Adam Jones (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Adam Jones |
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Jones with the Baltimore Orioles in 2009
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| Center fielder | ||||||||||||||
| Born: August 1, 1985 San Diego, California, U.S. |
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| Professional debut | ||||||||||||||
| MLB: July 14, 2006, for the Seattle Mariners | ||||||||||||||
| NPB: June 19, 2020, for the Orix Buffaloes | ||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | ||||||||||||||
| MLB: September 28, 2019, for the Arizona Diamondbacks | ||||||||||||||
| NPB: September 19, 2021, for the Orix Buffaloes | ||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | ||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .277 | |||||||||||||
| Home runs | 282 | |||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 945 | |||||||||||||
| NPB statistics | ||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .250 | |||||||||||||
| Home runs | 16 | |||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 66 | |||||||||||||
| Teams | ||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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Adam LaMarque Jones (born August 1, 1985) is an American former professional baseball player. He was a fantastic center fielder for many years. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 14 seasons with the Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, and Arizona Diamondbacks. He also played two seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in Japan for the Orix Buffaloes.
The Seattle Mariners picked Adam Jones in the first round of the 2003 MLB draft. He started as a shortstop in the minor leagues before becoming an outfielder. He made his big league debut with the Mariners in 2006. Later, he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles before the 2008 season. Adam Jones is a five-time MLB All-Star, a four-time Gold Glove Award winner (meaning he was one of the best fielders), and a Silver Slugger winner (meaning he was one of the best hitters at his position).
Contents
Adam Jones: Baseball Star
Early Life and Baseball Dreams
Adam Jones was born in San Diego, California, on August 1, 1985. His mom, Andrea, raised him and his older brother. Growing up, he loved the San Diego Padres and their famous player, Tony Gwynn. Adam was good at football and basketball, but he didn't start playing baseball until he was 12.
In 1997, his stepfather took him to a Padres game, and that's when Adam really got interested in baseball. He learned quickly and became a star player at Morse High School. In 2003, he graduated after playing both as a pitcher and a shortstop. During his senior year, he hit for a .406 batting average, hit four home runs, and had 27 runs batted in. He even had a 3–0 record as a pitcher! Adam had planned to play college baseball at San Diego State, where Tony Gwynn was coaching.
Professional Career Beginnings
Starting with the Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners chose Adam Jones as the 37th pick in the first round of the 2003 MLB draft. He was picked as both a shortstop and a pitcher. Even though he could throw very fast, he preferred playing every day. He started his professional journey as a shortstop with the Arizona League Mariners and Everett Aquasox in 2003.
In 2005, the Mariners asked Adam to switch to center field, and he agreed. He started playing that position regularly in the Arizona Fall League. Baseball experts often said Adam was one of the best athletes and had the strongest throwing arm in the Mariners' minor league system.
First MLB Games (2006–2007)
Adam Jones made his big league debut with the Mariners on July 14, 2006. He played in his first MLB game that night. After a few games, he got his first major league hit on July 18. His first major league home run came on August 10.
In 2007, Adam returned to the MLB. In his two partial seasons with the Mariners, he played in 73 games. He batted .230 with 3 home runs and 12 RBIs. He was much better in Triple-A with the Tacoma Rainiers, leading his team in home runs and RBIs in both 2006 and 2007.
Joining the Baltimore Orioles
On February 8, 2008, the Mariners traded Adam Jones to the Baltimore Orioles. This was a big trade that also involved other players.
2008: A Strong Start
In his first season with the Orioles, Adam Jones had a great year. On July 28, he became only the second player ever to hit both a triple and a grand slam in the same game at Yankee Stadium. He finished the season batting .270 with nine home runs and 57 RBIs in 132 games. He was tied for 11th in the major leagues with seven triples.
2009: All-Star and Gold Glove
Adam Jones started the 2009 season very well. He was chosen to play in the 2009 All-Star Game on July 5. In that game, he hit a sacrifice fly that brought in the winning run for the American League!
Later in the season, he sprained his ankle and missed the rest of the year. He finished with a .277 batting average, 19 homers, and 70 RBIs. He also won his first Gold Glove Award for his amazing defense in center field.
2010–2011: Continued Success
In 2010, Adam finished with a .284 batting average, 19 homers, and 69 RBIs. He led all center fielders in outfield assists, which means he threw out many runners trying to get extra bases. He even hit an inside-the-park home run on May 22!
In 2011, Adam had one of his best hitting seasons. He hit a career-high 20th home run on August 6. He also led the major leagues with 12 sacrifice flys.
2012: Big Contract and Playoffs
Adam Jones started the 2012 season hitting very well. On May 26, he signed a huge six-year contract extension with the Orioles. It was the largest contract in the team's history at the time! He hit his second walk-off home run on June 9, winning the game for the Orioles.
On July 1, he was chosen for the 2012 All-Star Game again. On August 28, he hit his 100th career home run. He played in all 162 games in 2012, batting .287 with 32 home runs and 82 RBIs. He won his second Gold Glove award and was named the Most Valuable Oriole.
The Orioles made the playoffs as a wild card team. Adam helped them win the Wild Card Game against the Texas Rangers.
2013: More All-Star Games and Awards
Before the 2013 season, Adam played for the United States national baseball team in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Fans voted him to start in the 2013 All-Star Game, his third time being an All-Star.
Adam had another strong season in 2013, batting .285 with 33 home runs and 108 RBIs. These were new career highs for him! He won his only Silver Slugger Award and his third Gold Glove award.
2014: Division Champions
On April 13, 2014, Adam got his 1,000th career hit. He was again voted by fans to start in the All-Star Game. After the season, he won his third straight Gold Glove award.
The Orioles won their division and swept the Detroit Tigers in the playoffs. Adam also traveled to Japan to play in the 2014 Major League Baseball Japan All-Star Series.
2015: Fifth All-Star Selection
Adam was selected for his fifth and final All-Star Game, his fourth in a row. He hit his 182nd home run as an Oriole, tying him for seventh on the team's all-time list. The next night, he passed that record. He also hit his 100th career home run in Baltimore.
Adam played in 137 games in 2015, hitting 27 home runs and 82 RBIs. He won the Marvin Miller Man of the Year award, which is chosen by other MLB players for leadership and inspiring others.
2016: 200th Home Run
On May 13, Adam Jones hit his 200th career home run. On June 2, he hit two home runs in one game, with his second one being his 200th home run with the Orioles. He finished 2016 with 29 home runs and 83 RBIs.
2017: Breaking Records
In 2017, Adam continued to break Orioles records. He tied and then passed Rafael Palmeiro for fifth all-time in Orioles home runs. On May 10, he passed Brady Anderson for sixth most RBIs in Orioles history. He also became first all-time in extra-base hits and RBIs at Camden Yards, the Orioles' home stadium. On August 28, he hit the 250th home run of his career.
2018: Final Orioles Season
On Opening Day 2018, Adam hit a walk-off home run to win the game for the Orioles. On August 10, he played his first game as a right fielder for the Orioles after playing 1,555 games in center field. He moved into 10th place all-time in Orioles history for stolen bases.
Adam Jones ranks in the top 10 in several statistics in Orioles history, including hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, and runs scored. He played in five All-Star games and won four Gold Glove awards and one Silver Slugger award during his 11 years in Baltimore. He became a free agent after the season.
Arizona Diamondbacks
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On March 11, 2019, Adam Jones signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. In his one season with Arizona, he batted .260 with 16 home runs and 67 RBIs in 137 games.
Orix Buffaloes (Japan)
On December 10, 2019, Adam Jones signed a two-year contract with the Orix Buffaloes in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league.
He made his NPB debut on June 19, 2020. In 2020, he hit .258 with 12 home runs and 43 RBIs in 87 games.
On November 25, 2021, Adam became known as "Mr. Thanksgiving" in Japan. He hit a game-winning home run in the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2021 Japan Series. This helped his team avoid being eliminated! He hit 4 home runs in 71 games in his final season of professional baseball in 2021.
Retirement
On September 15, 2023, Adam Jones signed a special one-day contract with the Baltimore Orioles. This allowed him to officially retire as a member of the team he played for the longest.
International Baseball
Adam Jones proudly played for Team USA in the 2013 World Baseball Classic (WBC) and the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
In the 2013 WBC, he played in all six games for the U.S. team. In the 2017 WBC, Adam made a fantastic home run-saving catch against the Dominican Republic. This amazing play helped Team USA reach the semifinals. The team went on to win the 2017 championship against Puerto Rico! Adam later said that playing with those guys was "probably the best experience of my life so far."
He also hit a game-tying solo home run against Venezuela in the eighth inning of a game, which sparked a rally that led to a 4–2 victory.
Personal Life
Adam Jones married Maude "Audie" Fugett in late 2014. They had their first son in March 2014. Adam was the best man at his high school teammate Quintin Berry's wedding and is also the godfather to Berry's son.
Adam is a season ticket holder for the San Diego Gulls hockey team and has even helped out as an official during their games. He is still a big fan of the San Diego Padres baseball team.
Adam has four tattoos, including ones of his mother and grandmother. He calls them "the two most important women in my life." When he hits a home run, he often taps his left shoulder as a tribute to them.
While playing in Japan, Adam started a podcast called Heckle Deez with his brother-in-law. They talked to other baseball players from the U.S. and Japan. The podcast was later relaunched as The Adam Jones Podcast in 2022. After his playing career, Adam also started working for Major League Baseball's operations department.
See Also
In Spanish: Adam Jones (beisbolista) para niños
Images for kids
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Jones with the Baltimore Orioles in 2009
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Jones at bat
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Adam Jones takes a lead off first base during a 2012 game vs. the Washington Nationals.
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Jones with the Arizona Diamondbacks
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Jones with the Orix Buffaloes in 2021
