Chipper remains positive

ATLANTA - Atlanta's Chipper Jones ended June barely hitting his weight and will head into the All-Star break with the worst first-half numbers of his career.

• Photos

The third baseman, a career .309 hitter, entered Wednesday night's game with a .219 average and any hopes he held of continuing his streak of eight straight 100-RBI seasons have all but disappeared.

Despite his lack of power and production, particularly from the left side (.202, 5 HR, 14 RBI), the switch-hitting Jones said his left-handed swing is improving.

Jones was hitting just .193 in June, but had two hits in four of his past eight games. And with just 178 at-bats, he has plenty of time to get his numbers up.

"I've got to take baby steps," he said. "I was hitting .204 a week ago. My left-handed swing is coming."

COMING HOME: Manager Bobby Cox expects first baseman Adam LaRoche to return from a rehab assignment with Class AAA Richmond in time to play in Friday night's game against the Boston Red Sox.

LaRoche went 0-for-4 in Tuesday night's doubleheader against Louisville.

"I think if he sees a few pitches, he'll be fine," Cox said.

LaRoche has been out since separating his left shoulder in a home plate collision May 28.

l Second baseman Marcus Giles continues to recover from a broken collarbone and if doctors clear him, he'll play in the minor leagues during the All-Star break and could be ready to go when the team starts the second half against Montreal on July 15.

MORE THAN PHYSICS: If Kevin Gryboski wasn't pitching in the big leagues, he figures he'd be a government water quality engineer.

And, after majoring in environmental engineering, with a minor in physics, at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., he'd be well qualified.

"People get intimidated, but physics is just plugging numbers into formulas," the 6-foot-5, 225-pound reliever said. "It's like any other class. You study, you do well."

Gryboski, who graduated from Wilkes in 1995, spent seven-plus years in the minors before reaching the majors with the Braves in 2002.

For a while, he thought he might have to use his knowledge of physics for something other than throwing a baseball.

"Not many athletes have a degree," he said. "I wanted something to fall back on. Playing baseball was a bonus."

AROUND THE HORN: With five more hits, Julio Franco will tie Stuffy McInnis (2,405) for 96th place on baseball's all-time hit list. The 45-year-old first baseman, who got his 2,400th hit in Tuesday night's loss, should surpass Mickey Mantle (2,415) and Pie Traynor (2,416) later this season. Of the 96 players currently ahead of him, 64 are in the Hall of Fame. ... The bullpen headed into Wednesday night's game riding a streak of four straight scoreless games, lowering its ERA from 4.14 to 3.91. The relief corps ranks ninth in the league in ERA. ... Eli Marrero has batted .348 (24-for-69) in 23 games since coming off the disabled list May 29.

Reach Bill Zack at bzack30143@aol.com.