Baltimore Orioles vs Oakland Athletics: 3 takeaways from the Birds’ rough weekend

We’re going to miss Adam Jones

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Jones appeared in his 1,500th game as an Oriole on Friday night, making a lot of people feel very old in the process.

The center fielder has been one of the best players in the history of Baltimore baseball, a claim backed up by his numbers with the team: 253 home runs, 1,652 hits and 30.7 Wins Above Replacement. He’s also tremendously durable and has become the face of the franchise, earning five trips to the All-Star Game.

But while Jones has earned a reputation as a no-nonsense ballplayer, he’s also shown a flair for the dramatic at times. On the night of his milestone game, the California native made a statement by homering in his first at bat. He followed it up with a single in the third and an opportunistic bunt in the sixth, making him 3-for-4 on his big night.

Take a look at the home run for yourself:

It was a fun way to celebrate a great career, but also a sad reminder that Jones’ time in Baltimore is coming to an end. He will be a free agent this offseason, and with a rebuild around the corner, the Orioles aren’t likely to bring back a player of his stature, especially since his production has declined in recent years. His absence from the last game of the series — he was hit by a pitch on Saturday — was a further reminder to enjoy his presence while we still can.

Jones isn’t the player he used to be, but that’s okay. Amid a run of poor play for the Orioles, we can still appreciate one of the most iconic players in their history.

Next: The top 5 home run hitters in Orioles history

What was your biggest takeaway from the weekend series? Let us know on social media, and keep it here at Birds Watcher for more updates on the Baltimore Orioles.