SCROLL DOWN TO READ ARTICLE
On Monday, the Orioles announced that one of the greatest players in franchise history, Adam Jones, will rejoin the team as a special adviser to executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias and a community ambassador.
Tuesday, Elias and Jones spoke on a video conference call about the new position. Here are excerpts from the call.
Jones on his new role
“I think my best attribute is to be a resource. I’ve played the game, I know the game…I think I can help player personnel understand how to navigate professional life. It’s a little different when you’re in high school, it’s a little different when you’re in college. Professional life is a completely different aspect and I would love to help the young kids navigate that first, second year, adapt themselves to the professional level. I think at the major league level, I’m not a coach and I don’t ever want to step on any coaches’ feet, but I think that I can help with certain mentalities, certain verbiages that may be not suitable obviously for normal conversations, but through the baseball channels maybe I can talk to them in a different light. Give them a kick in the pants in a different way.”
On what he brings
“I’m an Oriole and I think when this news broke, everybody was just ecstatic. It drew a lot of attention and I think that people really appreciated what I did between the lines, off the field also. And now that I have more time as a retired player, I think I can give that to the city and to the organization a little bit more.”
Elias on the timing of Jones’ return
“It’s been several years of he and I getting to know each other. He’s been around, but he’s a guy that spends a lot of time abroad, so we haven’t had a ton of time with him, but for the last couple years after the pandemic we’ve been able to visit a lot more and I think that his particular perspective as an ex-Oriole, a guy who devoted his entire career to the city, his baseball knowledge, it seemed like a really good fit for us right now and this front office and this group of players. So this made sense, it’s something we’ve sort of been discussing and exploring together for a couple years now. I think that David Rubenstein buying the team and the ownership group has given us a really fresh platform here to examine everything, and certainly expanding the relations with our alumni, formatting that in a way that makes sense for everybody, that’s something that’s been an ongoing discussion. And to me, this is a great place to start. We’ve also in the last few years have built a guest coaching program in spring training, where we’ve got a ton of great alumni and we’re gonna have a really impressive list this year, too. To come around, get to know our players, have players have the ability to talk to very successful ex-Orioles.”
Jones on comparing this team to the ones he played on
“They’re very good at baserunning. Very athletic. Taking the base, stealing bases. We were the big, hairy guys, the Earl Weaver-style. We were trying to hit the ball out of the ballpark, and you guys have that also. So, with all that, for me, it’s not really trying to come around and say, ‘Hey, this is how you do it.’ These are major league guys. They know exactly what they’re doing.
“Me, I think my energy, being around the guys, just there pumping up the guys, if I’m in a suite or in the stands with a hot dog, pumping them up from the front row, anywhere I’m at, it doesn’t matter. The guys feed off that energy. If I go in the clubhouse, it’s a little jolt of energy. And I remember, when I was playing — and it sucked Cal [Ripken Jr.] wasn’t around as much because just whatever was going on — but whenever he was around, and you see him in there, you wanted to do something for him. You wanted to get that man to stand up and clap.
“If I can add an extra jolt of energy there, if I can add an extra jolt of energy to a minor league guy, that’s all I’m there for.”
Note: Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson will join Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz and Pittsburgh Pirates starter Paul Skenes on the cover of MLB The Show 25.
MLB The Show 25 will launch on March 18th on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series XIS and Nintendo Switch,
It’s the 20th anniversary of the game, and the first time three players have been featured on the cover.
Preorders open on February 4th at 9 a.m. Eastern time.
Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: [email protected].