Jones Bases Loaded Drop

[OrioleParkatWrigley]

You can see he took his eyes off it just as it hits the glove. Remember kids, you gotta look the ball ALL THE WAY in. Bubble gum had nothing to do with it.

[MikeAD]

He needs to start using two hands to make catches. He always leaves his right hand down at this side.

OMG Are you serious? Jesus. He was blowing a bubble when he blew a game changing play? After going 0-4? LMAO.

At least it would have looked cool if he had caught it....

[OrioleParkatWrigley]

And from that replay it looks like he was worried about the wall fast approaching. That's what the other hand is for in this situation; just reach out for the wall and make the catch.

[Scrat1]

You can see he took his eyes off it just as it hits the glove. Remember kids, you gotta look the ball ALL THE WAY in. Bubble gum had nothing to do with it.

Exactly this. Can't believe people get so bent out of shape about the bubble thing. It's entirely unconscious. He's not thinking: "I'm going to blow this bubble right as I catch it and look awesome!"

It was a lapse in focus. These things happen, even to good players. Would be nice, however, if he'd stayed focused during such a critical part of the game.

Also, when a player is tracking backwards, he's not going to use both hands. Just doesn't make sense.

[ChuckS]

And you could say he "won" us at least one game, just yesterday with the rbi double in the 7th to plate the O's go-ahead and winning run.

You are correct, but the play (misplay) is still inexcusable.

[isestrex]

1. Jones has always played like this. It drives fundamental coaches crazy. I've heard little league coaches say "don't catch like Adam Jones" (like they used to say about Brady Anderson btw). Jones will handle routine fly balls by casually backhanding it. Brady used to bring his glove down almost to his waist and catch most fly balls at his side (instead of settling right under it). The drop tonight was a fluke drop, but it's made to look a lot uglier because of the poor outfield fundamentals.

2. I believe that the bubble gum has absolutely nothing to do with it. It's not intentional, it's completely instinctual. There are thousands of people from Michael Jordan to my kid brother that stick out their tongue at the exact instant of a difficult play. They don't think about - most don't even know they are doing it - it just happens naturally. For Adam, it's blowing gum. For people to say "it was all because of that gum" or "he blew that gum on purpose right as he was making the catch" is assuming a lot without a proper understanding of human idiosyncrasies. Like the poor fundamentals, it just makes the play look worse, it doesn't mean that the bubble gum influenced the catch in anyway.

3. The real issue with the drop were the two walks and hit batter before it. If this error is committed with less than two outs and only a runner on first, there isn't nearly the impact or subsequent uproar. It was Jones' fault he made the error but it wasn't Jones's fault he cost them the game with that that play. On a cold day with the ball having no pop to it, the last thing pitchers should have done was awarded free passes. Sabathia understood that, the Orioles' pitchers couldn't control it. Gonzalez's 5 walks impacted the game far more than that dropped ball.

[tinamodotti]

Remember kids, you gotta look the ball ALL THE WAY in.

Look it in WITH TWO HANDS! If AJ stops his feet and raises his right hand, he's ready to grab the carom off the heel. He almost NEVER uses two hands. They teach you in little league, keep your non-glove hand directly behind your glove when catching a fly ball.

[Gurgi]

Exactly this. Can't believe people get so bent out of shape about the bubble thing. It's entirely unconscious. He's not thinking: "I'm going to blow this bubble right as I catch it and look awesome!"

It was a lapse in focus. These things happen, even to good players. Would be nice, however, if he'd stayed focused during such a critical part of the game.

Come on you know he blows the bubbles intentionally. His line that it is subconscious is not true. He wants to be great and he wants to look cool being great. However he would be greater if he he got bubble less gum.

[Tbone83]

And you could say he "won" us at least one game, just yesterday with the rbi double in the 7th to plate the O's go-ahead and winning run.

I don't think anyone here is giving up on AJ. We all love him, but this and, to a lesser extent, the play in the Twins game, just can't happen so regularly. I suppose you could add in the play in the ALDS, too. Gold glovers do not screw up in big spots with such regularity.

[tinamodotti]

it wasn't Jones's fault he cost them the game with that that play.

I disagree. It is directly his fault. You can't have good pitching without good defense. Pitchers aren't going to K every guy, they need their outfield to catch fly balls. If your fielders can't catch routine flies then your pitching staff is entirely irrelevant.

[Scrat1]

1. Jones has always played like this. It drives fundamental coaches crazy. I've heard little league coaches say "don't catch like Adam Jones" (like they used to say about Brady Anderson btw). Jones will handle routine fly balls by casually backhanding it. Brady used to bring his glove down almost to his waist and catch most fly balls at his side (instead of settling right under it). The drop tonight was a fluke drop, but it's made to look a lot uglier because of the poor outfield fundamentals.

2. I believe that the bubble gum has absolutely nothing to do with it. It's not intentional, it's completely instinctual. There are thousands of people from Michael Jordan to my kid brother that stick out their tongue at the exact instant of a difficult play. They don't think about - most don't even know they are doing it - it just happens naturally. For Adam, it's blowing gum. For people to say "it was all because of that gum" or "he blew that gum on purpose right as he was making the catch" is assuming a lot without a proper understanding of human idiosyncrasies. Like the poor fundamentals, it just makes the play look worse, it doesn't mean that the bubble gum influenced the catch in anyway.

3. The real issue with the drop were the two walks and hit batter before it. If this error is committed with less than two outs and only a runner on first, there isn't nearly the impact or subsequent uproar. It was Jones' fault he made the error but it wasn't Jones's fault he cost them the game with that that play. On a cold day with the ball having no pop to it, the last thing pitchers should have done was awarded free passes. Sabathia understood that, the Orioles' pitchers couldn't control it. Gonzalez's 5 walks impacted the game far more than that dropped ball.

Excellent post.

[clapdiddy]

Jones will man up and take the the deserved heat for that play, but you can't be doing that stuff. I know it's only one game, but Buck says that "one game in April is just as important as one in September".

[Gurgi]

Your tongue is attached to your body. The gum is flair. Like Jazz hands.

[tinamodotti]

Come on you know he blows the bubbles intentionally. His line that it is subconscious is not true. He wants to be great and he wants to look cool being great. However he would be greater if he he got bubble less gum.

I'm not sure if you are being sarcastic or not....but it is definitely 100% subconscious. I've seen him blow bubbles while sprinting full speed down the 1B line. Do you consciously chew every single bite of your food while enjoying a meal? "Ok, I'm going to grind my teeth on this hotdog. Another grind. Another grind. I need to grind it some more...."

[clapdiddy]

Excellent post.

Seconded...and repped.