Chipper surprised everyone by batting a lofty .364 in '08, and he kept the surprises coming by hitting exactly 100 points lower this past season. One of the great hitters of his era, it's reasonable to think Chipper can bounce back from this showing, though you have to wonder how much the oft-injured veteran has left at 37.

Chipper, who went yard for the second time in the last seven games, has really struggled since the All-Star break, batting .252 with 17 extra-base hits in 60 contests. With a .273 average, the elder statesman is guaranteed to finish the season below .300 for the first time since 2005.

Jones has a pair of multi-hit efforts since returning to action after leaving his Sept. 23 game with back stiffness. As with many other campaigns, Jones has battled persistent injury concerns. Unlike his recent seasons, though, he hasn't performed well when on the field. His .271 batting average represents his lowest mark at this point in the season since he finished the 2004 campaign with a .248 average.

It's unclear whether the injury is cause for concern or just the latest in Chipper's long line of aches and pains. The veteran third baseman went hitless before leaving Wednesday, dropping his average to an uncharacteristically subpar .268.

Keep in mind that the long ball was Chipper's first since Aug. 29, accounting for just one of the five extra-base hits he's recorded in his past 113 at-bats. There's still time left for him to avoid finishing under 20 homers for the first time in his career.

Jones was said to have aggravate the injury in Thursday's pinch-hit appearance, but apparently not enough to keep him from slotting in as the three-hitter in a crucial weekend series against the Phillies. Keep in mind that he's hitting just .237 since the All-Star break, highly unusual for an established .300 hitter that suggests the injury might be affecting his production more than he's willing to admit.

After the Braves claimed their 6-5 walk-off win over the Mets, Jones revealed that he'd felt further discomfort while swinging at and missing a pitch during his eighth-inning strikeout. The 37-year-old third baseman has missed three straight starts since straining his groin during the ninth inning Sept. 12. He didn't rule out playing Thursday, but owners shouldn't count on it.

Chipper ran with approximately 50-60 percent effort on Tuesday afternoon, but he still felt some discomfort. "When I can get it to 75-80 percent and just kind of temper it, I'll get back in there," Jones said. The veteran third baseman, who is in danger of finishing with career lows in several categories, is hopeful he can rejoin the Braves lineup over the next few days, but stopped short of making any guarantees. Taking his place at the hot corner Tuesday was Martin Prado, who went hitless in five at-bats.

Jones suffered the ailment while quickly stopping at third base after Brian McCann delivered his game-winning double in the ninth inning. "I held up real quick and pulled it pretty good," Jones said. While Jones indicated that he still was dealing with definite discomfort on Sunday, he implied there's a chance he could return to the lineup for Tuesday's series opener against the Mets at Turner Field. Stay tuned.

Jones has been battling a sore back, and his left oblique muscle, which caused him to miss three games against the Dodgers in August, flared up during Saturday night's 3-1 loss to the Reds. The veteran third baseman said that his current discomfort is now closer to his stomach than his side. While hitting just .220 over his past 36 games, McCann hasn't complained of fatigue or any physical discomforts. But with the club having an off-day on Monday, Braves skipper Bobby Cox wanted to give his All-Star catcher a chance to treat the discomfort he's been recently feeling in his right side. "I've been planning to give Mac a few days," Cox said. "He's got a little thing there, and the trainers don't even know how he's been playing." Although the injuries don't appear to be too serious, owners should keep a close watch on both players over the next few days.

It will take more than an RBI to halt Chipper's uncharacteristically sluggish 8-for-61 slump. With roughly four weeks left to go, the veteran switch-hitter is in real danger of batting below .300 for just the third time in 15 seasons.

A number of issues kept Jones out of the lineup. For one, he's dealing with a sore back, although Jones has stated the issue isn't serious. He's also in a massive slump, batting .113 with a .474 OPS in his last 16 ballgames. The return of Ryan Church to center field had a domino effect on the lineup, allowing Omar Infante to play second base. In turn, Martin Prado was able to move to the hot corner, giving Jones a night of rest. He's expected to return as early as Thursday.

Jones finally started to break out of his cold snap on Thursday with his first multi-hit game since Aug. 15, a span of 11 games. He attained just one hit in 32 at-bats (.031) over his previous 10 contests, so the pair of singles were welcome news for one of the game's sharpest hitters.

Given that Chipper wasted little time in making his presence felt following his absence, owners should waste little time in getting him back into the lineup. The veteran third baseman's numbers have dropped a bit from last season, but he's remained productive with a .296 average, 15 homers and 53 RBIs.

Jones has battled oblique discomfort on both the right and left sides over the past couple of years. On multiple occasions, he has been able to detect discomfort early enough to prevent aggravating it to the point that he's been forced to miss more than a week. The Braves will continue to evaluate the 37-year-old and provide more information about his ailment after Friday's game at Dodger Stadium.