Jones getting extension possibly???

[Flash- bd]

Scouts also said he had a slider speed bat. That sure wasn't right. He isn't going to have a .360 OBP, folks. We know this. He's going to get a lot of hits and play a solid CF and hit a bunch of home runs. He's a really good player. You can't field a team of Pujolses. And the O's are getting Jones for a fair market value - and in this day and age, fair = a steal.

Not to nitpick, but I really don't remember any scout saying that Jones had/has a slider speed bat...

[SrMeowMeow]

Not to nitpick, but I really don't remember any scout saying that Jones had/has a slider speed bat...

Yeah, a quick bat was always one of his selling points if I recall.

[El Gordo]

Not to nitpick, but I really don't remember any scout saying that Jones had/has a slider speed bat...

I believe that was Wieters, the big bust.

[El Gordo]

6/85 is betting AJ is a 3.1 WAR player over the course of the contract. I think that's a pretty good bet.

[malkusm]

6/85 is betting AJ is a 3.1 WAR player over the course of the contract. I think that's a pretty good bet.

Funny you should say that - that's where his ZiPS projection has him for the remainder of this season, according to Fangraphs.

[ledzepp8]

Well, I don't personally like deals that "aren't that bad". I prefer good ones.

I think you'd be hard pressed to find a long term extension or big money free agent deal that didn't end up being an overpayment. Even if the Orioles slightly overpay for Nick Markakis, it will be worth it in the grand scheme of things. Look at his 2008 season. The Orioles paid him $0.5m and got $28.4m worth of value. Look at ARod. The last time he was worth his salary was 2008, the first year of his extension. He's got six years left on his contract and he's been worth $53.5m the last three seasons even though he got paid $95m. That's a bad contract, not Nick Markakis being worth $2m less than he's been paid over the past three seasons.

[Can_of_corn]

I think you'd be hard pressed to find a long term extension or big money free agent deal that didn't end up being an overpayment. Even if the Orioles slightly overpay for Nick Markakis, it will be worth it in the grand scheme of things. Look at his 2008 season. The Orioles paid him $0.5m and got $28.4m worth of value. Look at ARod. The last time he was worth his salary was 2008, the first year of his extension. He's got six years left on his contract and he's been worth $53.5m the last three seasons even though he got paid $95m. That's a bad contract, not Nick Markakis being worth $2m less than he's been paid over the past three seasons.

Longoria has already provided value to cover his entire contract. Weaver signed what should be a very team friendly deal last season. The Wakefield deal was a steal for the Red Sox.

Examples do exist.

[backwardsk]

Big fan of the extension. Love Jones. Nice work, DD. Great trade MacPhail. Thanks Bedard for being good enough to bring back the talent.

[jtschrei]

I was for trading Jones in the off-season. But, I did not see this coming: a major decline from the Red Sox (many people thought they had the best team in MLB going into the year... and they still might get there.), a decline from the Yankees, not as much growth from the Blue Jays, and the Longoria injury. I also did not see the Orioles bullpen coming or Jason Hammel. I mean, WHO SAW THIS COMING!?!?!

So, things have changed for the organization where we can possibly win much sooner than any of us realized. If we were mired in last place and Jones was doing what he's doing this year, we'd all be talking about which prospects we could get for Jones.

But now that we're winning and have a chance to keep winning (I believe that... and I think DD obviously believes it), it makes little sense to not extend Jones. I mean, if Jones has a monster year, then has a decent year next year in his contract year, we wouldn't be resigning him and we would either trade him or take the draft picks. The effect of that on Matt Wieters would be catastrophic... and it's not like you have a plethora of OFs in the minors... Avery is unproven and this would put alot of pressure on Reimold... who has showed he can't stay healthy.

I thought we should trade Jones for ML ready prospects. And I think DD would have... but the right deal was not out there. I still don't think the right deal is out there. If we traded Jones or let him go for the draft picks, it would put us in perpetual rebuild mode... and why would we do that when we could possibly put together a real winner if things work out.

I'm just very doubtful that we could ever turn into the Rays 2.0.... which is what all you don't overpay people want us to become. We're so far away from being what the Rays are. We have to forge our own path and I see DD doing it. This is the right move.

[waroriole]

I was for trading Jones in the off-season. But, I did not see this coming: a major decline from the Red Sox (many people thought they had the best team in MLB going into the year... and they still might get there.), a decline from the Yankees, not as much growth from the Blue Jays, and the Longoria injury. I also did not see the Orioles bullpen coming or Jason Hammel. I mean, WHO SAW THIS COMING!?!?!

Not so fast. They're playing much better, and I think they'll be there at the end of the year, possibly ahead of the MFY. The Blue Jays might be playing the best baseball of anyone in the East. They have the best Run Differential by a pretty wide margin.

[Salisbury OsFan]

Not so fast. They're playing much better, and I think they'll be there at the end of the year, possibly ahead of the MFY. The Blue Jays might be playing the best baseball of anyone in the East. They have the best Run Differential by a pretty wide margin.

Judging by the standings, the Os are playing the best baseball. Run differential doesn't win divisions.

[Hooded Viper]

When the hell is this deal going to be official??

[crissfan172]

Not so fast. They're playing much better, and I think they'll be there at the end of the year, possibly ahead of the MFY. The Blue Jays might be playing the best baseball of anyone in the East. They have the best Run Differential by a pretty wide margin.

Well...they're losing 14-1 tonight to the Rangers, so I wouldn't worry too much about it, especially considering what Texas did to our run differential.

[Frobby]

6/$85mm sounds a bit rich to me, but I will still be happy about it. Jones is a hard worker who shows a lot of pride in his game and always wants to improve. That goes a long way with me. I hope he continues to hit as he has so far this year, and this deal will look like a bargain.

[Hallas]

6/$85mm sounds a bit rich to me, but I will still be happy about it. Jones is a hard worker who shows a lot of pride in his game and always wants to improve. That goes a long way with me. I hope he continues to hit as he has so far this year, and this deal will look like a bargain.

I have this twisted scenario in my head where Jones ends up having a ridiculous career year this year and then goes back to being a 3-ish win player the rest of the contract. Probably not realistic, but I could see it happening.

Of course, if he goes off for an MVP season this year then, assuming our pitching holds up, we're probably printing tickets in mid-October, so I doubt anyone complains.