Baltimore Orioles: Is Orioles’ Adam Jones still the premiere center fielder in AL East?
By Nate Wardle
2. Baltimore Orioles
Orioles’ CFs – Adam Jones, Joey Rickard, Michael Bourn, Aneury Tavarez
The Baltimore Orioles center field pick is toughest to defend each year, but I know it is justified. Adam Jones is a better center fielder than the others below him on this list.
No, he doesn’t have Ellsbury’s speed. Yes, the sabermetrics rate him terribly defensively, although his four Gold Gloves don’t agree.
Jones is a five-time All-Star.
In 2016, he hit .265/.310/.436 with 29 HRs, 19 2Bs, 83 RBIs and 86 runs. The batting average is slightly below his career average of .277, but he is probably more like a .260-.270 hitter at this point. His doubles were also below his average, but Jones was dealing with a few injuries in 2016.
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The defensive metrics, as I said, never look at Jones favorably. His dWAR was -0.6 (never better than 1.0 in his career), his range factor is near the league average, his total fielding runs above average was 0, and his defensive runs saved was -10. While there has been talking about Jones playing deeper, Buck Showalter will let his star play where he wants to, although all parties admit they have talked significantly about defensive positioning.
The battle for the backup spot appears to be headed toward Rickard, especially with Bourn’s broken finger, but as I discussed in left field, a long way to go there.