Baltimore Orioles: Adam Jones Finally Has A New Home

BALTIMORE, MD - JULY 27: Adam Jones #10 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on against the Tampa Bay Rays during the third inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 27, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - JULY 27: Adam Jones #10 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on against the Tampa Bay Rays during the third inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 27, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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Former Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones reportedly has a new home.

First mentioned by former major league pitcher and current Fox Sports 1 MLB analyst Dontrelle Willis and confirmed by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the Arizona Diamondbacks reportedly have a deal in place for former Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones.

ESPN.com’s Jeff Passan is reporting that the deal is a one-year contract worth $3 million in guaranteed money. Once the deal is finalized, Jones will reunite with former teammate, catcher Caleb Joseph, who signed with the Diamondbacks earlier this winter on a minor league deal.

News of the signing broke literally as I was driving past Camden Yards, bringing an extra flood of emotions as I passed by the iconic ball field and warehouse. There was never any chance of Adam Jones returning to his post in the outfield with the Baltimore Orioles, but the signing officially closes the door on his career in orange and black.

A five-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove Award winner, Silver Slugger winner, and American hero during the World Baseball Classic, the legacy of Adam Jones will live on in the city of Baltimore as more than just a baseball player. Few players in all of baseball have dedicated the time and money into building up a local community as Jones did during his time in the Charm City.

Across his 11 seasons in Baltimore, Jones started 11 Opening Days in centerfield, behind only Paul Blair for the most Opening Day starts at the position in franchise history (Blair made 12 consecutive starts from 1965-1976).

In total, Jones appeared in 1,613 games, hitting .279 with a .319 on-base percentage, 263 home runs, and 305 doubles. He finds his name up and down the Orioles’ franchise career leaderboards.

More from Birds Watcher

  • Games played: 1,613- 9th
  • At bats: 6,385- 5th
  • Runs scored: 875- 7th
  • Hits: 1,781- 5th
  • Doubles: 305- 8th
  • Home runs: 263- 5th
  • RBIs: 866- 6th
  • Offensive bWAR: 37.1- 10th

For the first time since 2007 when Corey Patterson roamed centerfield on Opening Day, the Orioles will have a new name on the lineup card. As of now, Cedric Mullins is the favorite to land the starting gig. While Mullins is sure to provide fans with plenty of bright moments on defense and at the plate in year one of the rebuild, it just won’t be the same.

For many fans, news of Adam Jones putting on a uniform other than that of the Baltimore Orioles is a tough pill to swallow. Not only is he one of the easiest players in all of sports to cheer for, but he is also one of the last connections to a brighter time in Baltimore. As fans, we will move on and have the joy of watching future outfielders such as Yusniel Diaz and Austin Hays make their mark on Camden Yard, but there is only one Captain.

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Thank you, Adam Jones. Thank you for 11 years of memories that we will never forget. Best of luck in Arizona as you show every other team in the league what they missed out on.