Andruw Jones was one of the best players of his era, it just doesn’t seem that way now. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

It really doesn’t seem like that long ago when Andruw Jones first made a name for himself as a member of the 1996 Atlanta Braves. Jones was a sensation at the time, just 19 years old and getting ample playing time against the Yankees in the World Series. There really isn’t a bigger stage than that, and Jones proved quickly that he was going to be something special, a player with as true a shot at the Hall of Fame as any could have at such a tender age. Jones homered twice in that series, but his quick October flash was a mere foreshadowing of what was to come.

The next season, Jones established himself as one of the finest defensive center fielders in baseball and hit 18 homers along the way. Things only got better, as Jones posted a 7.3 WAR campaign in his age-21 season, hitting .271/.321/.515 with 31 homers, 27 steals, and the usual superlative defense. Low walk rates aside, Andruw Jones was easily one of the best players in the sport by the time he could legally drink, and the ball kept on rolling. After his 467 PA in 1997, Jones proceeded to post the following FanGraphs WAR totals in his next nine seasons: 7.3, 7.3, 7.9, 5.4, 7.0, 5.9, 5.9, 8.3, and 6.3.

But that’s not all Jones did over those nine seasons. He also posted a 51-homer season in 2005, won 9 gold glove awards for his defensive work, played in five All-Star games, and was a 20-20 man three times. Even if his triple slash lines weren’t quite as impressive as other stars around the game, the overall package Jones brought to the field was one worthy of countless accolades, and at this point in his career the guy still hadn’t even reached 30 years of age.

But then something happened. Jones got off to a terrible start in 2007, and he barely found the strength to make anything of the season at all. The end result was an appalling .222/.311/.413 line at age 30; given Jones’ track record, though, it was hard to assume his career was truly on a downward path. The stink of the 2007 slump was enough to send Jones packing, so the star center fielder signed a two-year deal with the Dodgers and managed to get significantly worse, managing just a .505 OPS in 238 PA in 2008. While Jones made himself somewhat valuable as a bench masher later in his career, he never came close to rediscovering what made him so great for a solid decade.

Looking back on Jones’ career, it’s startling to see that he’s actually been worth 72.1 WAR. That figure makes him a serious Hall of Fame candidate, and puts him above plenty of guys who have made it in or have received serious backing. Andruw Jones may seem more like a punchline than an all-time great now, but just six short seasons ago he was an elite player at the top of his game. I highly doubt the man ever gets elected to the Hall of Fame, but his run of dominance afforded him a career line that includes 434 home runs, 10 gold glove awards, and a peak that wasn’t rivaled by many. That’s worth remembering.

If Brian’s writing strikes your fancy, read his work at StanGraphs and follow him on Twitter at @vaughanbasepct.

Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

If this is in fact the end of Jones’s major league career, his final numbers are nothing to be ashamed of even if they are a little disappointing. He heads to Japan with 434 homers, an .823 OPS, 10 gold gloves (won consecutively from 1998-2007), five all-star appearances, and 72.1 WAR per FanGraphs, thanks in no small part to the fact that he was once the most gifted defensive player in the game at a very key position.

The troubling part is that Jones had accomplished most of that before his 30th birthday. Through the 2006 season, he was a .267/.350/.505 hitter with 350 homers and all but one of his gold gloves, which he would go on to win the very next year. He was never the same from that point, as he hit posted a .724 OPS in his walk season and lost the opportunity to cash in on what was certain to be a huge payday.

For the past several years, Jones has been limited to that of role player status, one who managed to hang around as a veteran bat who could still hit lefties and play corner outfield if used sparingly, but it was clear he was a fraction of his former self. Barring a resurgence after his time in Japan, Jones may be hard pressed to find work in the majors from this point, but he may still receive ample consideration for a place in the Hall of Fame in the near future.

Can’t get enough of Spencer? Check out his work at StanGraphs and follow him on Twitter at @shendricks221.

The one-time star outfielder has an offer from the Rakuten Eagles of the Japan Pacific League. He is 35 years old and batted .197 for the Yankees last season, so he is probably figuring this is the best he can do. One would think that Jones would prefer to stay in the big leagues and that somebody would offer him some kind of deal to stick around, if not in the salary range of the $2 million New York gave him. But maybe not. (more…)

September 5, 2012; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Andruw Jones (22) hits a single in the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Of course, a case could easily be made that, at this point in his career, Andruw Jones isn’t much more than a Four-A hitter. Still, the first ten or so seasons were so great that Jones is still widely-considered a potential Hall of Famer once his career is over.

According to Nikkan Sports, Jones’ MLB career may have already ended. The Japanese outlet is reporting that Jones has signed a contract with Rakuten Golden Eagles on a deal worth 300 million yen, or approximately $3.6 million.

This is where I would caution the source. however. Late last month, the same outlet reported that Ichiro Suzuki had reached an agreement to sign a new one-year contract with the Yankees. That report was obviously false, as we know now. Hardball Talk has also run with this Nikkan Sports report, but MLBTradeRumors has not mentioned Jones in connection with a Japanese team.

Over the course of 17 big league seasons, Jones has amassed 434 home runs and nearly 1300 RBI. He clubbed 14 home runs while playing part-time with the Yankees last season.

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[Edit: Bob Horton published a similar article on Jones over at Tomahawk Take.  I suggest you check it out, it's very good]

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