Didn't realize players had an issue w/Chipper's prediction

TDlxANDER

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Thursday marked the first time Jones had visited the Braves since he was embarrassed by the fact that he was forced to throw the ceremonial first pitch to a mascot before Game 1 of last year's National League Division Series against the Dodgers.

Many of the Braves veteran players refused to catch the pitch because they were upset Jones had picked the Dodgers to win the series when asked for his prediction by a local radio station. Jones felt former Atlanta pitcher Tim Hudson had convinced his teammates to refuse to partake in the event.

"That's over," Jones said. "Huddy and I talked. We said what needs to be said."
 
Thursday marked the first time Jones had visited the Braves since he was embarrassed by the fact that he was forced to throw the ceremonial first pitch to a mascot before Game 1 of last year's National League Division Series against the Dodgers.

Many of the Braves veteran players refused to catch the pitch because they were upset Jones had picked the Dodgers to win the series when asked for his prediction by a local radio station. Jones felt former Atlanta pitcher Tim Hudson had convinced his teammates to refuse to partake in the event.

"That's over," Jones said. "Huddy and I talked. We said what needs to be said."

Wow that is kinda messed up. You may feel the Dodgers would win mentally but you shouldn't express that nationally. Honestly, I applaud the move on Huddy's part.
 
There was a huge thread about it at the time. Community here was basically split.

Group that says chipper spoke his mind then the group that says Mr. Brave should never pick against his buddies.
 
Ah, so it was Huddy that led the anti-Chipper charge? A rented player that left for more money with the Giants.

I'll side with Chipper on this one. I would like to hear someone like Freeman's input; an actual Brave through and through.
 
Well his prediction was spot on. If anyone has issues with Chipper or anyone else for that matter who picks against the Braves, maybe the team should play better and win a playoff series? Chipper said what he thought was going to happen. End of story.
 
Yeah, I just don't see what the big deal was here....Chipper was asked a question and he answered it honestly, saying he believed that the Dodgers were going to win the series. Its not like he was out there and openly rooting for the Dodgers, he wasn't, just felt that the Dodgers were going to win the series, and they did. Hudson and the Braves were a bunch of whiny ******.
 
Well his prediction was spot on. If anyone has issues with Chipper or anyone else for that matter who picks against the Braves, maybe the team should play better and win a playoff series? Chipper said what he thought was going to happen. End of story.

Yep, all they did was make Chipper look like a genius by going out and playing like they did. Should have proved him wrong, they couldn't.
 
true, but Chipper should "get over it" (sounds like he has) Had to throw to a mascot. The horror.

Just sounds like a practical joke that went bad to me, no biggy.
 
Wow that is kinda messed up. You may feel the Dodgers would win mentally but you shouldn't express that nationally. Honestly, I applaud the move on Huddy's part.

Are you ****ing kidding me? Chipper probably should have kept his thoughts to himself considering he was a teammate and leader of all these guys just a year before, but it doesn't matter. If Chipper Jones is throwing out the first pitch, you go out there and catch the ****ing ball.
 
true, but Chipper should "get over it" (sounds like he has) Had to throw to a mascot. The horror.

Just sounds like a practical joke that went bad to me, no biggy.

You know, I wonder if it wasn't meant as a joke knowing Hudson, but Chipper took it the wrong way. Honestly, it's still a slap in the face even if it was a prank.
 
Ah, so it was Huddy that led the anti-Chipper charge? A rented player that left for more money with the Giants.

I'll side with Chipper on this one. I would like to hear someone like Freeman's input; an actual Brave through and through.

Complete side bar.... Calling Hudson a "rented player" is ridiculous. The dude played here for 9 years, specifically because he wanted to come here and insisted on being traded here from the A's because of his love for this organization. And then he gave us a home-town discount to continue playing here for as long as we'd have him. Was he supposed to retire this off-season because the Braves had little to no interest in bringing him back at this point in his career? Anyway, sorry, that reference irked me. Guy was a true Brave through and through himself. I don't care that the Braves weren't lucky enough to have drafted him out of college.

I am surprised though that he seemed to be the ring leader of the boycott, if this is to be believed. My first thought was that he was always such a goofball, playing pranks and joking with everyone. Seems out of character. Maybe CyYoung31 is right, and it was just a joke that went horribly wrong.
 
Are you ****ing kidding me? Chipper probably should have kept his thoughts to himself considering he was a teammate and leader of all these guys just a year before, but it doesn't matter. If Chipper Jones is throwing out the first pitch, you go out there and catch the ****ing ball.

