November 23, 2000 ATLANTA (AP) -- Atlanta Braves right fielder Brian Jordan says playing hurt last season didn't pay off for him. ``You figure you work so hard and you sacrifice your average for the team, and all of a sudden you're getting graded on your numbers,'' he said. ``Now I'm an inconsistent player. If I was just like everybody else, like a Larry Walker or somebody else, I would have sat out for the season and sat on my .300 average and just got healthy.'' Jordan, who has three years remaining on his five-year, $40 million contract, has been the subject of trade rumors. Atlanta has been discussing moving third baseman Chipper Jones to the outfield, and trading Jordan would create an opening. The Braves also are thought to be clearing salary room so they can make a run at free agents Alex Rodriguez and Mike Hampton. ``It just goes to show that sometimes when you sacrifice, it just doesn't pay off,'' Jordan said. One possible destination for Jordan is San Francisco, where the Giants will be looking to replace Ellis Burks, who signed with Cleveland last week. ``My thing is, as long as they trade me to a team that has a chance to win, I think it would be a little better,'' Jordan said. Jordan, who will be 34 next season, has had arthroscopic surgery on both shoulders since the season ended. His offensive numbers decreased significantly last year, when he batted .264, hit 17 home runs and drove in 77 runs. In 1999, he hit .283 with 23 homers and 115 RBIs. ``I get tired of hearing that I'm inconsistent because of injuries and I'm injury-prone,'' he said. ``But the thing they don't say is I play through the injuries for the team.''