Jones Bases Loaded Drop

[Il BuonO]

Agreed with an earlier posted, it was a fluke drop.

Here's exactly how I think Adam Jones played it, and I can blame him for doing so.

It's a 2-0 count with the bases loaded. You know he's going to get a fastball in a bases loaded situation. Adam was playing about medium to slightly deep center field. He's known for playing shallow.

It's cold. It's rainy. The wind is blowing in as evidenced by Steve Pearce's warning track hit (on a non windy night or a warm night that ball is a 2 run homer).

So, what kind of hit was it off Vernon Wells bat? I think Adam heard it, knew it was a 2-0 count, and thought a hard hit/line drive all the way. You can tell the ball was hit very hard by ending up in the deepest part of the stadium on the warning track. After it was hit, he immediately broke back and had a good route and break to the ball. I believe the ball probably got caught up a bit in the wind and killed the arc on it causing Jones to close his glove earlier than he should have.

Long story short, Jones broke to it with the proper route and reached up as if it was a line drive to deep center...but it ended up being a bit lazy of a fly ball at the end of it due to the wind and the conditions (cold, rainy) which tripped him up at the end. It was in his glove, but only came out because he closed too early thinking it was coming down harder than it really was.

Your repetition of this statement does not make it so.

Wells is a RHB who hit the ball to straightaway center. The ball is going to break which way off his bat? The spin will take it toward right center field. Yet, if you watch the replay Jones takes a straight line. Straight lines are bad on anything except line drives because once taken and you have misjudged it's too late to make up any ground. It's better to create an arc. For Jones on that play imagine he takes a drop step with his right foot and runs a slight arc towards the fence with his first few steps seeing initially how far he has and then turning to pick the ball back up in flight.

If you watch him at the end he is coasting. By that time it IS too late for him to get around the ball properly. He knows no other way, but his technique is sorely lacking and the conditions btw, were that way for the whole game. They didn't just affect the ball he dropped. He should have factored that into any balls hit out there.

He has the speed to get behind balls. He doesn't and that's a shame with all his ability.

I've never questioned his desire or hustle. In fact last week I was defending him, but a GG does not set a standard for excellent OF play. I see many others whom I consider better defensive center fielders than Jones. He is what he is, we take the good with the bad.

[slakattack]

Does Strop's crooked hat cause him to be wild at times? I see Patton's hat isn't centered either. Does Nicky's tobacco cause him to lose a step in RF? Does Davis' gum cause him to lose concentration at 1B? Do sunflower seeds cause Manny to run into triple plays?

[ChuckS]

Absolutely. Look, I have no problem with the missed ball. The bubble is the issue. It's a "look at me" thing that needs to stop.

No one should be blowing a bubble as they do something requiring that kind of concentration. It's bad baseball. Period.

I agree that the bubble blowing is a problem, but so is the poor route. Gliding to the ball and trying to make an over the shoulder catch rather than running to the spot and getting under it, is just as big of an issue. I can't believe there are people that want to give him a pass on any aspect of it. If this was an isolated incident, fine.....but we are seeing a pattern of lackadaisical play form Adam leading to unnecessary errors.

[LookitsPuck]

Great summary EXCEPT you miss the obvious part which everyone can see on the replay, that he took his eye off the ball before it went in his glove. His focus was on the wall and where he was and he took his eye off the ball too soon. Pretty simple and that's why he closed his glove too soon.

The wind played a huge part in that play.

I've watched the video about 20 times, he doesn't his eye off the ball....I think he just squeezed too early and then was about to brace for the wall. It's a difference of milliseconds that caused an unfortunate outcome.

[Hooded Viper]

Absolutely. Look, I have no problem with the missed ball. The bubble is the issue. It's a "look at me" thing that needs to stop.

No one should be blowing a bubble as they do something requiring that kind of concentration. It's bad baseball. Period.

Jesus, give me a break! It is just a reflex! If you think he is doing it for attention then you are wrong! He nonchalantly went after the ball and f'd up! Was anyone *****ing at the kid when he had the game winning hit last night? NO! He screwed up and I guarantee it won't happen again! To make anything more out of it is ridiculous!

[LookitsPuck]

Your repetition of this statement does not make it so.

Wells is a RHB who hit the ball to straightaway center. The ball is going to break which way off his bat? The spin will take it toward right center field. Yet, if you watch the replay Jones takes a straight line. Straight lines are bad on anything except line drives because once taken and you have misjudged it's too late to make up any ground. It's better to create an arc. For Jones on that play imagine he takes a drop step with his right foot and runs a slight arc towards the fence with his first few steps seeing initially how far he has and then turning to pick the ball back up in flight.

If you watch him at the end he is coasting. By that time it IS too late for him to get around the ball properly. He knows no other way, but his technique is sorely lacking and the conditions btw, were that way for the whole game. They didn't just affect the ball he dropped. He should have factored that into any balls hit out there.

He has the speed to get behind balls. He doesn't and that's a shame with all his ability.

I've never questioned his desire or hustle. In fact last week I was defending him, but a GG does not set a standard for excellent OF play. I see many others whom I consider better defensive center fielders than Jones. He is what he is, we take the good with the bad.

All of this is good and fine, but that ball's direction changes slightly at the end due to how hard and far it was hit into windy conditions in a stadium that is known to play with the trajectory of a ball. In normal conditions, I may give you the benefit of the doubt here, but I can't.

[eddie83]

Your repetition of this statement does not make it so.

