Adam Jones of the Baltimore Orioles heads east

Adam Jones was a part of Team USA last year in the World Baseball Classic. However this year the center fielder for the Baltimore Orioles will represent the United States once again on an international stage, although perhaps not quite as publicly as he did in the WBC. Major League Baseball is sending a team of all-stars to Japan next month to compete against the Japanese National Team in a series, and Jones has been tabbed to be part of the team.

It’s being dubbed the “All-Star Series 2014.” This far Robinson Cano, Yasiel Puig, Albert Pujols, and Jones have comitted to being on the

Courtesy of Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

team. Incidentally, this was announced back in August – but at the time the Orioles were in the middle of a pennant race so we didn’t pay too much attention to it here at Birds Watcher given that circumstance. However I know that Jones was incredibly humbled to be tabbed as part of Team USA last year for the WBC, and I suspect that’s part of why he jumped at the chance to represent the Orioles and Major League Baseball once again all while representing the United States.

Texas Manager Ron Washington was initially going to be managing the team, however he resigned in September citing personal reasons. MLB announced in late September that Boston manager John Farrell would be taking his spot. Given that the BoSox and Orioles don’t always see eye-to-eye, that should make for an interesting mix between Jones and Farrell. But we see that type of thing all the time, especially in the mid-summer classic.

From the Orioles’ perspective, I see this as something that can only help Jones as well as the team. He’ll take a short break here in the latter part of October, but then will have to be ready to play again next month. That will be a few weeks where his timing and poise won’t atrophize as much as it otherwise would have, which is common for players in the off season. That of course is why we have spring training, as guys need to get back into game shape and they need to get their timing back up to speed.

On another front, the Sporting News will be announcing it’s winners for AL and NL Managers of the Year today. Buck Showalter is one of the favorites, if not the odds on favorite to win. Keep in mind that this is not the more prestigious Manager of the Year award that’s handed out by the BBWAA, but it certainly means something.