Hang in there, Andy

TAKING ANOTHER WEEK OF VACATION, BUT HERE’S ONE LAST POST. BE GOOD UNTIL I GET BACK:

You gotta feel sorry for Andruw Jones.

The former Atlanta Braves star has had a great career since 1996. He was a five-time All Star. Won 10 straight Gold Gloves. Was MVP runner-up in 2005, when he had 51 homers and 128 RBIs. Next year, he hit 41 home runs with a career-high 129 RBIs.

Everything was spiffy … until last year. He had his worst season ever.

The second half was a little better, but the first part was awful. We’re talking Mendoza Line awful

In the end, he hit only .222 and had just 26 homers — pitiful numbers for him. He did manage 94 RBIs, the only bright spot in the nightmare.

Worst of all, he was a free agent after this year. If he had had a typical Andruw Jones season, he could have reaped millions.

Instead, the best deal he could get was … $36 million from the Dodgers for two years.

That’s right, fans. After stinking up Atlanta, he becomes the fifth-highest paid player in baseball.

The economic laws of the game are simple and brutal.

Have a good year, and you rake in the millions. Have a bad year, and … well, you still rake in the millions.

... Oh, and you thought life was fair?