I largely agree: I definitely think Chipper could have and should have phrased his prediction better—even if he felt he just had to provide an honest and authentic answer—but the response appeared to be an unmitigated overreaction, regardless of whether it was intended as a prank or an earnest slight.
 
Complete side bar.... Calling Hudson a "rented player" is ridiculous. The dude played here for 9 years, specifically because he wanted to come here and insisted on being traded here from the A's because of his love for this organization. And then he gave us a home-town discount to continue playing here for as long as we'd have him. Was he supposed to retire this off-season because the Braves had little to no interest in bringing him back at this point in his career? Anyway, sorry, that reference irked me. Guy was a true Brave through and through himself. I don't care that the Braves weren't lucky enough to have drafted him out of college.

I am surprised though that he seemed to be the ring leader of the boycott, if this is to be believed. My first thought was that he was always such a goofball, playing pranks and joking with everyone. Seems out of character. Maybe CyYoung31 is right, and it was just a joke that went horribly wrong.

THe point is Chipper is far more of a Braves player than Hudson was or will ever be. I don't recall Hudson demanding a trade to Atlanta either.
 
A special on Huddy has aired several times on Fox Sports South. In it, he described the news that he was traded. He said his reaction was "thank God!" I don't think he demanded a trade to Atlanta, but he sure was happy about it, given that a trade somewhere was inevitable.
 
The point is Chipper is Mr. Brave. Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz all had other caps on their heads by the time they retired.

Not Andruw, not Javy, not McCann, etc.

Chipper IS the modern day Mr. Brave. Mr. Atlanta Brave that is.

Team rolled out the red carpet for him tens of times in the last few years of him playing.

He's kind of like the player/ex-player ambassador for our team, and I don't care if that's what he really felt you throw on your homer hat and say LET'S GO BRAVOS!

You just played with 80% of the guys on that team a year ago, good job telling your boys they ain't gonna do nothing. I'm not as mad about it as most are, but it's the etiquette of the situation. Be a homer, screw your real gut prediction. Kind of stung for many fans to hear it just because CHIPPER YOU'RE OUR GUY, WHY WOULD YOU PICK THE DODGERS?

Give Bobby speak and say "I think the boys have a real good chance of upsetting the Dodgers" or "I'm confident our guys are gonna do some damage this series".
 
The point is Chipper is Mr. Brave. Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz all had other caps on their heads by the time they retired.

Not Andruw, not Javy, not McCann, etc.

Chipper IS the modern day Mr. Brave. Mr. Atlanta Brave that is.

Team rolled out the red carpet for him tens of times in the last few years of him playing.

He's kind of like the player/ex-player ambassador for our team, and I don't care if that's what he really felt you throw on your homer hat and say LET'S GO BRAVOS!

You just played with 80% of the guys on that team a year ago, good job telling your boys they ain't gonna do nothing. I'm not as mad about it as most are, but it's the etiquette of the situation. Be a homer, screw your real gut prediction. Kind of stung for many fans to hear it just because CHIPPER YOU'RE OUR GUY, WHY WOULD YOU PICK THE DODGERS?

Give Bobby speak and say "I think the boys have a real good chance of upsetting the Dodgers" or "I'm confident our guys are gonna do some damage this series".

And he has a coaching job as soon as he wants it. I think that (Chipper not being ready) is the only reason Walker wasn't fired.
 
The point is Chipper is Mr. Brave. Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz all had other caps on their heads by the time they retired.

Not Andruw, not Javy, not McCann, etc.

Chipper IS the modern day Mr. Brave. Mr. Atlanta Brave that is.

Team rolled out the red carpet for him tens of times in the last few years of him playing.

He's kind of like the player/ex-player ambassador for our team, and I don't care if that's what he really felt you throw on your homer hat and say LET'S GO BRAVOS!

You just played with 80% of the guys on that team a year ago, good job telling your boys they ain't gonna do nothing. I'm not as mad about it as most are, but it's the etiquette of the situation. Be a homer, screw your real gut prediction. Kind of stung for many fans to hear it just because CHIPPER YOU'RE OUR GUY, WHY WOULD YOU PICK THE DODGERS?

Give Bobby speak and say "I think the boys have a real good chance of upsetting the Dodgers" or "I'm confident our guys are gonna do some damage this series".

That's a good point. Bobby would have never picked the Dodgers publicly, even if we were trotting the 2008 Braves out there.
 
It is my understanding that Chipper actually stated his prediction for the series without first being asked. If so then I understand the reaction more so, if he was just answering a question asked that's different.

That said, it's old news now and seems both sides have forgiven eachother. That's good.
 
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