Wells is a RHB who hit the ball to straightaway center. The ball is going to break which way off his bat? The spin will take it toward right center field. Yet, if you watch the replay Jones takes a straight line. Straight lines are bad on anything except line drives because once taken and you have misjudged it's too late to make up any ground. It's better to create an arc. For Jones on that play imagine he takes a drop step with his right foot and runs a slight arc towards the fence with his first few steps seeing initially how far he has and then turning to pick the ball back up in flight.

If you watch him at the end he is coasting. By that time it IS too late for him to get around the ball properly. He knows no other way, but his technique is sorely lacking and the conditions btw, were that way for the whole game. They didn't just affect the ball he dropped. He should have factored that into any balls hit out there.

He has the speed to get behind balls. He doesn't and that's a shame with all his ability.

I've never questioned his desire or hustle. In fact last week I was defending him, but a GG does not set a standard for excellent OF play. I see many others whom I consider better defensive center fielders than Jones. He is what he is, we take the good with the bad.

I have never thought that Jones is a GG outfielder but I do think he is solid. With that being said you keep saying that the ball would have a tail to it, that ball was dead center. That was about as straight as a ball can be it. He is a right handed player, if he goes towards RC he would of had to have turn back towards the ball to reach across his body. To me that ball was more of a line drive than a fly ball, that ball was hit pretty hard.

[murph]

He does seem to try to make things look too easy sometimes and should just get back and catch the ball. With that said, he got back there and took his eyes off the ball. It was a huge mistake, but with the way our pitching had been going I was questioning Buck's decision to intentionally walk a batter with two outs.

Disclaimer: Have not read the thread past this post.

This. He looked away at the last moment. Hot dogging? I don't know, I think more of overly confident. Anyone who has played some type of ball has done this.... "oh I got this, no worries", then oops the ball is gone. Worse feeling in the world and I agree with crissfan...inexcusable....at this level. I think Jones has had enough of these embarrassing moments this year that he will work through them and eliminate them.

[LookitsPuck]

I have never thought that Jones is a GG outfielder but I do think he is solid. With that being said you keep saying that the ball would have a tail to it, that ball was dead center. That was about as straight as a ball can be it. He is a right handed player, if he goes towards RC he would of had to have turn back towards the ball to reach across his body. To me that ball was more of a line drive than a fly ball, that ball was hit pretty hard.

Agreed. It ended up 400 ft from home plate with the wind blowing in towards home plate causing it to tail slightly to the right.

Personally I think that ball is caught 99 times out of 100 if that wind isn't blowing the way it is.

[Gurgi]

Remember when Adam used to play centerfield like two steps behind the second base? He kept having balls go into the gap that he looked straight up awful and out of position. The media asked him if anyone had told him to play deeper and if they did ask him would he do so. He said no they had not and no he didnt think even if they asked that he would. Maybe two freaking years later he finally plays deep. The guy is stubborn about being the best. Someone told him the Orioles best centerfield used to play real shallow. He being very young and confident figured he could play that shallow also and that it would just come to him finally. Well it didnt.

Now I think he just likes being the guy who blows bubbles while making GG catches. Thats just what he wants. And it will likely take many, many more lost games to sink into his head that he should just stop. If he ever does.

No one will tell him because Buck has to measure how much would it gain him to try to force Jones to do something he doesnt want to. Jones would likely pout and perhaps become a negative in the clubhouse. So given this situation the Orioles will just keep their mouths shut and take all the occasional boneheaded bubble error because they want him to be happy and he does sooooo much that is very positive. That is the situation.

[WarehouseChatter]

It was an inexcusable drop (as said above). The gum has nothing to do with it. I don't think he consciously blows bubbles when catching the ball. He just does it on instinct. The drop was due to him nonchalantly dropping back on the ball and being half turned instead of sprinting back and getting into proper position. That said, 90% of major leaguers don't sprint back and get into perfect position. It's done. It's over. Let's move on.

[LookitsPuck]

You do realize how deep he was playing on that ball, right? If he's playing shallow, nobody gets to that ball. He was playing medium (maybe ever so slightly deep) depth (as he should).

[Il BuonO]

I have never thought that Jones is a GG outfielder but I do think he is solid. With that being said you keep saying that the ball would have a tail to it, that ball was dead center. That was about as straight as a ball can be it. He is a right handed player, if he goes towards RC he would of had to have turn back towards the ball to reach across his body. To me that ball was more of a line drive than a fly ball, that ball was hit pretty hard.

Not saying he should go towards RC, what I'm saying is that Jones never gets set up behind the ball when he has the time. Wherever he picks up the ball there should be an arc, and with his speed he should have enough time to get back on that play in better position. At the end of that play he was not running full speed he was slowing down. If that's so then he had time to run at full speed before the ball came down and get in position behind it.

[slakattack]

The lacidasical play (at times) and the overly aggressive AB's in the ALDS and even the over the top lies in the face are all part of Adam Jones' maturation as a player and a man. REMEMBER, when the O's got him he was a totally undisciplined, raw talent kid blowing bubbles. I remember calling him "double bubble" and thinking "man, he could be a superstar someday if he can grow up some". He is, he is a work in progress.

[LookitsPuck]

Not saying he should go towards RC, what I'm saying is that Jones never gets set up behind the ball when he has the time. Wherever he picks up the ball there should be an arc, and with his speed he should have enough time to get back on that play in better position. At the end of that play he was not running full speed he was slowing down. If that's so then he had time to run at full speed before the ball came down and get in position behind it.

20/20, man. 20/20.

He slowed down at the end just because he overran it...most likely due to the wind.

Yes, he drives people like you crazy who expect OF'ers to always use two hands and set themselves to facing the ball...but Jones makes a ton of those over the shoulder catches. That wind screwed with it severely, IMHO.