MLB Hot Stove: Possible landing spots for Adam Jones

The former face of the Baltimore Orioles, Adam Jones, is in a challenging position in the MLB Hot Stove season. At age 33, he’s a free agent in a league that values youth.

If this MLB Hot Stove season has taught us anything, it’s that players like Adam Jones will be signed, but the contract will be short and for not as much as he might have gotten a few years ago.

Jones, who has five All-Star Games, four Gold Glove awards, and one Silver Slugger in his credentials is a solid player who would certainly be an asset on any team.

Unfortunately for Jones, there are not many teams that are in need of a 33-year-old outfielder who played on the worst team in the game in 2018. Despite the Orioles being terrible in 2018, Jones wasn’t. He hit .281/.313/.419 with 15 home runs and 63 RBI.

While his slash was close to his 13-year career average, his power numbers were down slightly. He played in 145 games but had nine fewer home runs than he did in 147 games in 2017. But, his doubles numbers were up by seven over the previous season. His walks and strikeouts were both down, too.

Jones has been the epitome of consistency in all of his years. Since joining the Orioles in 2008, the center fielder has been consistent at the plate and in the field. In those 11 years, his OPS+ numbers have ranged between 87 and 125, with an average of 108. He’s had seven seasons with batting averages in the .280s.

While his best years were 2012-2015, he is still a player with value. He can hit, he can field, and he is an asset in the clubhouse and community. Yes, his fielding has dropped off a bit over the years, but his range, especially at right field is above average.

He may be a center fielder historically, but it might be time to move him to one of the corners instead. Regardless of where he plays, there are teams that need outfielders who can hit – especially consistently. And, plenty of the teams filled with young players could use a veteran leader like Jones.

If Jones wants to play for a contending team, then Cleveland could be the perfect spot for him.

The Indians lost Michael Brantley to free agency, and he’s now a member of the Houston Astros. They also lost Lonnie Chisenhall, who signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Several other former Indians are still on the free agency list.

Jones would be a good fit for the Indians, as their current outfield is projected to include Greg Allen in left field, Leonys Martin in center field, and Tyler Naquin in right field. Naquin and Allen are left-handed batters and Martin is a switch hitter. The majority of the Indians offense is from the left side, so Jones’s right-handed bat would mix up the line up a bit.

The team just re-signed Carlos Santana – who will be 33 on April. They are clearly not afraid to sign veteran players who can hit.

Leonys Martin is another slightly older player who will be 31 when the season begins. He was traded to the Indians from the Tigers at the trade deadline and was unable to finish the season due to bacterial infection that nearly took his life. According to a Tweet from the Indians, he has been cleared to resume all activities. The 30-year-old Martin was not an everyday player in Detroit, and he could be a good platoon candidate with Jones.

Progressive Field isn’t much different in size than Camden Yards. The small-market team has a field that would be manageable for Jones. In fact, the center field wall is five feet shorter in Cleveland than it is in Baltimore.

This might be an odd suggestion, but Jones would be a great possibility for right field in Tampa Bay.

The Rays had center field all locked up with Kevin Kiermaier, but right field currently belongs to Austin Meadows – who is a very young 23 years old. The Rays have made moves that look like they want to compete – signing Charlie Morton was one sign. And, their rumored interest in Nelson Cruz was another.

Since it’s rumored the Rays want a right-handed batter, Jones could be the answer they are seeking. Cruz would have served as their DH and Jones could do that, as well as play the outfield, too.

The Rays are not known to be big spenders, but they’ve got some money to burn this Hot Stove season. Jones could be a veteran asset who could be affordable for them. He did make $17 million with the Orioles in 2018, but it’s doubtful that he’ll get anything close to that in 2019.

Throughout his career, Jones has had his way with the Rays pitching staff. He’s averaging .348/.368/.621 against Rays pitching. And, he completely rocked the 2018 AL Cy Young winner, Blake Snell, hitting .429/.500/1.000 against him. Those batting stats could be reason enough to make him a teammate, rather than an opponent.

Jones has been a joy to watch over the years and imagining him in the field with Kevin Kiermaier is the stuff of dreams. The two would add some athletic beauty to the ugly Tropicana Field. The pair roaming the outfield robbing home runs would be worth the price of admission.

While the Rays may not be the team that everyone is predicting to get to the playoffs, Anthony Castrovince thinks they may have a chance. If the Red Sox do what they do – lose big after winning big, then the Rays could be a Wild Card contender. The Rays could use Castrovince’s predictions to woo him to Tampa.

With Jones, the process of elimination leaves very few possibilities. Teams like the Angels, Astros, Cardinals, and Brewers are not likely to sign Jones. It’s unlikely that he’ll go to teams like the Mariners or Twins.

So, what about the Padres? This team is so difficult to read. It’s got a solid infield, but the outfield could use some upgrading. No one on the Padres outfield roster played as many games as Jones did in 2018 and most of the names are completely unknown to anyone other than Padres fans.

Jones could give some veteran legitimacy to the outfield to balance out the infield that contains Eric Hosmer, Ian Kinsler, and Will Myers. Kinsler is the only player in the daily lineup who will be over 30 on Opening Day. Even the expected starting pitching is all under 30.

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While I don’t think the Padres are in the hunt for a player like Jones, did anyone think that Kinsler would sign with them? The Padres don’t always make sense, but signing a veteran outfielder like Jones would make sense.

Jones would add some consistency at the plate and veteran presence in the clubhouse. Petco Park has a short center field fence. At only 396-feet, Jones could certain dominate out there. The right-field corner is rather short, too. The stadium even has the old Western Metal Supply wall in the left field that is reminiscent of warehouse at Camden Yards.

Jones is from San Diego. Even though he bought Cal Ripken’s home in Baltimore, he reportedly lives in San Diego in the off-season. So, while Jones-to-the-Padres might not seem like a move that could happen, it does make some sense. In a strange Padre-ish way.