USA Today: Hitting .400 isn’t last crusade for Atlanta’s accomplished Jones

Like telling the world that Mickey Mantle was no slouch!

“The one thing that I wanted to be,” Jones says, “that (Mantle and Murray) weren’t was the all-around guy who hit for average, power, drove in runs, scored runs, was a tough out, on-base percentage, all those things.

“Not that they were any slouches, but from an average standpoint, Mickey hit .298. I don’t know what Murray’s average was (.287), but, you know, the one thing I can say is, from an average standpoint, ‘I got ‘em.’ “

...He is cautious when talking about hitting .400, a feat last accomplished in 1941 by Ted Williams (.406). He says August is the appropriate time to check back on his chances of reaching the milestone. “When I have 500 at-bats,” he says, “when your average doesn’t fluctuate 10-12 points in one game.”

These days, though, that 15-year streak of good baseball is what’s becoming more important to Jones.

“The steroid era could work in my favor,” he says. “I’ve done it the right way. You never heard me involved in steroid talk. I take great pride in my numbers, but I don’t feel anywhere near done.”