Not that I’m aware of.
Adam Jones is not Ken Griffey, Jr.
In fact, Adam Jones isn’t even Brady Anderson.
But that’s not stopping the Orioles from horribly overvaluing Adam Jones. Nor is it answering the questions of why the Braves were asking about Jones and at least willing to discuss Jair Jurrjens and Martin Prado in a trade for him to begin with.
If Orioles GM Dan Duquette indeed asked for Jurrjens, Prado and “at least two” of the following: Brandon Beachy, Randall Delgado, Arodys Vizcaino Julio Teheran and Mike Minor, then it’s clear that time away from the trenches didn’t mellow Duquette’s trading style at all. His method of dealing as GM of the Red Sox and Expos was to offer what he was willing to trade and ask for about a 60% markup on what it was worth. Sometimes it actually worked as evidenced by his trade for Pedro Martinez and when he acquired Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek for Heathcliff Slocumb.
Braves fans should be relieved that GM Frank Wren turned down that preposterous request.
But the Orioles are going to build around Jones? The Braves are pursuing him?
Why?
Jones’s star has fallen. In 2008, he was an excellent defensive center fielder; in 2009-2010 he was slightly above average; and he 2011, he wasn’t good at all.
At the plate, he seems to have some power.
“Seems” is the operative word because of his 25 homers in 2011, 19 came at Camden Yards. It could’ve been an anomaly because in prior years, his production was around even home to road, but it’s a concern especially if he’s being sent to Turner Field—not exactly a hitter’s paradise.
He doesn’t walk and strikes out a lot. His attitude left much to be desired before the arrival of Buck Showalter; the prior regime had told Jones he needed to play deeper in center field and he replied, “I’ll think about it.”
There haven’t been any public issues under Showalter.
And where are the Braves going to put him? In left field? If they’re going to do that, his poor defense in center field won’t matter, but if they’re even considering swapping Jurrjens and Prado for a bat, surely they can get someone who’s better than Jones.
The rumors are conflicting and the sense I get is that it’s more rumormongering and blowing a casual chat out of proportion into a substantive negotiation in the interest of webhits and discussion on a slow baseball news day.
Either way, if the Braves are pursuing Jones and the Orioles are looking to build around him, each side needs to take a step back and examine him more closely because he’s nowhere near as valuable as they think he is.
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PAULLEBOWITZ.COM 
I got the feeling that FW was willing to part with one of jurrjens or prado for jones, but not both. I’d basically be ambivalent over that trade.
Prado, Jurrjens AND TWO of the big, cheap starters we have? pretty hilarious.
I’m not getting why they’re so desperate to trade Jurrjens and Prado to begin with.
Glad you said something about this. Been scratching my head on it too.
Wren needs to go back into Luca Brasi mode as he did when he got McLouth (it was a good deal at the time), and Uggla.
If the Orioles are going to try and “build the franchise around Jones” I would imagine Baltimore fans are in for another 14 years of losing seasons. Was Duquette serious in asking the Braves for all those players? Does he really think Jones is that good? Talk about an over-valued player. Yikes!
I tend to think, as I said, that it was a conversation that got blown out of proportion. Perhaps the Braves said they wanted to talk about Jones; the Orioles asked for Jurrjens and Prado and things expanded to a rumor that the deal was actually discussed. It probably wasn’t.
TallyBravesFan: If Baltimore is going to do that and have that results, why in the heck are the sorry Braves also wanting to do it? It is about salary dump. They do not want to pay JJ in arb or Prado. Simple as that. They are stuck with broken down Chipper for $15 million, Hudson back surgery at $15 million and who knows if he can pitch, Hanson has a bum shoulder and having had that type of injury and requiring surgery, he will also. It does not heal FIXED. It heals bad. Mine did. And I am not trying to throw 95MPH and 200 innings all summer. It is a painful injury. Entire shoulder down to your fingers hurt and tingle. That the Braves are wanting this guy should give you the YIKES! Don’t question Baltimore, they have him. Question the sorry Braves for wanting him.
I’m not seeing why the Braves are trying so desperately to trade Jurrjens either. They’ve been tossing his name out there so avidly that he’s lost his luster.
He’s better than Gio Gonzalez anyway.
Calm down, Homer. I don’t think the guy is worthless–I just think that the Orioles asking price was too high. Would I be upset if the Braves acquired Jones for Prado. No. For Jurrjens? No. For both, plus 2 great pitching prospects? Yes. Is Jones the type of guy to build a franchise around? No.
I’d offer Jones for Jurrjens and Frank Wren would probably accept.
Wren does some strange things but I agree—he’d take that trade. But Duquette is holding out far more than Jair Jurrjens if he’s trading Adam Jones. Center fielders are hard to find no matter how flawed they are.