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Chipper Jones: Atlanta Braves’ Future Hitting Coach?

By Matthew Schoettler

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Atlanta Braves fans are yearning for a new manager right now; but a new manager, new specialty coaches are likely to follow. Could Chipper Jones be in line for the hitting coach gig?

Kevin Seitzer was hired this offseason to become the Atlanta Braves’ new hitting coach, previously working for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2014. Seitzer has been the hitting coach for four ball clubs, in which he had stints in Arizona (2007), Kansas City (2009-2012), Toronto (2014), and Atlanta (2015).

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In 2014, Seitzer was coming off of a year working with the Toronto Blue Jays, and his claim to fame with the team is that the club finished fourth in runs and third in home runs. However, if you look at the lineup they put on the field last season, those numbers are somewhat expected.

The Blue Jays boasted big bats like Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion; additionally, the team had unsung players like Adam Lind and Melky Cabrera. So although the team finished high in runs and home runs, it should have been somewhat expected. In 2015, Seitzer is getting his first “real” test, having to teach young hitters the art of hitting. 

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In 2015, the Atlanta Braves have been one of the worst teams in all of baseball; moreover, in the hitting categories, they are among the basement teams in all of the Major Leagues. Just to shed some light, the Braves rank last in runs, home runs, total bases, runs batted in, slugging, and on base plus slugging. This should be a huge warning flag.

The Atlanta Braves should not be as bad of a club as they have been in 2015; John Hart did not see this happening as well. Hart believed that, although the team lost a few big contributors, they should still be able to compete both in the short-run and long-run. That is where Chipper Jones comes into play…

In 2017, the Braves are set to move to Sun Trust Park, and many people believe that Fredi Gonzalez will be gone before the teams steps foot into the new ballpark. When teams fire their manager, it is likely that other coaches fall too. In Seitzer’s one year with the Atlanta Braves, his performance has been awful, arguably worse than Gonzalez’s managing.

Chipper Jones was the Braves’ “golden boy” during his 19 year career; moreover, he spent his entire career (spanning 23 season) with the Atlanta Braves’ organization. He was the number one pick in the 1990 Amateur Draft by the Braves and lived up to the high expectations associated with that draft selection.

During his 19-year career, Chipper Jones was selected to eight All-Star Games, won two Silver Slugger Awards, and won one MVP title (1999). Moreover, Chipper ranks among the top five in almost every statistical hitting category for the Atlanta Braves (runs, hits, at-bats, home runs, runs batted in, walks, average, on-base percentage, slugging, and on base plus slugging).

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In addition to Jones’ innate ability to hit the ball, he accomplished all of his milestones, awards, and stats while being a switch-hitter. Chipper Jones will go down in the record books as being the best switch-hitter in Major League history. By being an accomplished hitter from both sides of the plate, Jones can provide insight to every hitter on the lineup.

As the 2015 season comes to an end, the Atlanta Braves’ fan base has drastically decreased, and it could be time to bring back a fan-favorite. Not only would Chipper Jones increase revenue for seasons to come, he could also get the Braves back to the hitting machine they were just a few years back. It is time for a change in Atlanta.

Next: Tyrell Jenkins: Part of Braves Rotation in 2016?

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