The news conference was done. That could have turned into a wake, but he wouldn't let it.
In between, there was one more thing for Chipper Jones to do.
He put on his uniform. He did it leisurely Friday, sitting in front of the leader's locker, the one with the commanding view of the room. He was the retired soldier dressing for a Veteran's Day parade. He was the old married man fitting into his wedding suit. Dressing up for no practical reason, just for show, really. With the very real possibility he never would play a meaningful game in those Braves duds again.
All dressed up with no game to play, Jones' only role Friday night was a fan with, like, the best tickets ever -- dugout seats that actually are in the dugout. In the Friday news conference where he outlined his plans for dealing with his season-ending knee injury, Jones spoke of the genuine affection he has for this highly adaptable bunch.
"We got ballplayers in this clubhouse -- ballplayers with some heart and guts," he said. "A bunch of guys I would go to war with. That's what is so disappointing; I won't be there in October."
As if to underscore his opinion, his replacement of the moment at third base, the long-time minor-league grinder Brooks Conrad, hit a home run to the farthest reaches of center field Friday night to beat the L.A. Dodgers 1-0.
That's what in baseball passes for a get-well card.
So, where does one of the Braves' historic performers, as well as the only team he has ever played for, go from here?
There are some hard, practical questions that follow Jones out of Saturday's surgery.
What is the precedent for a player coming back from knee surgery at the age of 39 -- which Jones will be in April -- and performing at a high level?
"Don't know of any," said manager Bobby Cox. "There is a lot of rehab. It is going to be treacherous."
Jones said during his Friday news conference that he was thankful for one small favor -- that unlike his first surgery, done with a larger, more intrusive incision, the arthroscopic procedure Saturday would be gentler on his knee and less difficult to rehab.
How big a role will the advances in medical technology play in possibly getting Jones back at bat? Some, Chandler said. Jones' initial recovery will be easier than the first go-round.
"[Arthroscopic] speeds the early recovery and the ability to start rehab more quickly, the abilityknee," Chandler said.
But, the doctor cautions, this graft will require the same kind of time as the first to adapt to its new purpose.
And the rehab is no less strenuous in 2010. There is a world of difference, Chandler said, between the level of commitment required by a father of four boys who just wants to throw some batting practice and a potential Hall of Fame athlete trying to squeeze out another season. Jones still must decide which of those he is.
Jones' mental attitude seemed right for the chore Friday. He was loose, joking that if he lost another step after this surgery, "I'll be going backwards." He had come to a level of acceptance after the initial bomb-drop of the torn-ACL diagnosis. He was doing the patient, prudent thing of taking his rehab into the next spring training to see if there was any baseball left in him.
Bottom line, can he do it?
"What if Chipper loses a step? I still think he could be a pretty good ballplayer as long as he has a stable base [knee] to hit from," Chandler said. "I don't bet against people who prove to be remarkable athletes."
Will he do it?
"He knows how we feel," said Hudson, as in, yeah, his teammates want him back. "But it's his call."
In the meantime, the Braves have not pushed the pause button on their season while marking the end of their third baseman's season. There is a division to try to win in the next six weeks, after four years of postseason exclusion.
"The next game I play, if I do play another one, will be for another manager. I think Bobby has other things on the forefront of his mind than that," is what Jones had to say.
Young Casey still decided to wear his Chipper jersey to the game, but his father said the boy may be in the market soon for a Brian McCann jersey.
Two months ago, replacing Jones would not have seemed as daunting. He was hitting .233 and had to put out one retirement fire. Since June 15, though, he has hit .307 (more in line with his .306 lifetime average), with seven home runs and 24 RBIs. His slugging percentage surged from .341 to .520.
"I really felt dangerous at the plate again," Jones said.
"We need him around here to find a role and help us that way," Hudson said.
Almost any kind of presence will do, for each sighting of Jones inside this clubhouse, taking part in the ritual of baseball in some form, is now officially an endangered and precious thing.
