I voted Andruw.  The whole package is just a smidge better than Chipper's, and I am guessing that he's going to end up with a longer career.  A plausible argument can be made that the young Andruw Jones was as good a defensive centerfielder as a young Willie Mays, or a young Devon White. 

Cleon Jones was a heckuva player at his peak in his late 20s.

And a nod to Sad Sam Jones, probably the best of the Jones Negro Leaguers, who went on to win 102 MLB games including 21 in one season for the Giants.

And for the surprisingly thin Jones MLB historical tour, see Keeping Up With the Joneses here on Batter's Box.

 

And a shout out to Lynn "King Pine" Jones, who (occasionally) played for the Tigers and Royals in the late 1970's and early 1980's.

I voted Andruw.  The whole package is just a smidge better than Chipper's, and I am guessing that he's going to end up with a longer career. 

 I would think that on "career to date" Chipper has the better career, but Andruw has five years on him and could easily end up better.

Chipper's best three seasons - 32.4 (age 27), 28.8 (age 26), and 28.7 (age 29)

Andruw's best three seasons - 30.3 (age 23),  27.7 (age 22), and 27.0 (age 25)



A plausible argument can be made that the young Andruw Jones was as good a defensive centerfielder as a young Willie Mays, or a young Devon White.


Andruw Jones - 72.3 defensive win shares - (best 3 years) 9.8, 9.5, 8.9
Willie Mays - 104.1 defensive win shares - (best 3 years)  8.9, 8.1, 7.0
Devon White - 58.5 defensive  win shares - (best 3 years) 11.5, 6.3, 6.2

It's pretty clear than Andruw in his prime was better than Mays in his prime, but for one magical season (1991) Devon was head and shoulders above either of them.  Just for point of reference Vernon's best season was 6.7 in 2005.

Defensive statistics are as clear as mud.  That's what makes comparing Chipper Jones with Andruw Jones so difficult.  Chipper has been a better hitter, but a much inferior defensive player at a less significant position.  BP's WARP1 statistic combines the offence and defence and suggests that Andruw was a little better at his peak.  Win Shares might give a different answer, and neither is provably wrong.

BP's defensive metric has Devon White's defence as being at almost exactly the same level in 1991 that it was in 1989, 1988 and 1987 (he was, I believe, injured in 1990).  It would be very unusual for a centerfielder to reach an extreme peak of defensive ability at age 28.  I am inclined to think that BP's description of White's defence is more accurate than Win Shares.

I voted Chipper and shouldn't have.  Looking at the numbers, I'd go with Andruw, especially for what he may yet bring, and also because I don't hate him.

I went with Andruw as well.. though there's no guarantee he'll play nearly as well in his thirties.

When do we get to vote on baseball's greatest Gwosdz?