Chipping away at history


Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones took care of No. 400 Thursday night, so now we're left to wonder about the possibility of .400.

Of all of baseball's hallowed records, the ones that stand out most to me are Joe DiMaggio’s hitting streak and Ted Williams' .400 season. Those types of numbers can't be faked or bloated by steroids. It's strictly a matter of hand-eye coordination and consistency.

Right now, it's tough to bet against Jones becoming the first player since Williams to finish a season with a batting average over .400.

He went 4-for-5 against the Florida Marlins last night, raising his already resplendent average to .418. The 36-year-old even stole a base on the night when he hit the 400th home run of his career.

If he maintains his torrid pace, remains healthy enough to enjoy another four or five productive seasons, Jones may retire as the best switch-hitter of all time. Mickey Mantle and Eddie Murray have more home runs, but Jones possesses a higher career batting average (.310 and likely to rise). Pete Rose (.303 for his career) was the most prolific contact hitter in baseball history, but didn't possess Jones' ability to change games with one swing.

And what a flawless swing it has been.