“It is the biggest park that I have ever played in in my life… You know, I actually feel sort of sorry for some of the guys out there because their power numbers are really going to take a hit; guys like David Wright, Beltran, Delgado.  The days of them hitting 35, 40 homers – they’re over.  I juiced the ball just right of center field as hard as the good Lord can let me hit a ball, and it hit midways up the center field wall for a double; and every time there was a long fly out or a double that hit off the wall or something, David Wright would run by me and go, ‘Nice park.’  He’s a little frustrated with it, but on the flip side of that, you got a guy like Jose Reyes who’s liable to hit, in a healthy year, 25, 30 triples in that ballpark because if you split a gap you can run forever.”

…wright will be confronted with this questions by reporters today, i am sure, and he’ll deny it or spin it, i am sure, and i don’t know why… the park is big, and i wouldn’t blame him for being frustrated…

By the way, Ripken Baseball, which is a fantastic show, airs nationwide exclusively on SIRIUS XM Radio’s MLB Home Plate channel.

In a post to NY Baseball Digest, Mike Silva writes, “I believe the park is ok, but the Mets should consider lowering the high left field padding so you can still get a homer on a line drive. That would be a nice compromise.”

…it cuts both ways, though… the Mets struggle to hit home runs, so do the opposition… instead, i prefer the Mets keep it as is, and start truly building a team built around pitching, speed and defense, which, by the way, would not only play to building’s strength, but it also plays well on the road…

Brian Costa posts the entire Q&A on his blog for the Star-Ledger, and quoted Jones as saying:

“I’ve enjoyed my time coming to New York.  I walk down the street in New York and people are just nice… There’s a part of me that will not forget some of the things I said when I was a brash young kid.  And that’s okay.  But coming to New York, I always liked playing on the biggest stage in baseball.  The Mets have been the closest thing to a rivalry I’ve had.”

…i’ve said this before, i have grown to appreciate and respect chipper… i mean, i still hope he strikes out every at bat when he’s facing the Mets… but, over the years, i find i appreciate how much he enjoys the rivalry with us, the fans… he makes it fun… of course, it would have been more fun had the Mets defeated just one of those late 90’s teams from Atlanta, but it is what it is… i’m not bitter… well, maybe a little…

“I’m a huge David Wright fan… How could you not want to sit back and see how David Wright goes about his business, how he mentally prepares for games?  David Wright is the best third baseman in the National League, if not all of baseball.”

…seriously, though, i have no problem with chipper… i mean, from April to October, i hope he fails miserably, but it’s not personal… he is cocky, brash, and he belittles Mets fans, but, i respect it, because i believe he gets it… i feel he understands the relationship between his team and us, and he helps create drama and stoke the fire and he keeps it entertaining, and i like that… just so long as his team continues to finish in third place, of course…

Jones also said he is impressed with Omar Minaya’s off-season additions, which improved the team’s bullpen, adding, “We, as the Braves and Phillies, will have to concentrate on winning the game in the first seven innings so we don’t have to worry about the eighth and ninth.”

“They’ve had a running feud with the Phillies the past couple of years.  It’s kind of weird not to be in it… We won for 14 consecutive years, and you never, ever saw any bulletin board material.  And now that these two teams are on top of the division, they can’t keep their mouths shut.  Just go play baseball.  It’s Cole Hamels now.  It was Jimmy Rollins and Carlos Beltran the past couple of springs.  These two teams are constantly going at each other verbally.  You know, win with class, lose with class.  Just keep your mouth shut and go play your game.”

You mean, classy like Greg Maddux rolling his eyes at every other pitch, while winning Cy Young Awards and Pennants?  Or, like John Rocker cursing, insulting and flipping off the Shea Faithful?  Or, you mean like telling Mets fans to go put their Yankee hats back on, like you did, Chipper, in 1999?  Or like when you questioned David Wright for winning a Gold Glove?

You mean that type of classy, right?

