Baltimore Orioles’ Adam Jones: A great in the making - MLB Player Profile
Adam La Marque Jones is a promising and upcoming name in Major League Baseball. The right-handed centre-fielder had an impressive 2012 season for the Baltimore Orioles, helping the team in making its first post-season appearance since 1997.
As a child, baseball was not the game Jones picked up immediately. He was interested in other sports, gradually gaining interest in baseball in his early teens. He was quick to get a hold of the game and was a star performer for the Samuel F. B. Morse High
School. He played as a pitcher as well as shortstop. Jones had a 3-3 win-loss record in his senior year with a 2.71 ERA. His hitting prowess was quite impressive as well with Jones hitting at an average of .406 with 27 runs and four home-runs.
He was drafted in by Seattle Mariners in 2003. His role was thought to be both pitcher and shortstop. He initially played at shortstop position but was later moved to outfield in the Minor Leagues.
He made his Major League debut for the Seattle Mariners in 2006, against the Toronto Blue Jays. Adam went 0-for-3 in the match, getting a walk. His first few at-bats were hitless and he eventually got a hit against the New York Yankees. His first home-run
came against the Texas Rangers nearly a month after of making his debut, in a losing cause. Jones played 32 games in 2006 with moderate success as his batting average was .216.
In 2007, he got his first game in early August, where he went 2-for-4 in a 7-4 winning cause for the Mariners. He played 41 games in the season with a batting average of .246. Early next year, Jones was traded to Baltimore Orioles.
Jones started to turn things around in 2008. He played 132 games in the season with a decent batting average of .270, with 57 RBI’s and going long on nine occasions. He stole a base 10 times and was 11th in the Major League with seven triples.
These included a triple and a grand slam against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. This was a first against the Yankees at their home ground.
The 2009 season started off brightly for Adam and was selected for the All-Star Game. The latter half of the season did not go as well as the first one. He missed the end of the season due to a sprained ankle. Jones’ numbers were still pretty good, managing
a .277 batting average with 70 RBI’s, 10 stolen bases and 19 home-runs. He received his first Gold Glove Award due to his excellent performance in the field.
By 2010, Jones had become an important member of the Baltimore Orioles squad. This year he played 149 games for the Orioles, recording a batting average of .284 which was at the that time his highest career batting average in any given season. Jones hit
69 RBI’s in 581 at-bats, also hitting 19 home-runs.
In 2011, the 27-year-old for the first time crossed the 150 games barrier in a single season. The season saw his overall performance improve. He had a batting average of .280 while hitting career high 25 home-runs. He had 83 RBI’s as well.
2012 was even better for the right-hander. He played in all 162 regular season games for the O’s. He had a batting average of .287, with 82 RBI’s and hitting a career best 32 home-runs. During the season, he went passed a 100 career home-runs. Jones also
managed to score four home-runs in the 12th inning or later, a hitting record that he exclusively has to his name.
Jones was, however, unable to carry his form into the post-season and failed to impress in the six games hitting under .100. He was named the Most Valuable Player by the Orioles for a second time in as many years and also received a second Gold Glove Award
in 2012 as a centre fielder.
Recently Jones has shown interest in relocating to Maryland, the state which homes the Baltimore Orioles, on a permanent basis. Fans have welcomed this news and have encouraged Adam to do so.
For now, Adam Jones is an integral part of the Orioles. He has played a crucial role in the resurgence of the team and the Baltimore fans would hope he continues to do so in future as well. With the promise he has and the performance he has shown, there
is no reason why he cannot have his name written amongst some of the greatest players of all times.
Tags: