It's a brilliant day at Braves' spring training, and Chipper Jones lounges in the dugout, seeking shelter from ultraviolet rays and ultra-aggressive autograph hounds. Any other year and he'd be out there at third base, taking infield with his teammates.

But this is not just any other year. Not for the Braves and not for Chipper Jones. Because many think this is the year the Braves finally have an offense as good as their masterful pitching. Not coincidentally, this also becomes the year the Braves move Jones to left field.

	Chipper Jones Left field Atlanta Braves Profile
	2001 SEASON STATISTICS GM R HR RBI OPS AVG 159 113 38 102 1.032 .330

What makes Larry Wayne Jones, a five-time All-Star and former NL MVP, switch positions in the prime of his career? Simple. He wants to win another World Series. And when the Braves had the chance to sign third baseman Vinny Castilla this winter -- adding solid defense and another bat to the order -- Jones readily agreed to relocate. "I would've only made the move if we were getting a player like Vinny," says Jones.

Jones spent a lot of the spring getting used to his new surroundings. How to play the wind. How to judge the hard-hit ball hit straight over your head. And most importantly -- how to use that ridiculously oversized outfielder's glove.

At third, Jones had a little mitt, one that readily served up the ball for the quick toss over to first. Now, in order to maximize his fly ball reach, Jones sports a massive slab of leather that probably claimed more than a few cows in its making. "I feel like I'm fielding the ball with one of those jai-alai baskets," he says.

But Chipper -- who was drafted as a shortstop, but started his career as a left fielder -- isn't complaining. He knows the climate of the current free-agent market. "In this day and age, it's tougher to get a quality outfielder than a quality third baseman," Jones says. He nods toward new teammate and right fielder Gary Sheffield, the primary reason for all the Braves' offensive optimism, who dresses at his nearby locker. "Just look at what it cost us to get Sheff."

Knowing the answer is $9.5 million this season alone, Jones and Sheffield both smile. And they can afford to, because with Chipper's switch, the Braves should have the best-hitting outfield in baseball. The trio of Jones, right fielder Sheffield and center fielder Andruw Jones averaged 36 HR and 102 RBI last season. And the Jones' numbers should expand with the added protection Sheffield's bat brings, buoying an offense that finished 13th in the NL in runs last year (729).

Left Fielders On The Spot

ESPN analysts tell us who's on the hot seat: Dave Campbell David Justice, A's. There is a lot of pressure on Justice to pick up some of the slack left by Jason Giambi's absence. Leadership and offensive numbers -- the A's will expect both from Justice. Tom Candiotti Rondell White, Yankees. White will be tested by New York. He needs to stay healthy enough to be productive. Given his past, that might be asking a lot. Rob Dibble Barry Bonds, Giants. No doubt that Bonds is one of the all-time best in baseball. In his case, it's everyone else who needs to shut up and let him play.

"It's fun to be a part of this puzzle," says Sheffield. "We run out to the outfield together, we bat in the middle of the order together, we do everything together." And the plan is to drive in a ton of runs together, too. Chipper Jones hit 38 homers, 102 RBI and batted a career-high .330 last season. Sheffield poured in 36 HR, 100 RBI and batted .311 -- two seasons so monstrous that Andruw Jones, a fine offensive player in his own right, knows exactly where he fits in.

"I'm the outfielder who can't hit," jokes Andruw, who managed 34 jacks and 104 RBI, but hit just .251, a 52-point drop from 2000. But the four-time Gold Glover will have his hands full directing an outfield that has never played a game together. Good thing the center fielder can run down anything within the foul lines.

"Andruw covers so much ground that I hardly have to move," Chipper says. "My job is basically to wait for him to call it, no matter where it is."

But Jones isn't exactly a hopeless novice in left. He's played 22 career games there, and was set to begin his 1994 rookie season in left before a knee injury sidelined him. When he returned, the only opening was at third.

Now Jones, who will turn 30 at the end of April, is looking forward to a timeout from the hot corner. "I used to spend a lot of time worrying about my defense," said Jones, who committed 35 errors in the past two seasons at third. "Now, I can just focus on my hitting."

Management discussed making this shift as early as two years ago, if the right replacement at third came along. That's where Castilla, who started his career in the Braves' organization 11 years ago, comes in. He was just finishing a breakout season with the Astros, hitting 23 HR in 122 games after coming over from Tampa Bay. When his contract ran out with Houston, Atlanta general manager John Schuerholz consulted Chipper. Once he got Jones' OK on the move to left, he pulled the trigger.

And now the boss is expecting big things. "As good as Chipper has been, I think he'll be even better now," says Schuerholz, who has overseen 10 consecutive division titles (excluding the 1994 strike season) in his tenure. "And with this lineup, our club is the strongest I've seen since I've been here."

The early results from the spring have been promising. Jones has settled into the position nicely, handling routine plays and even gunning a few runners out at the plate. He's also played a few innings in center, which is where he'll be needed if Andruw gets hurt. The Castilla gamble seems to be working too; he's leading the team with 3 HR and 11 RBI.

Still, Chipper sometimes longs for the position at which he made a major-league name for himself. "Hey, Skip!" Jones calls out to manager Bobby Cox after watching a teammate boot a grounder during a recent infield session. "Want me to take a couple at third?" Cox ignores Jones -- you get the feeling Chipper asks this a lot. But then he considers his star seriously for a second. "You never know, Chip," Cox says. "Keep your third-base glove broken in." Cox turns to go, then wheels around again. "You are using a different glove in the outfield, aren't you?"

Five other left fielders to watch
1. Daryle Ward, Astros: The departure of Moises Alou finally allows Ward to shine as an everyday player. In 630 career at-bats (approximately one season's worth), he has 37 HR and 116 RBI. And Ward looks good early -- he already has 21 RBI in 19 games this spring.
2. Brian Jordan, Dodgers: Atlanta clubhouse fave was none too pleased to be shipped to the Dodgers in the Sheffield deal. Now, Jordan needs to better his career numbers (22 HR, 99 RBI per 162 games) in LA's power-starved lineup.
3. Garret Anderson, Angels: While everyone's waiting on Tim Salmon and Darin Erstad to rebound from subpar years, Anderson is quietly the Angels' most consistent player. In six full seasons, he's never batted below .285 and had career highs last season with 123 RBI, 194 hits and 13 steals. But he must improve his OBP (.314) if Salmon, Troy Glaus & Co. are going to drive him in.
4. David Justice, A's: Someone needs to hit some balls out of the park now that Jason Giambi is in Gotham. The A's are hoping they got the 2000 Justice (41 HR, 118 RBI, .286) instead of the 2001 version (18, 51, .241).
5. Brian Giles, Pirates: Blossomed since becoming full-timer in 1999, with seasons of 39, 35 and 37 HR. But he's locked into a long-term deal and the Bucs appear locked into the NL Central cellar. At 31, will Giles get antsy to take his live bat to a contender?

Andy Latack covers baseball for ESPN The Magazine.