Baseball notebook: Jones, Braves discuss future
Struggling through another disappointing season, Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones met with team officials to discuss his future and told the Associated Press he’s considering retirement.
Jones declined to comment directly on whether he’ll retire at the end of the season, but it seemed clear that he’s made up his mind and merely needed to work out a settlement with the team over the $28 million in guaranteed money he’s owed for 2011 and 2012.
“It’s obvious that it’s something I’ve been thinking about,” Jones told the AP. “I need to go through the proper channels. Once those have all been taken care of, everybody’s questions will be answered.”
The 38-year-old Jones, who won the N.L. MVP award in 1999 and led the league in hitting just two years ago, met before batting practice with team president John Schuerholz, general manager Frank Wren and manager Bobby Cox.
Creditors want a voice
Some of the Texas Rangers’ creditors sought a chance to vote on the club’s bankruptcy plan, hoping to kill the team’s proposed sale and restart the bidding process.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge D. Michael Lynn is expected to rule next week on whether creditors, owners or both will be able to vote on the plan. The team hopes to pay creditors $75 million and sell the club to a group led by Hall of Fame pitcher and team president Nolan Ryan and Pittsburgh attorney Chuck Greenberg.
Injury hobbles A-Rod
Alex Rodriguez was out of the New York Yankees’ lineup again, still sidelined by a sore groin for the opener of a World Series rematch against Philadelphia.
“We want to be smart about this and take more of a long-term approach,” Rodriguez said. “Obviously, it’s something we have to keep an eye on.”
The slugger said the plan was for him to return to the lineup tonight.
Clearing the bases
The Arizona Diamondbacks traded outfielder Conor Jackson to the Oakland Athletics for minor league closer Sam Demel, the first of what could be a series of moves by the sputtering team. … The Los Angeles Dodgers plan to put pitcher Chad Billingsley on the disabled list because of a groin injury.