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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC POOL C: TORONTOMarch 9, 2009Chipper JonesTORONTO, ONTARIO Q. (No microphone.) CHIPPER JONES: I felt it, then just got progressively worse. So I decided it's probably not the smartest thing to be out there. Q. Do you expect to be ready for the second round? CHIPPER JONES: Yeah, you got it. Q. You got the whole country and the commitment to your team, how do you manage that? CHIPPER JONES: This is something that I've had. I'm a switch-hitter, so oblique strains are something that happens to switch-hitters quite frequently, and I've had this thing dozens of times. I know the severity, and I know that this is probably something that will be knocked out in three or four days. So if we're just smart with it, you know, I'll be able to get back in there pretty soon. Q. Relief, then, to know you won't have to miss the rest of it? CHIPPER JONES: You couldn't get me away from here with a crowbar. Even after I came out, you know, I haven't even contributed to this point, at least offensively. It's fun to be out in the dugout and watch the offensive explosion, you know, over the last three or four innings of last night's ball game. Just fun to be part of. These guys are focused and ready to play and they're hungry. It's fun to watch. Q. Are you a big chemistry guy? Do you win because of chemistry or do you have chemistry because you win? CHIPPER JONES: I am a huge chemistry guy. I think that -- I'm one of those that believes one bad apple can ruin the bunch, and this is a great group of guys. We got our, you know, four, five guys that were here in '06, kind of, you know, leading the way as far as letting everybody know what to expect. We got our two or three class clowns that keep the clubhouse mood light. You know, I think everybody has mutual respect for each other. Nobody is stepping on anybody's toes. Nobody's in this for themselves. And we're all pulling for each other and trying to go as far as we can. Q. Even the Yankees and Red Sox? CHIPPER JONES: Even the Yankees and Red Sox. Even the Mets and Phillies (laughter). Even everybody on the braves. I mean, it's been a good mix. But I think, you know, you pull the players off of those teams that I just mentioned, those are high-character guys. You know, with the exception of maybe a comment or two by Jimmy, everybody else is pretty quiet and humbled (laughter). But we all know Jimmy, he is a character. He is one of those character guys. And, you know, it could be very easy for him to be mad about not starting every game, but, you know, he's making the most of his opportunities when he gets in there, and pulling for Derek when he is in there. Q. What about Pedroia, is he quiet, too? CHIPPER JONES: I put him in as class clown. He is like the U.S.A. team mascot to be honest with you. He is the fire, you know, behind this one. Whenever we -- you know, I don't know if you have seen us get together and do our little U.S.A. chant or, you know, whatever stupid saying they have on a given day, he's one of the instigators, him and Adam Dunn. So it kind of evens everything out. Guys like myself and Derek, we're more on the serious kind of trying-to-get-focused side, and to experience the lighter side is a fun change. Q. Davey said the next two days are probably going to be rest and not do a lot of working out aspect; is that true? CHIPPER JONES: I won't do much of anything. I'm just going to come out here and run around and try to keep my legs loose. Yeah, I won't be hitting. I won't be doing any throwing. I might try to do some light stuff tomorrow just to see if, you know, Wednesday is a possibility. But, like I said, there is no reason to push it. Q. Chipper, how many calls have you had to field from the Braves in the last 12 hours or so? CHIPPER JONES: Not as many from the Braves as I have the Braves' media. They ran my phone off the hook this morning. But I'm okay. It's just a couple days. It's something that, Bobby will tell you, I get it every year in spring training. You know, with a switch-hitter, it's very common. And something that I've had dozens of times. So just want to take it easy a couple days, and, hopefully, you know, I would say worst case scenario, I'd be ready for the second round. Q. That's the beauty of five days? CHIPPER JONES: Exactly. And I'm not worried about rust, because if you have seen me, I look awfully rusty right now (laughter). End of FastScripts |
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