Adam Jones returning? Unlikely, but would it be bad?

[MemorialStadKid]

Forgive me if this has already been shared: 

SOURCE:  https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/adam-jones

Quote

In terms of name value, Adam Jones ranks among the majors’ most prominent free agents, thanks to a successful 11-year run with the Orioles. Jones is coming off a below-average season, though, and as a 33-year-old corner outfielder whose best days as a hitter and defender are gone, he hasn’t drawn much reported interest in free agency. But there’s at least a glimmer of a chance the longtime Baltimore fan favorite will end up back with the Orioles, Joe Trezza of MLB.comrelays. Asked Saturday about the possibility of re-signing Jones, rookie general manager Mike Elias said, “I don’t think anything is a dead issue,” and added the Orioles are “monitoring everything.” At the same time, however, Elias suggested the rebuilding club may continue to avoid major league free agency, as it has done so far this winter. Should that prove to be the case, it seems likely to rule out a return for Jones, who figures to command a big league deal.

 

Interesting answer. Not a "no" but also not an endorsement of the concept. 

Would it be bad for AJ to return to be an additional veteran presence on a modest 1-year-deal? Maybe trade him at the deadline if he's on fire or let him finish his final year saying a proper goodbye to Baltimore if he falls below-average? 

What say you? 

MSK 

 

[Enjoy Terror]

Adam Jones never seemed like he was in the mood to be anything other than a well paid everyday center fielder, and I don’t think that he can any of those three things in Baltimore. Just my opinion.

[panick]

Let him find another team.

It's time for the O's to move forward. Having Jones on the team does nothing to move forward. There is supposed to be a rebuild going on and Jones would just delay it. It's bad enough that the O's are still stuck with Davis and Trumbo. This year should be about finding players that can help the O's in the future. Jones is not one of them and it would be stupid to sign him just so he can have a proper good-bye.

[MemorialStadKid]

9 minutes ago, Enjoy Terror said:

Adam Jones never seemed like he was in the mood to be anything other than a well paid everyday center fielder, and I don’t think that he can any of those three things in Baltimore. Just my opinion.

Can't argue that. 

It would be great if he could take a reduced role at a reasonable rate. It would be nice to see him play another year while being a mentor to the really young guys. 

MSK

 

[Can_of_corn]

12 minutes ago, MemorialStadKid said:

Forgive me if this has already been shared: 

SOURCE:  https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/adam-jones

 

Interesting answer. Not a "no" but also not an endorsement of the concept. 

Would it be bad for AJ to return to be an additional veteran presence on a modest 1-year-deal? Maybe trade him at the deadline if he's on fire or let him finish his final year saying a proper goodbye to Baltimore if he falls below-average? 

What say you? 

MSK 

 

Yes, trade him.  How did that work last season?  What makes you think he would accept a trade this time?

[Frobby]

I think Adam Jones still has some good baseball left in him, but he’s not really a good fit for our team right now.    And I still think he’ll command $6 mm+.    The market is moving incredibly slowly this year, but I think we’ll still see some decent contracts signed by guys as spring training approaches.   

[Morgan423]

Besides what others have said in this thread, I really like AJ and would be super happy to see him be able to chase further success and possibly a ring.  For the next three seasons (at a minimum), we are not the team to do that with.

[wildcard]

18 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I think Adam Jones still has some good baseball left in him, but he’s not really a good fit for our team right now.    And I still think he’ll command $6 mm+.    The market is moving incredibly slowly this year, but I think we’ll still see some decent contracts signed by guys as spring training approaches.   

Definitely a long shot to sign  with the O's.  6M is probably above of the O's  spending range.   But if he falls to 4m it begins to get interesting.  At that price he is probably a good fit and allows the O's to give Hays a full season in the high minors the way Houston did with George Springer.

[Moose Milligan]

I said late last year that he'd be a ST invite and a bunch of people laughed at me.  

I'm not saying I'm correct, but that's now a distinct possibility.

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Moose Milligan said:

I said late last year that he'd be a ST invite and a bunch of people laughed at me.  

I'm not saying I'm correct, but that's now a distinct possibility.

It's always been a distinct possibility.

The market is death for players like Jones.

[BohKnowsBmore]

57 minutes ago, Enjoy Terror said:

Adam Jones never seemed like he was in the mood to be anything other than a well paid everyday center fielder, and I don’t think that he can any of those three things in Baltimore. Just my opinion.

Most players of Jones's talent aren't if they can help it.

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, BohKnowsBmore said:

Most players of Jones's talent aren't if they can help it.

You think Jones' current talent level is that of a starting everyday center fielder?

[LookinUp]

59 minutes ago, Enjoy Terror said:

Adam Jones never seemed like he was in the mood to be anything other than a well paid everyday center fielder, and I don’t think that he can any of those three things in Baltimore. Just my opinion.

I'd wager that Adam knows he's no longer going to be playing center field. I think he thinks he's still going to play most days and be paid pretty well. I'm guessing neither of those things fits in with our plans, but you never know. He certainly doesn't seem to fit the model of financial efficiency that Houston employed.

[El Gordo]

Jones could fit for a year or until we develop a young RF.  Depends on how much he costs. Could be surprisingly cheap.

[jjnono]

7 minutes ago, El Gordo said:

Jones could fit for a year or until we develop a young RF.  Depends on how much he costs. Could be surprisingly cheap.

I would use Carlos Gonzalez's contract last year with the Rockies as a measuring stick for what Adam could rightly expect from the Os in '19, if it came down to that: an incentive-laden ($3M) one-year deal for $5MM. This was often reported as an $8MM deal primarily because the incentives were reachable, but only $5MM was guaranteed.