"It’s a slap in my face" - HOFer Chipper Jones delivers blunt verdict on modern-day hitting at the plate

Atlanta Braves legend Chipper Jones was in Tennessee's Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday for the Braves' 2025 MLB Speedway Classic clash against the Cincinnati Reds.

Jones, elected to the Hall of Fame in his first attempt in 2018, joined Fox's coverage of the game alongside fellow Hall of Famers Derek Jeter, David Ortiz and New York Yankees legend Alex Rodriguez.

Rodriguez asked the Braves legend about modern-day hitting that delves more into analytics and hitting for average, compared to old-school baseball. Jones, a former two-time Silver Slugger winner and a one-time NL MVP, had a blunt answer.

“This is a feel vs. real type of game. The bottom line is when I walk up to the plate, I want to be the toughest out possible. It’s a slap in my face to strike out.”

Jones' answer rang true with the legendary panelists as Rodriguez, Jeter and Ortiz nodded in approval.

Hall of Famers Chipper Jones, Johnny Bench throw ceremonial pitch at Speedway Classic

Atlanta Braves legend Chipper Jones was joined by Cincinnati Reds Hall of Famer Johnny Bench at the venue in Bristol, Tennessee, for the Speedway Classic. The baseball Hall of Famers were joined by NASCAR stars Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch for the first MLB game ever played at Bristol Motor Speedway.

While Jones threw his pitch to Chase Elliot, Bench was behind the plate for Kyle Busch's ceremonial pitch.

While the game was set to break the record for attendance at a regular season game after selling more than 85,000 tickets, fans were left disappointed after the contest was postponed due to heavy rain. The game is set to be played on Sunday.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash