Better Athlete in Baltimore: Adam Jones or Joe Flacco?
By Joe Serpico
The FanSided Network has recently teamed up with 120 Sports, a video company which provides fans with different highlights and analysis than many of the leaders in the sports industry. One of the most recent videos that they released was titled “Better Player in Baltimore?” In this clip, they debate which guy is the better: the Baltimore Orioles Adam Jones or Baltimore Ravens Joe Flacco.
Debating these two is extremely difficult. It’s hard to compare numbers between the two players due to the fact they play different sports. Each has done everything right since arriving in Baltimore. They are both the unquestioned leaders of their teams. They are winning games and each has been a part of the two teams embracing each other with outstanding support.
The debate for Jones is that he plays terrific defense and is fantastic at the plate as well. The only knock on Jones is the strikeout rate, but his aggressiveness at the plate is what makes him unique. He has shown more discipline at the plate this season, and is worthy of another All-Star selection. It remains to be seen if he does earn that recognition because Kansas City Royals fans have ruined the voting process, but that’s a topic for a different day.
Flacco gets a lot of heat because his calm approach aggravates some fans. There is constant chatter about whether he really is one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL, but what you cannot argue is the man is a winner. It is Flacco who has brought a championship to Baltimore, and his play that postseason was phenomenal. The Ravens have never had a losing season with Flacco running the show.
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I am going to have to say Jones is the better player for many of the same reasons that the two commentators touched on. Flacco’s greatest strength is his deep ball and being clutch when it matters most, but other than that he doesn’t really wow you with his play. Flacco is one of the top-10 players at his position in the NFL, but he is not in the same stratosphere as Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees or Russell Wilson.
Jones excels at everything in baseball. He has shown us time and time again his defense is one of the best in the business. He does everything well at the plate. He has good speed on the base paths. His work ethic is next to none and there is no one in the clubhouse with the same persona. Jones has proven that he is in the same class as elite outfielders Yasiel Puig, Andrew McCutchen and Mike Trout.
If Flacco was to get injured, Matt Schaub could fill the void because he has terrific talent all around him. The Ravens have enjoyed constant success because they excel at reloading whenever necessary. That remains to be seen for the Orioles. The past few years have been fun for Baltimore fans, but we haven’t seen a decade of continuous success. Take Jones out of the lineup, and the Orioles are in trouble.
That is why Adam Jones is the better player in Baltimore. His emergence has helped push the Orioles back into the spotlight. His ability to contribute in all aspects of the game make him an elite player. The same cannot be said for Joe Flacco.
Who do you think is the better player in Baltimore? Be part of the debate by commenting below!