Adam Jones (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Adam La Marque Jones is a Major League Baseball
center fielder
for the Baltimore Orioles
. Jones was born and raised in San Diego, California
where he starred at Samuel F. B. Morse High School
. He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 draft
by the Seattle Mariners
. He came up the Mariners' minor league system before being traded to the Orioles before the 2008 season.
his stepfather, Kenneth, took him to a Padres game after which, he started to gain an interest in the sport. He picked up the sport very quickly and went on to star on his high school team at Morse. Adam graduated in 2003 after leading his high school team as both a pitcher and a shortstop. During his senior season he batted .406, hit four home runs and batted in 27 runs. On the mound, Jones posted a record of three wins and three losses, while posting a 2.71 ERA.
with the 37th pick of the Major League Baseball Draft
as a shortstop
/right-handed pitcher
. Most experts believed Seattle wanted to use him as a pitcher, but Jones said he would prefer to play every day and was made the shortstop of the Mariners' rookie league affiliate. A few years later when the Mariners acquired Yuniesky Betancourt
, they asked Jones if he would move to the outfield and he agreed.
to replace the injured Jeremy Reed
. On August 10, 2006, he hit his first major league home run against Adam Eaton
of the Texas Rangers
.
On August 3, , Jones returned to the majors for the first time on the season, starting in right field against the Red Sox
. He went 2 for 4 and scored the go-ahead run in thee 7–4 victory.
along with left-handed reliever George Sherrill
and minor league pitchers Kam Mickolio
, Chris Tillman
, and Tony Butler for the left-handed starting pitcher Érik Bédard
.
in 1945). On September 21, 2008, Jones hit the final triple at Yankee Stadium in the second inning off Andy Pettitte
and later scored the first run of the game.
Jones finished his first season with the Orioles batting .270 to go along with 9 home runs, 57 RBI and 10 stolen bases. He ranked 11th in the major leagues with 7 triples.
on July 5. In the game, he drove in Curtis Granderson
on a sacrifice fly for the winning run in the American League
's 4–3 victory.
The second half wasn't as kind to Jones though and in August, he sprained his left ankle and missed the end of the 2009 season. He finished the season with a .277 batting average, 19 homers, 70 RBI and 10 stolen bases. He tied for 5th among major league center fielders
with 9 outfield assists.
In November, he was awarded a Gold Glove for his defensive play.
, he hit his then career high 20th home run
of the season. The home run came with two men on base. Jones also added a fourth RBI later in the game to give him his first career four RBI game.
In 2011, Jones led the major leagues in sacrifice flies, with 12, and led all AL outfielders in errors, with 8.
Cornerback
Adam "Pacman" Jones, who has had numerous brushes with the law.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
for the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. Jones was born and raised in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
where he starred at Samuel F. B. Morse High School
Samuel F. B. Morse High School
Samuel F. B. Morse High School, also called Morse High School or simply Morse, is an urban public high school located in southeastern San Diego in the neighborhood of Skyline Hills serving grades 9-12 in the American K-12 education system. Named after inventor Samuel Finley Breese Morse, it first...
. He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 draft
2003 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 3 and 4. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.Source: -First round selections:...
by the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
. He came up the Mariners' minor league system before being traded to the Orioles before the 2008 season.
Early Life
Jones was born in San Diego, California, the son of Andrea, who raised Adam and his older brother alone until he was five. As a child, Adam excelled at both football and basketball and did not pick up a baseball bat until he was twelve. In 19971997 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Florida Marlins over Cleveland Indians ; Liván Hernández, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Marquis Grissom**American League Division Series*National League Championship Series MVP: Liván Hernández...
his stepfather, Kenneth, took him to a Padres game after which, he started to gain an interest in the sport. He picked up the sport very quickly and went on to star on his high school team at Morse. Adam graduated in 2003 after leading his high school team as both a pitcher and a shortstop. During his senior season he batted .406, hit four home runs and batted in 27 runs. On the mound, Jones posted a record of three wins and three losses, while posting a 2.71 ERA.
Seattle Mariners
He was originally drafted by the Seattle MarinersSeattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
with the 37th pick of the Major League Baseball Draft
2003 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 3 and 4. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.Source: -First round selections:...
as a shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
/right-handed pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. Most experts believed Seattle wanted to use him as a pitcher, but Jones said he would prefer to play every day and was made the shortstop of the Mariners' rookie league affiliate. A few years later when the Mariners acquired Yuniesky Betancourt
Yuniesky Betancourt
Yuniesky Betancourt is a Major League Baseball shortstop. He resides in Boca Raton, Florida.-Cuban leagues:...
