have?

RBI in All but Three Games Started

When starting, Jones is also driving in runs.

In the 16 games he's started, he's driven in at least one run in 13 of those games, including six games in which he drove in multiple runs.

Honestly, that's what makes him successful as the leader of the Braves.

He doesn't only talk the talk, but he walks the walk.

Still the Unquestioned Leader

After Colorado Rockies starter Jamie Moyer accused the Braves of stealing signs, Jones was the first one to speak up for his team.

That's what a leader does.

Jones basically said Moyer was full of it, and then threw in a funny comment asking if the Braves stole signs on the two home runs that went over 900 feet when there were no runners on base.

There's no question who the leader of the Braves is.

He doesn't make excuses when the team struggles, and he takes responsibility when the team struggles and he's in the lineup.