Chipper Regains Form in West Coast Trip

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Los Angeles -- As the Braves played the ninth and final game of their only West coast swing, Jones went into Sunday night at .500 (16-for-32) with two doubles, a triple, three homers, two stolen bases and eight runs scored. Moreover, he had 10 RBIs in the first eight games, a major upgrade. When the Braves left town August 6, Jones had driven in only one run in his previous 14 games.

"A big problem I have is I wrap my bat," Jones said. "I get it back there so far (in a left-handed stance) that I wind up with the end of my bat pointing at the right fielder, which makes me susceptible to hard stuff in(side). It takes a conscious effort on my part just to relax and not get back so much, and make (my swing) short and quick.

"We faced the Cardinals in that last homestand and Bobby Witt and Kent Bottenfield were killing me inside. I knew going on this trip, with the kind of pitching we were going to be facing, they were going to be doing mostly the same thing. So you get yourself in the cage and do the right things over and over until it feels second nature and it should carry over into the game. Luckily, it all came together just in time."

Even with his slow two weeks before the trip, Jones came into play Sunday leading the league in runs (100), tied for seventh in RBI (94) and tied for eighth in homers (29). With 39 games to play, establishing career-highs in each category seems a certainty (114 runs, set in 1996, 111 RBIs set last year, 30 homers in 1996). But with home run fever gripping attention all year and Andres Galarraga's homers pacing Atlanta's offense, Jones' year has not received the public notice it might have.

"It's all going to (Mark) McGwire this year," said manager Bobby Cox. "Even (Ken) Griffey (Jr.) and (Sammy) Sosa aren't getting the attention this year. That's the way it is. People come to think that this is automatic. It's not."

Over his career, Jones has had trouble playing on the coast, with a .250 career average in the three NL California cities entering this year. But Dodger Stadium has been the toughest (10-for-64) park for him.

"I could come in here 20-for-20 and take the collar," he said. "It feels like the pitcher is right on top of you. Tough place to hit."

By Thomas Stinson, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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