Chipper Jones said his relationship with Braves hitting coach Don Baylor is so good, he would like to play for him one day when Baylor becomes a manager. Baylor, however, is not expected to become manager of the Braves.
“We all know Don is just on loan here until he gets his chance somewhere else,” Jones said. “If things change, I wouldn’t mind playing for him one day. Playing for a guy like that would be good.”
Baylor is considered to be very close to getting named manager of the Cubs, at least according to a slip-up on their official website that announced the appointment. But the Indians and Angels are pursuing him as well. Meanwhile, Jones becomes a free agent after the 2000 season.
Jones was asked how he felt about Baylor and just smiled.
“He’s my new best friend,” Jones said before the Braves dropped into a 3-0 hole last night in the World Series by losing to the Yankees 6-5 on Chad Curtis’ home run in the 10th inning. “He’s on my Christmas card list. I’m going to buy him a new Mazarotti or something.”
Baylor is credited with making the switch-hitting Jones a more dangerous force from the right side of the plate this year, correcting a perceived weakness. Jones hit .352 against lefties, and 15 of his career-high 43 home runs were from the right side, also a career high. Before this season, he had 12 career homers from the right side in 678 at-bats.
Jones called a spring training conversation he had with Baylor, “The single most important conversation I’ve had with a coach in my career.”
He said Baylor asked him what his philosophy was regarding hitting right-handed, and Jones said his goal was to hit the ball hard and have an average over .300.
“He said, ‘bull[bleep],'” Jones recalled. “He told me I was the No. 3 hitter on a championship contending team and I had to make pitchers fear me. He told me to start swinging from the heels more and we made a few adjustments in my swing. It has made a big difference.”
Jones has said in the past he wants to stay in Atlanta, but that the Braves need to do the right thing by him, which is pay him like the superstar he is. So far, he has come cheaply, but that will likely change, especially since he is likely to win the National League MVP Award this year.