Spring training is not just for doing basic workouts to get back in game shape and knocking the rust off in what are basically exhibition games. It is also an opportunity to make changes (hopefully for the better) and absorb even more knowledge from coaches in a more intimate setting that is not possible during the regular season. That means bringing in greats from years past, and the Atlanta Braves have no shortage of former players around whose brains are ripe for the picking.
While the Braves obviously have Weiss as their manager, who also had a lengthy career as a player, and Fred McGriff has been a fixture for years, they also have a lot of visitors to camp. One face that has become a somewhat regular source of wisdom for current Braves is Hall of Famer Chipper Jones. When you have one of the best switch-hitters and third basemen of all-time around, you should probably listen.
That seems to be exactly what is happening down at camp right now. Jones is around offering his help, and after an anecdote from Jones as well as Matt Olson, relayed by insider Mark Bowman, Braves fans are likely to want Jones to join Atlanta's coaching staff full time even more.
Chipper Jones' hitting advice is already paying dividends (again) for the Braves down at spring training
Now, calls for Jones to play a larger, more official role with the Braves are not new. Fans have long hoped that Jones would, at minimum, become the team's hitting coach for a while now. Jones himself has mused about the possibility while making it abundantly clear that he would not be a good choice as a manager, but he has also noted the difficulties in hiring a team icon, especially if things don't work out.
However, it is safe to say that he still has a lot to offer when it comes to advice on hitting. Olson relayed a story from just this week when he was picking his brain on how to attack a specific pitcher who possessed a really good changeup. Jones explained afterwards, "I just went through the at-bat with him. I would sit dead red the first pitch against a guy that I knew had a good changeup. No matter what the pitch was, I'd come out of my shoes. If I did get the heater, I'd probably put it in play. But if I got the changeup, I'd swing through it. From that point on, I'd be sitting on the changeup."
That may seem like a small detail for some fans or "obvious" to others, but the chess match between hitters and pitchers is anything but simple, and the details matter a great deal. Even if Olson doesn't use Jones' exact approach in that situation, he has another tool at his disposal that could lead to a big hit in a big situation. That alone is invaluable.
Now, that does not mean that Jones is any closer to getting back into the game full time. He has clearly enjoyed retirement, and Jones also has a tendency to get himself in trouble sometimes, given his opinionated nature, which isn't ideal for a public-facing role like manager or even hitting coach. That won't stop fans for asking for it to happen, though, especially if Jones keeps providing quality wisdom as he has been.