Jones also answers questions about the Braves and Jake Peavy, Tommy Hanson, the Yankees off-season moves, and the Mets getting Francisco Rodriguez and J.J. Putz, which he describes as, ‘the rich get richer.’

Jones, as quoted in the report, said:

“I’m sure a bunch of people who sat in those seats have called me a bunch of names over the years, but that’s all right – they’ll soon reside in my basement.”

…there are players i hate, and then there are players like chipper, who i hate, but respect, if for no other reason than he gets it…he understands that baseball should be fun, it’s entertainment, he understands the idea of rivalry…and, while it frustrates the hell out of me, i appreciate it, all while hoping he fails miserable…

Chipper, as quoted by Glier:

“I always thought it was a good hitter’s background there, a park that kind of plays to my strengths. Obviously, having to deal with the Mets year in and year out, all those games that were so important, the history of the love-hate relationship, the passion of their fans, it makes it special to go there.”

“I might be the only one that is sad to see the place go.”

It’s hard to tell whether or not Larry is “sad” because he likes the park, or just likes hitting there. Chances are it’s the latter.

As much as I respect Chipper, I can’t help but cringe anytime I see his name, anytime, anywhere.

…hat tip to dave for the link…

…exxcceellllleent…i love it…and always wonder is this has ever happened on MetsBlog.com…i guess we’ll never know…

Chipper on himself and the Mets…

“Just heard that Hoss is done after is contract runs out after next season.  Pretty reliable source that is close to him said that he is seriously thinking about retiring soon.  Said that he is tired of listening to all the Mets fans on a Braves blog dominating the conversation with David Wright talk.  Also said that he is tired of owning the Mets for 15 years.  Its someone elses turn.”

…jeez…of course his local nickname is Hoss…how perfect…apparently, there are just countless reasons why i hate the Braves…it just never ends…

Chipper on Shea Stadium…

“I will be deeply saddened to see Shea stadium go.  It was where I hit my first homer and we have had so many memorable games…Im gonna make sure that I get a stadium seat for my third son, Shea, so that we will have a momento.  Hopefully the new stadium will provide the same kind of atmosphere that the old one did.  I think it will.  I used to be a chicks fan but I’ve gotten a chance to hunt with some of the guys from RF, so I’ve become fans of theirs.”

Chipper on the Romance…

“Girls like the romance. Whatever u do, it better be original. Flowers and candy are nice, but every woman loves the bling. At least that’s what I’ve experienced. But what do I know, I haven’t had the best luck with the ladies.”

Chipper on the Mets getting Johan Santana…

“Santana is as good as it gets.  There is no doubt that the Mets have a strong pitching staff, provided they all stay healthy.  I’ve faced him a couple of times and it’s no walk in the park.  Whoever we have pitching that night better bring his A game.  That being said, he is human.  Maybe we will get the game tapes from some of the Indians games last year.  They had pretty good success against him (5-0).”

…first of all, well done by Chipper Jones, who i love to hate…it’s difficult for me to give him compliments, but that was a pretty cool thing to do for his fans…also, as much as it infuriates me, i love that he stokes the rivalry between the Mets and Braves…he seems to appreciate it, from both sides…and i can dig that…

According to MLB.com, while at a team ‘fan fest,’ Jones said his hands stopped hurting three weeks ago - at which point he resumed ‘baseball related activities.’

Jones missed time last season with a variety of injuries, ranging from a groin pull to a strained oblique and pain in his hands.

Wright

Jones referred to Wright’s success as, “a head scratcher.”

In the New York Post, Mark Hale quotes Wright as saying among other things…

“Honestly I could care less.  I respect what Chipper does in this game.  I respect Chipper as a player.  But what he says to the papers doesn’t mean anything to me personally.  I don’t take anything he says to heart.”

…i can understand chipper being snippy had we, the fans, voted…but the Gold Glove is determined by his colleagues…it’s not like wright lobbied the fans, or the team lobbied for him, etc…chipper’s colleagues picked wright…you know, maybe it’s because of dumb comments like this that chipper was ignored by the voters…