The future of the Orioles rests on Dan Duquette’s decision with Adam Jones.
Yesterday, the Orioles avoided arbitration with their star center fielder by signing him to a one-year deal with a base salary of $6.5 million. Jones will become a free agent after the 2013 season and it’s his role in Baltimore that will determine Duquette’s direction.
Should the Orioles decide not to sign Jones to a long-term deal, they have to trade him for valuable pieces and the best time to do that would be after a fast start this season. If the O’s want to build around Jones — which I would like to see personally — then they need to make him their guy by signing a long-term extension.
Prior to the news of Jones avoiding arbitration, Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reported that Duquette had acknowledged talks of a long-term deal for Jones. “Yes, we have discussed a variety of different options,” Duquette said.
Now Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com reports that those discussions have been (again) put on the back burner. Ghiroli says that Duquette believes during year negotiations are a “distraction.”
Besides not having a true number one starter, trying Wilson Betemit at DH, not knowing when (or if) Brian Roberts will play second base and hit leadoff, playing in the AL East and a slew of other problems — Adam Jones’ future is a huge question mark hanging over the Warehouse. Why not just get it done now? Pay the man.
Peter the Great will not pay big bucks to him,,,,,,,,the new owner will have to do this…………….
Like Ol’ Bruz said before, when he wasn’t practicing for his PA Audition, one Dead Money, $11,000,000 Contract in the O’s OF is enough for me…As for AJ, 31 American Leaguers had more Extra Base Hits in 2011 than he did in his “Break Out Year” (http://www.oddsandnews.com/baseball/mlb/stats/extra_base_hits)…37 American Leaguers stole more than Adam’s 12 in 2011…Will somebody please tell me what all the fuss is about?!?!
Until Jones got injured in late August against Minnesota, he was flirting with a .300 25 HR 15 SB year (Apr.1-Aug.21 .299/22/10) The other three names who reached those numbers were Matt Kemp, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Ryan Braun. Even if you lower the number to 20 HR’s he’d still be joining a club with Dustin Pedroia and Alex Gordon. Jones had the 2nd highest 2 out batting average (.323), and the 5th highest 2 out slugging percentage (.544) in the American League. With a healthier year this year, Jones should be a threat to reach 30 HR’s and with Buck’s confidence that he can steal without getting caught (2010: 7 SB 7 CS 2011: 12 SB 4 CS), he’ll be turned loose more on the base paths. Lock him up so he’s in Baltimore for his prime years where he’ll be one of the best CF’s in baseball.
Pat…Interesting additional stats…Well-played…I counter that he was 30th in the A/L in Plate Appearances in 2011…And had just eight more XBH’s than the ancient Johnny Damon…AJ’s OBP has actually declined the last two years from his career best .335 in 2009, which was no great shakes to begin with…Not sure how the HR’s can increase when he’s never had more than 26 Doubles in a season…Look, he’s a nice enough player…Young enough to get better, but I don’t see a pressing need to sign him at this point to one of those five-year fifty million dollar deals…Your serve… 🙂
You made the biggest point that I wanted to make, which is that Jones is young enough to get better. This is a guy that hasn’t hit his peak as a player yet, and yet he was top 5 or 6 among centerfielders in most offensive categories last year. Hate to lean on that injury in the Twins series again, but his OBP was up at .337 on August 21. I’m not saying that it would have stayed there until the end of the season if he DIDN’T get injured, but I’m relatively sure he wouldn’t have hit .180/.227/.315 the rest of the way. What he needs to develop (a better eye at the plate, taking better routes to balls) are two things that undeniably come with age, and with a full healthy season this year, I think he’ll be mentioned with the top 5 CF’s in baseball (Kemp, Granderson, Ellsbury, Gonzalez or McCutchen, Jones)
PG…In 2012 will put up the following line?
.291 88 27 94 16 Steals .340 OBP
If yes, sign me up for 5 more years of the same at $10,000,000 a year… If not, well, not so much…