Both right-hander John Smoltz and third baseman Chipper Jones had occasion to say the same thing this week while reflecting on their careers -- Smoltz as he faces season-ending and possibly career-ending shoulder surgery next week and Jones as he's hitting his 400th career home run and batting .400.
Money and contracts have come up tangentially in conversations with both. But after 20 years in the majors for Smoltz and 15 for Jones, both of them know what the true luxury has been: playing in the same place for the same manager. Smoltz, riding to the ballpark with utility man Greg Norton, was struck by how many different teams and different managers Norton has played for. Facing the unknown with his shoulder in an operating room June 10 is better than that.
As for Jones, he was in a discussion with reporters this week about the contract he restructured a few years ago, which -- at $11 million ($12,333,333, including prorated bonuses) -- is quite a bit below market value.
"I understand that," Jones replied. "But I have the luxury of playing in the same place for the same manager my whole career. This is where I feel comfortable. I'm set. But I don't play baseball for the first and 15th of each month."
PHILLIES 4, BRAVES 3 (10 innings): A routine popup dribbled out of second baseman Kelly Johnson's glove in the top of the ninth and with it went the win, wasting a 7 2/3-inning effort by right-hander Tim Hudson. Manager Bobby Cox argued what would have been a tying run at the plate in the bottom of the 10th but knew in his heart that the runner, center fielder Gregor Blanco, was out.
