Andruw Jones leaning towards retirement

Andruw Jones will announce his retirement from Major League Baseball very soon. The Atlanta Braves’ star centerfielder played his last MLB game in 2012.

Cory McCartney of Fox Sports South reports that former All-Star and Gold Glove centerfielder with the Atlanta Braves Andruw Jones is going to announce his retirement from Major League Baseball very soon.

Jones, who didn’t play baseball in 2015, had intended on making a comeback to the Major Leagues in 2016 after spending the 2013-14 seasons playing in Japan. His last big league season came in 2012 when he was a corner outfielder and a designated hitter for the American League’s New York Yankees.

However, Andruw Jones is best remembered for his 12-year run of defensive dominance and powerful home run stroke playing for the Atlanta Braves from 1996 to 2007. Jones debuted with the Braves as a 19-year-old in 1996 and had two clutch home runs in the 1996 World Series versus the New York Yankees.

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He would win 10 straight Gold Gloves from 1998 to 2007, as arguably the best defensive centerfielder of all time. Jones would routinely make plays in the outfield of Turner Field that no one other than him could conceivably get to.

Andruw Jones became a five-time All-Star in the National League playing for the Atlanta Braves (2000, 2002-03, 2005-06). Jones won a Silver Slugger in 2005 when he led the National League with 51 homers and 128 RBI’s, finishing second for National League MVP.

Jones was never really able to hit for a high batting average (.254 for his career), but his career batting average before leaving Atlanta was nine points better at .263. He would hit 368 home runs, drive in 1,117 runs, score 1,045 runs, collect 1,683 base hits, and steal 138 bases playing for the Atlanta Braves.

Andruw Jones could very well end up signing a ceremonial one-day contract to retire with the Atlanta Braves organization at some point this offseason. That seems like something team president John Schuerholz, president of baseball operations John Hart, and general manager John Coppolella could certainly get behind.

There has been some discussion if Jones’ No. 25 jersey will become the 11th number retired by the Atlanta Braves organization. While he’s at best a borderline National Baseball Hall of Famer, Jones was largely the second best position player to play for the Atlanta Braves under Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox besides sure-fire first ballot Hall of Fame third baseman Chipper Jones.

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Though he MLB career almost immediately flamed out after signing a massive deal to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008, Andruw Jones was a remarkable athlete when he was with the Atlanta Braves. Given how his relationship is with the Braves organization, Atlanta could very well have its 11th retired jersey before the final game played at Turner Field next fall. Go Braves!