Braves, Chipper Jones agree to three-year extension

The Atlanta Braves and third baseman Chipper Jones have agreed on a three-year contract extension, the club announced this morning. Jones was eligible to become a free agent after this season, but the extension runs through 2012, with a vesting option for 2013, and virtually guarantees that the 36-year-old Jones will play his entire Major League career in a Braves uniform. Financial terms of the deal were not announced.

“This contract ensures that Chipper will play his whole career as a Brave, which was a key factor for us, our fans and for Chipper,” Braves executive vice president and general manager Frank Wren said in a release from the Braves. “Chipper has been an outstanding performer with our club for a long time and he is still a key part of our team.”

The 1999 National League Most Valuable Player and a six-time All-Star, Jones has posted one of the most impressive careers ever for a switch hitter. His .310 lifetime batting average ranks second all-time among switch hitters, behind only Frankie Frisch (.316), while his 408 home runs rank third behind Mickey Mantle (536) and Eddie Murray (504). Jones is the only switch hitter in history with at least 300 home runs and a .300 career batting average.