2010 Orioles Position-By-Position: CF
There’s a lot to like about this team, as we know. A lot of talent, a lot of potential. Several guys with both to spare. But if I had to pick just one who most embodies the next era of competitive Orioles baseball, it’s Adam Jones.
No disrespect meant to Brian Roberts, Nick Markakis, or any of the other talented players who figure to form this club’s nucleus for years to come. It’s just that Jones is unique among them for that rare combination of skill and personality that often — not always, but often — paves the way to superstardom.
I followed him more closely than any other player this winter (thanks, Twitter) and came away impressed. He works hard, keeps himself in great shape, has a great attitude, and he gives a damn about the game and the team. But you’d expect any great player to have those attributes, right? There’s something else about this kid. Something that can’t be quantified but which is nonetheless very real. Charisma, confidence, leadership, presence. Whatever “it” is, that’s what Jones has.
That wouldn’t mean much in the hands of a guy who can’t deliver on the field. We know, though, that Jones has that end more than covered. He’s a beast out there. The intangibles just make him that much more valuable.
I expect giant things, starting this year. I expect the All Star-caliber production to continue, and I expect him to grow into the kind of attention-generating personality this team has lacked for so many years. When the wins start coming and the fans make their way back to the park, they’re going to fall in love with this guy. Much in the same way that most of us probably already have.
(photo via Keith Allison)
I just watched an interview AJ did with Tim Kirkjian, and agree with my roommate that AJ has a career in broadcasting. He’s going places for sure. Already has, and has yet to, but he will be GREAT.
MANCRUSH!
If one player is going to get the world to pay attention to the Orioles again, it’s Adam Jones. Granted, he won’t do it without the team winning some games, but he’s exactly the type of guy that the media and fans are drawn to.
The O’s are loaded with the quiet producers (and, let’s be honest, boring white dudes to most non-O’s fans): Roberts, Markakis, Wieters, Reimold, the young pitchers. Jones is different from all of them. He’s not going around running his mouth, but he’s vocal, extremely confident, emotional, and charming. Which would mean jack if he didn’t hit and catch the ball.
He’s also exactly the type of personality that I think is needed on a team going against the AL East night in and night out.
I think what it is about Jones that O’s fans like is you don’t get that “losing culture” vibe at all with him. He’s a vital part of this process, so I hope he continues to produce, becomes the team leader, and gets a fat contract in the next year or two.
Not expecting miracles this year, but good to see the Os finally a nucleus of young players that could form the core of a respectable team for years to come. Time will tell, of course, but there is much more quality present in this organization than in recent years. Still think the team needs to spend more on scouting and signing top latin american amateurs.
Anyone else have thoughts on this?
@Ballmer Bruce – You’re right, that’s been an area that needs improving, but I think the O’s signed a whole lot of international guys (there’s a number floating around that Joe Jordan or someone quoted), but they don’t make it known very readily when they do sign guys outside of the country. I think that aspect of the organization is improving every year though.
At some point last year, I realized that Jonesy had become my favorite Oriole – and therefore my favorite player in baseball – and it was almost entirely about his charisma and a sort of calm defiance of the “losing culture”. Here’s a guy with national tv written all over him, a guy that when is going to become (hopefully) associated with the Orioles in a way that Chipper Jones is with the Braves, or Albert Pujols is with the Cardinals, or – yes – Derek Jeter is with the Yankees. And that’s awesome.
He took a big step forward last year, but I’m greedy and here’s what I want to see from Adam Jones this year:
1) 145+ games played. I’m fairly certain that his injuries have been the freak sort of things, so I’m hopeful that he can just stay on the field, but the bottom line is that he hasn’t even played 140 games in a season yet. That needs to change.
2) More walks would be nice, but Jones has never really been about taking walks. I think it’s more that he needs to stop chasing pitches outside the zone, where he’s well below-average.
3) I fully expect that since he’s the same age I am (which is WEIRD), his power is going to continue to grow, so I’m looking for some increase in home runs and extra base hits.
Those seem like pretty reasonable expectations for growth. It’s really exciting that he’s already an All-Star, Gold Glove level player and he only 24. When he reaches his peak, he could be an MVP.
I guess I should save this for the Markakis spot, but all signs are pointing to a break out year for Nick. In fact, we probably should have seen his “down” year coming last year what with the marriage, kid, new house, new charity foundation, lack of lineup protection. But everything out of spring training is that he’s bulked up a little, he’s focused, etc. It’s easy to buy into it in spring training, but hell, this year’s as good as any for him to bust out with like .310/29/110. Which I’ll go ahead and call right now.
I’d love to see Jones, Roberts and Markakis all steal at least 20 bases. We have a good lineup that can generate power, but what happens when Luke goes 2-19? Or when we just have that unlucky streak where we don’t drive the ball? I’d like to see us manufacture some runs and play “small ball” like Chisox did in 2005.
@Kevin – no no no no no no no no no no no a thousand times no
Last year the Orioles in all their streakiness scored 741 runs. In 2005 the World Champion White Sox in all their small balliness…also scored 741 runs (that’s just a coincidence). That’s not a strong argument in favor of bunting and crappy guys batting second.
With an upgraded offense at every position except second, DH (if it’s just Luke), and shortstop, I think the Orioles could score upwards of 800 runs without sacrifices and whatever.
Alright, so I know it’s Spring Training.
But I mean…
I guess the one thing that concerns me is Arrieta’s lack of control and overall poor performance. If there was any shred of a chance of him making the roster (there wasn’t), it’s gone for sure now. Also the fact that we got 3-hit yesterday and committed 5 errors today. Now granted, no B-Rob, lack of consistent major league lineup, etc.
I guess I’m already sick of patchwork ST lineups. And it would be nice to see the starters be able to get through 3 innings without having to throw 60 pitches.
I’m worried about B-Rob. It’s a damn shame that Felix Pie doesn’t play second base because he’s a decent candidate to bat leadoff. Nolan doesn’t have a hit yet, either.
I’m impatient. Grumpy. Hurry up April.
But I’d like to se
Woops, how’d that sneak in at the end there?
Also, I should add the one thing that bothers me about the Arrieta thing is I have this terrible fear of the O’s overvaluing their talent like in years past. Not saying they are, just saying it’s a fear, irrational or not.
@dan the man – Pie doesn’t have the on-base skills to lead off. I’m as high as anybody on him, but just because he’s fast doesn’t make him a good lead-off hitter. Their best guy outside of Roberts is probably Reimold actually, but he’ll NEVER IN A THOUSAND YEARS bat leadoff. I’m not really too worried about the lineup outside of replacing Roberts with Andino (which would just give the lineup two insta-outs).
Arrieta will be fine. He’s got command issues, and we know where command issues + velocity get you sometimes, but he was never gonna crack the team out of spring training. He needs to just go back to AAA and figure out a comfort zone and then learn not to try to blow everyone away with his overthrowing and velocity when he’s in the big league uniform. His defense today wasn’t anything to write home about either, so take that into account too. More on Arrieta later.
…and there it is, Britt Chiroli telling me that Arrieta admitted that he’s been trying to do too much to impress the brass. Stay within yourself, Jake.
That’s Ghiroli, of course. Not Chiroli, which sounds like a delicious new sandwich at the local Rochester Mexican place.
Not a big Orioles fan, but it has been great checking out your previews. There really is a lot to like about your team this year. Adam Jones is absolutely great. I can’t wait to see how this kid plays.