, they asked Jones if he would move to the outfield and he agreed.
2006/07
On July 12, , he was called up to the MarinersSeattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
to replace the injured Jeremy Reed
Jeremy Reed
Jeremy Thomas Reed is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent.Reed graduated from Bonita High School in 1999, and went on to play college baseball at Long Beach State University...
. On August 10, 2006, he hit his first major league home run against Adam Eaton
Adam Eaton
Adam Thomas Eaton is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.-High school:Eaton graduated from Snohomish High School in 1996 where he went 8–0 with a 0.67 earned run average as a senior, and earned second team High School All-America honors from Baseball America. Ranked the No...
of the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
.
On August 3, , Jones returned to the majors for the first time on the season, starting in right field against the Red Sox
2007 Boston Red Sox season
The Boston Red Sox' 2007 season began with the Boston, Massachusetts-based Major League Baseball team trying to rebound after a disappointing 2006 season, in which they finished third in the American League East behind the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays, and missed the postseason for...
. He went 2 for 4 and scored the go-ahead run in thee 7–4 victory.
Baltimore Orioles
On February 8, , Jones was traded to the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
along with left-handed reliever George Sherrill
George Sherrill
George Friederich Sherrill , also known as "The Brim Reaper", "Flat Breezy", and "Duckbill" , is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher, who is a free agent-College and independent baseball:Sherrill was not drafted after graduating from Austin Peay State...
and minor league pitchers Kam Mickolio
Kam Mickolio
Kameron Kraig 'Kam' Mickolio is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball.-Amateur career:...
, Chris Tillman
Chris Tillman
Christopher Steven Tillman is a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles. According to Baseball America, he was Baltimore's second best prospect, behind only Matt Wieters....
, and Tony Butler for the left-handed starting pitcher Érik Bédard
Erik Bedard
Érik Joseph Bédard is a free agent Canadian professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball.Bédard previously pitched for the Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners. With Baltimore, he was the staff ace, setting the franchise single-season strikeouts per nine innings record at 10.93 in...
.
2008
On July 28, 2008, Jones became the second player ever to hit a triple and a grand slam in the same game as a visitor to Yankee Stadium(the first was Pat SeereyPat Seerey
James Patrick Seerey was an American outfielder and right-handed batter in Major League Baseball. He played for the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago White Sox....
in 1945). On September 21, 2008, Jones hit the final triple at Yankee Stadium in the second inning off Andy Pettitte
Andy Pettitte
Andrew Eugene Pettitte is a retired American left-handed Major League Baseball starting pitcher.In his major league career, he played for the New York Yankees from 1995–2003. He then signed with the Houston Astros, and played for them from 2004 through 2006. In 2007, Pettitte rejoined the Yankees...
and later scored the first run of the game.
Jones finished his first season with the Orioles batting .270 to go along with 9 home runs, 57 RBI and 10 stolen bases. He ranked 11th in the major leagues with 7 triples.
2009
After a strong start to the season, Jones was selected to represent Baltimore in the 2009 All Star Game2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 80th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 14, 2009, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, the home of the...
on July 5. In the game, he drove in Curtis Granderson
Curtis Granderson
Curtis Granderson is an American Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. Before joining the Yankees in 2010, he played with the Detroit Tigers . A center fielder, Granderson is known for being a five-tool player...
on a sacrifice fly for the winning run in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
's 4–3 victory.
The second half wasn't as kind to Jones though and in August, he sprained his left ankle and missed the end of the 2009 season. He finished the season with a .277 batting average, 19 homers, 70 RBI and 10 stolen bases. He tied for 5th among major league center fielders
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
with 9 outfield assists.
In November, he was awarded a Gold Glove for his defensive play.
2010
Jones finished his third season in Baltimore with a .284 batting average, 19 homers, 69 RBI and 7 stolen bases. He led all center fielders and was second in the majors in outfield assists with 12.2011
As of August, Jones is having the best statistical season of his career. On August 6, in a game against the Toronto Blue JaysToronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
, he hit his then career high 20th home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
of the season. The home run came with two men on base. Jones also added a fourth RBI later in the game to give him his first career four RBI game.
In 2011, Jones led the major leagues in sacrifice flies, with 12, and led all AL outfielders in errors, with 8.
Personal
On May 29, 2010, Jones was mistakenly detained at the Canadian border while he was trying to get to Toronto. He believed it was a case of mistaken identity; however, he would not say if he was mistaken for Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
Cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Adam "Pacman" Jones, who has had numerous brushes with the law.