Adam Jones on his reduced strikeout rate and a look back at last night

Like his team, Adam Jones got off to a hot hitting start in April, but his bat trailed off in May.

When Jones was going through a torrid hitting stretch earlier this year, some analysts felt one reason for the hot bat was improved plate discipline for the Orioles center fielder.

There was some justification in saying that. This year, Jones' walk rate is up a bit and his strikeout rate is down significantly.

Strikeout rate is the percentage of a times a batter strikes out among all his plate appearances. Jones' rate was 19.7 in 2013, 19.5 in 2014 and is 19.1 for his career. But this year Jones has fanned just 12.4 percent of the time. That is a big change.

I asked him recently for his take on his reduced strikeout rate.

"I'm just trying to not make it easy on them," Jones said. "If they get two strikes, and they think they got me, I'm just trying to make them make a good pitch. Don't want to give away anything.

"I understand there are three strikes. If I go up there and hack at two of them, OK, back away and maintain a strong at-bat."

Jones said he has not necessarily changed anything about his two-strike approach.

"No, I am just trying to put something in play and give myself a chance," he said. "I know how hard it is to be a defender. If an infielder has to make a backhand play, I'm running hard down the line to give myself some kind of chance. But if you strike out, you give yourself no chance. Just trying to put the ball in play and give myself a shot. There are no errors when you strike out. But put the ball in play and run hard down the line, you never know what that could do to the infielders."

Jones' April was pretty special. Over 20 games, he hit .400 with six doubles, a triple, five homers, 19 RBIs, a .707 slugging percentage and a 1.147 OPS. In April, he led the American League in batting average, finished second in slugging, and was third in OBP (.440) and total bases (53).

But in May, he hit just .239 with one homer, seven RBIs and a .556 OPS.

But Jones is always looking to improve and he feels even with all his experience in the game, he can always find some way to get better.

"I saw this from a Baseball America magazine in 2003. Derek Jeter said, 'The day I hit 1.000 and have zero errors is the day I'll stop working.' That quote resonates with me," Jones said. "He worked tirelessly. He also said, 'It doesn't take talent to work hard.' I am not just here to grab a check.

"I love what I do and I want to be good at what I do. We take pride in our craft. For me to have a good at-bat for my team, that always is good for the team."

About last night: There are losses and then there are losses. Blown lead. One hit after the second inning. Baserunning mistake. Check, check and check.

In reading manager Buck Showalter's comments last night, his patience seems to be wearing thin with mental mistakes. Travis Snider made one last night when he forgot the number of outs and was doubled off first base on a fly ball. The lack of focus at times by the 2015 Orioles and the number of mental mistakes is surprising. I don't know how to fix it, but beating themselves with plays like that are not a good look for any team, especially one that won 96 games just last year.

Some fans have already given up on the season. Are they right?