Chatter from Chipper
AP
Judging from some of the talk coming out of the New York and Philadelphia camps, the NL East must be a two-team race.
Not so, said Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, who shrugged off the back-and-forth banter between the last two division champions.
âI really donât care whatâs being said,â he said. âThe Phillies and the Mets know weâll be competitive. They know weâll be heard from.â
The Braves have finished third each of the last two years after winning 14 straight division titles.
Philadelphia claimed the East championship last season, backing up Jimmy Rollinsâ preseason prediction that the Phillies would be the team to beat. It helped that the Mets endured a historic collapse in the final weeks.
The Mets then acquired ace Johan Santana from Minnesota, prompting normally soft-spoken Carlos Beltran to proclaim them the undisputed favorite.
âLet me tell you this: Without Santana, we felt as a team that we have a chance to win in our division. With him now, I have no doubt that weâre going to win in our division,â Beltran said. âSo this year, to Jimmy Rollins â we are the team to beat!â
No one seems to be mentioning the Braves, though they have one of the best-hitting teams in the league and took steps to upgrade their starting rotation by signing Tom Glavine and acquiring top prospect Jair Jurrjins.
âIt really doesnât bother me,â Jones said. âThey are the last two division champions. They can talk all they want. We did it for 14 straight years. We know what it takes.
âThe core of guys is still here. Weâve just got to get these young guys used to having that killer instinct and getting back on top of the NL East to stay again.â


