There was little magic in Orioles baseball in August.
That’s when promising center fielder Adam Jones — the most electrifying reason to keep watching during an 11th straight losing season — broke his left foot and missed a month of action.
Team management suggested from the start of the season that the rebuilding process would lend to another losing campaign. So, one of the biggest storylines to watch entering 2008 was the progress of Jones, who the team acquired in exchange for pitcher Erik Bedard in a February trade from Seattle. Tabbed the center fielder of the future, his first year was considered a success by Jones and the organization.
“I wish we would’ve finished in a better way,” Jones said. “The organization got to see what I could do when I play every day. I know I’ve matured a lot as a player and person. I know where I stand a little bit. I’ll work my tail off this offseason to improve on the things I didn’t do so well this year.”
One thing that won’t need much work is Jones’ defense. He impressed club officials with his range and arm in center field. And his bat was strong for someone who entered the season with just 139 big league at-bats. Jones hit .270 with nine home runs and 57 RBIs. For all his success, Jones came up just short on his lone goal — 500 at-bats — as he finished with 477.
Still, the future is bright in the Orioles outfield, where Jones, 23, teams with right fielder Nick Markakis, 24, to form one of baseball’s best young tandems.
“He had a good year. Unfortunately he got hurt a little bit,” Markakis said. “He came back, finished up the year strong, and I’d say overall, he had a great first year offensively. He played great defense out there in center field.”
Jones came to Baltimore as the centerpiece in the February trade that also landed the Orioles four other player. All-Star closer George Sherrill and three minor league pitchers — namely phenom Chris Tillman — helped build for a future that wasn’t nearly as bright before club president Andy MacPhail made the trade.
“I think the prospects for the future are better because we have a better base of talented young players,” MacPhail said. “From that aspect, I’m very satisfied with the season even though we’re going out with a whimper.”
Jones will spend this winter working out at Athletes Performance Institute with Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts. The teammates live minutes apart in Arizona and Jones plans to take advantage of Roberts’ healthy diet.
“I’m going to go to his house and raid his fridge,” Jones said. “He eats sushi. I love sushi. I’m a health nut in the offseason, too.”
Jones’ light-hearted attitude was a big hit in the Orioles clubhouse this season. But, despite being a no-brainer in the Orioles rebuilding effort, Jones will head to Fort Lauderdale in February with a rookie’s mentality.
“I’m not going to come in like, ‘I’ve got the spot,’ and end up having a terrible spring and looking like I don’t know what I’m doing,” Jones said. “In my eye, I have to come in every year and fight for a spot.”
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