by Jon Paul Morosi

Over 14 years, that type of turnover is to be expected.

Of all the players who appeared for the Braves in the 2005 National League Division Series, only four are on the active roster: Jones, Jeff Francoeur, Kelly Johnson and Brian McCann.

A lot of change in four years, isn't it?

Unfortunately for the Braves, the standings have a different look, too. After a remarkable run of 14 consecutive division titles, Atlanta missed the playoffs in each of the past three seasons. And it won't be easy to start a new streak this year. The Braves are 5½ games behind Philadelphia in the NL East, with a 31-34 record.

Jones, the reigning NL batting champion, spoke with FOXSports.com on Thursday morning, a few hours before Atlanta snapped a four-game losing streak with a 7-0 victory over Cincinnati at Great American Ballpark.

FOXSports.com: Has it been surprising to you that the team has struggled to score runs as often as it has?

Chipper Jones: It's been tough. It's been very inconsistent. Some guys are not having typical years. We've struggled at the top, getting guys on base, setting the table. We've struggled at the bottom whenever we've had opportunities. When we're good, we're really good. When we're bad, we're really bad. There's no in-between.

FOXSports.com: Do you sense that players are still excited to come to Atlanta and play because of Bobby Cox and the tradition of winning?

Jones: I think people love playing for Bobby. I don't think people care about 14 straight or any of that stuff. They only care about what's going to happen this year. Bobby is the major calling card, because everyone wants to play for him. Everybody's heard about what a great manager he is, what a players' manager he is. Everybody loves him like a favorite grandpa. I think the days of the 14 straight, those are long gone. The names on the back of the jerseys have changed, with the exception of mine. It's not the same as it once was.

Chipper has seen the good and the bad with Atlanta. (Christian Petersen / Getty Images)

FOXSports.com: Is that tough for you to take emotionally?

Jones: I can live with the turnover in personnel. What I'm having a difficult time with is the results. The game's played differently now. It's not executed the same way that it was and the results have followed.

Our formula for winning has always remained the same. It's just not executed as well. You've got (Greg) Maddux, (Tom) Glavine, (John) Smoltz, (Steve) Avery, (Denny) Neagle executing at the top of their game. You get a little spoiled. Our pitching this year has been outstanding. Don't get me wrong. It's been other facets of the game that have faltered — defensive execution or offensive execution. It just hasn't been the same.

FOXSports.com: Can that be fixed in the middle of the season?

Jones: Yeah, anything can be fixed if players want to fix it. That's what we all still hold out hope for, that baseball becomes the No. 1 priority for these guys and they care about going out and executing day in and day out, doing the little things it takes to win a big-league ballgame.

FOXSports.com: Do you think that's not as much of a priority here as it used to be?

Jones: No, it's a priority. As long as it's a priority for the manager, it should be a priority for the rest of us. I don't know that it is. It still is for me. But I can't speak for the other guys.

Youngsters like Yunel Escobar are key to the Braves' success. (David Kohl / Associated Press)

FOXSports.com: Why is that? Are guys not as focused?

Jones: I don't know. You'd have to ask each individual. There's just a different feel.

FOXSports.com: As a leader, have you called meetings or pulled guys aside?

Jones: I'm of the belief that ... one good thing Ozzie Guillen said is, "Meetings are for teams that stink." If you're really good, you don't have meetings. We've had our share of meetings. I refuse to call any more because I've already said my piece. I would just be reiterating what I've already said. Obviously, things that I've said in the past, while they may have worked for a little while, didn't last.

There's only so much you can do. There's only so much you can say. At some point, the players out there have to perform. They have to execute. They have to, bottom line, get better. If they're just satisfied with picking up a paycheck every couple weeks, there's nothing you can do about that.

FOXSports.com: How many meetings have you called personally this year?

Jones: One. But other people have called meetings, and it comes down to you saying the same thing over and over. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to call a meeting, look around the room and have guys rolling their eyes at me.

FOXSports.com: Has the message been about being focused and making winning the top priority?

Jones: The key to winning for us is simple. It's the same formula it's always been. It's pitching, defense and timely hitting. We've had pitching. Our defense has been just north of horrible all year, and our hitting hasn't been much better. We're missing two out of the three components.

FOXSports.com: Are guys taking the pregame preparations seriously enough?

Jones: Yeah, guys are preparing. They watch film. They hit in the cage. They're trying. They're working hard. If they weren't working hard, that would be when somebody would have to say something. The preparation is there. The work ethic is there. It's just not happening out on the field. It's not translating.