KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Chipper Jones was held out of the Atlanta
Braves' lineup for the third straight game Sunday with a sore
muscle on his right side, but he doesn't think the injury is
serious.
"It's just a tweak," Jones said through team spokesman Brad
Hainje.
The third baseman hopes to play Wednesday, but could be held out
much longer. Jones, who turns 35 next month, said his absence from
the lineup is "precautionary, to make sure it's 100 percent."
Jones was pulled out of Friday night's game after feeling
soreness during batting practice. The injury caused alarm because
he missed a total of 27 games with two trips to the disabled list
due to a strained left oblique last season.
Braves manager Bobby Cox has taken a cautious approach with
Jones' injury. On Friday, Cox proclaimed that he would hold Jones
out and wait for him to get completely healthy "if it takes the
rest of spring."
Cox shifted from that stance only slightly on Sunday.
"Chipper is a little better today," Cox said. "He's looking
at Wednesday. We'll see.
"I told him, 'If you could play the last two games here and two
games against the White Sox, it would be fine with me."
The Braves host exhibition games against the Chicago White Sox
in Atlanta on March 30 and 31. If Jones follows Cox's suggestion,
he would miss 10 more days.
Martin Prado started at third base for the second consecutive
game Sunday in the Braves' split-squad game against Detroit. Willy
Aybar, if healthy, would be the probable fill-in at third if Jones
is not ready to open the season.
Aybar has missed time this spring with a sore left wrist.
Another possibility is Pete Orr. Prado, Orr and Willie Harris have
competed with favorite Kelly Johnson for the starting job at second
base.
Aybar made 26 starts at third base for Atlanta last season
following his July 28 trade to the Braves in a deal that sent
Wilson Betemit to the Dodgers.
Jones played in only 110 games last season, but he was a
productive No. 3 hitter when healthy. He hit .324 with 26 homers
and 86 RBIs in 411 at-bats.
His .304 career batting average ranks second among
switch-hitters, trailing Frankie Frisch's .316 mark. He drove in
100 or more runs in eight straight seasons from 1996-2003.
Jones is the only switch-hitter to have a .300 career batting
average and 300 or more homers. His 357 homers rank second in
Atlanta history, trailing Dale Murphy's 371.