Adam Jones: Comparison To Competition

[TuckerBlair89]

Adam Jones is probably the Orioles' most recognized player in the national media. He now has a Gold Glove and an All Star Appearance to his name. But is he really all that he is made out to be?

-CF had 21 qualifying players at it's position.
-Some guys such as Josh Hamilton and John Jay did not play the entire 2011 season in CF, but I still counted them as qualifiers.

Here are Jones' stats and where he ranks off the 21 qualifying CF:


As seen above:
Jones is middle of the pack in PA, Doubles, K%, BABIP, wOBA, and WAR.
Jones is below the pack in BB%, and FLD
Jones is above the pack in HR, and SLG%

It's pretty evident that while Jones packs some power with his game, he also lacks the patience and on-base skills to truly put him on the level with players such as Curtis Granderson, Jacoby Ellsbury, Matt Kemp, and Andrew McCutchen.
Even though Jones comes off just as average based off the above rankings, it is important to remember that there are only 21 qualifiers. Based off the total league achievements, Jones is above average.

2012 will be a very important year for Jones. Can he take his game to the next level? Can he improve his patience and on-base skills enough to dramatically change his stats?

If Jones can do any of the above, he could be in line for a huge pay-day from the Orioles. He could also be a trade target if the Orioles deem him unnecessary of a new contract

Stats from Fangraphs: http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?p ... &sort=20,d

[TuckerBlair89]

I was going to get into defense a little bit, but I feel as if that is an entirely different topic when it comes to Jones. A ton of people suggest that defensive metrics are unfair to Jones

[Matt P]

I think he will always be a good but not great player.

[Why Not?]

He's GOT to hit more, because he's not going to be playable in CF a couple of years into his first free agent contract. Corner OFs with his bat don't last.

[ofahn]

I see this year's arbitration process as determining Jones' future with the club.

If the team really thought he was a building block they would not allow him to go to a hearing, they would sign him to an extension. If they see him as a complementary player then they will allow him to go to arbitration and have his value determined so they can use that number as a basis for a contract extension for a player that does not warrant "star money". If they beat him at arbitration they may feel compelled to trade him to avoid hard feelings and a clubhouse problem.

The next few weeks will be interesting.

[jwmann2]

He's still a young guy, he will develop more. How many players with his type of speed do you know that can hit for 25+ home runs?