Chipper aiming for rehab over retirement after latest injury

Baseball Betting Lines

08/13/2010 - Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones spoke at a press conference Friday afternoon and indicated he intends on giving it another go in 2011 in the wake of tearing the ACL in his left knee for a second time.

Jones talked Spring Training not reflectively on the same day he was officially placed on the disabled list and had season-ending surgery scheduled for Saturday. It's expected the rehab process will take six months, putting Jones in line to be ready for an 18th season in Atlanta. Braves orthopedist Dr. Marvin Royster will perform the surgery.

It was learned Thursday that Jones would miss the remainder of the season after an MRI exam confirmed his and the team's worst fears. Jones was hurt in Tuesday's game against Houston while making a spectacular defensive play along the third-base line on a chopper hit by Hunter Pence. Jones' momentum carried him into foul territory where he threw across his body and planted his left leg awkwardly.

The 38-year-old veteran had already hinted at retiring after this season, as reports surfaced back in June that the six-time All-Star spoke with Braves management about when to make an announcement. However, that was before Atlanta showed the staying power to retain its place atop the NL East standings where they hold a two-game lead over Philadelphia entering the weekend.

"I certainly don't want to go out like this even though it happened on probably the best play I've made all year at third base. The hardest part for me is the fact that this team is in first place and we have a chance to do something really special. The fact that I'm not going to be a part of it is what hurts," Jones said Friday.

Jones, who also tore the same ACL in 1994, finished the campaign batting .265 with 10 homers and 46 runs batted in over 95 games. He has battled numerous injuries throughout his stellar career, which includes a .306 batting average, 436 home runs, 1,491 RBI, a 1999 NL MVP award and a batting title in 2008.

The Braves recalled third baseman Brandon Hicks from Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday to take Jones' roster spot.

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Colts give the ‘D’ its due

The Indianapolis Colts know that winning the Super Bowl last season put a huge target on their backs, and they expect opponents to go all-out to knock them from the top of the mountain.

They’ll get their first test from the New Orleans Saints this Thursday night. The defending champs had nothing but good things to say about the New Orleans defense this past week, praising their opponents’ pass rush and run-stopping abilities.

"They play very aggressively," head coach Tony Dungy told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "They play a lot of man-to-man coverage, and they come after you. They have good pass rushers, and they're going to try to pressure us, I'm sure."

Both center Jeff Saturday and quarterback Peyton Manning gave New Orleans’ front four props, admitting keeping guys like Will Smithand Charles Grant contained would be a tall task for the offensive line.

New Orleans ranked second in total defense during the preseason at a sportsbook, allowing just under 233 yards per game. Last season, the defense finished 11th in the league after giving up 307.3 yards and 20.1 points per contest.

Not so sound on the ground

If Indianapolis' efficient offense has a weakness it has to be its running attack. The Colts one-two-punch of Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai is no longer, leaving the bulk of the carries to Addai, the second-year back out of LSU.

Former Saskatchewan Roughrider Kenton Keith was named Addai’s backup this week after beating out DeDe Dorsey for the second-string position. Indy has only three backs on the roster right now, including fullback Luke Lawton, and coach Dungy is aware of the thinness of his ground game. Sports Betting lines on the game can be found at BettingExpress.com

“We’ll continue to look. Luke Lawton’s done a good job for us too. So probably getting a third true tailback is something that we’d like to do,” Dungy told the Indiana Tribune-Star.

Last season, Addai rushed for over 1,000 yards in his rookie campaign and scored seven touchdowns on the ground.

Brees says bring it on

Opening the season on the road against the defending Super Bowl champions is not the way most teams would like to kick off their year – unless you’re the New Orleans Saints or their quarterback Drew Brees. This internet Sportsbooks had the Saints as the favorites.

Brees told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he is excited to get the regular season started and the Colts are a great challenge for him and his teammates. The 28-year-old QB, entering his second season with the Saints, is expecting a wild environment in the RCA Dome this Thursday when the franchise celebrates its 2007-2007 championship.

Brees said he sees the opening game scheduling as an honor and a testament to how well New Orleans did last season. The Saints missed facing the Colts in the Super Bowl by one game, losing to the Chicago Bearsin the NFC Championship game.

"I mean, people think we can hang with these guys," Brees told reporters. "Even if they didn't, it wouldn't matter what they thought because as a team we're very confident. We know what we can do. We're not satisfied where we finished the season last year. And we've been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time."

SportsBooks ready for a shootout

Oddsmakers are preparing for some fireworks this Thursday when the NFL season kicks off. online Sportsbooks have Thursday’s total set at a whopping 52 points, accounting for two of the league’s most explosive offenses.

“This is like must-see TV,” Saints cornerback and former Colt Jason David told the Baton Rouge Advocate. “It’s two exciting offenses with great players. You’ve got a lot of star power on offense. At any given time a big play can happen. If I was a fan, I wouldn’t miss a snap.”

New Orleans, who ranked No.1 in total offense last season, can go blow-for-blow with the Colts’ attack. Head coach Sean Payton’s offensive schemes will get even better production out of Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and receiver Marques Colston now that they’ve each had a season of playing together under their belts.

The Saints and Colts were the top two passing teams in the NFL last year, but while Indianapolis managed to put up almost 27 points per game, New Orleans struggled to capitalize on their efforts. The Saints ranked fifth in points per game.

“Yards are great,” running backDeuce McAllister told reporters, “but to be able to score more touchdowns would be important for us.”

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