Adam Jones: "You have to go out and spend some of the money" (updated)

Orioles center fielder Adam Jones is out of the lineup again today due to tightness in his back. He isn't ready to shut down for the remaining three games. He's taking it day by day, knowing that the cold, wet weather and his aggressive style of play are working against him.

Jones sat at this locker, surrounded by reporters and other media types, and talked about an offseason that figures to bring serious change to the Orioles with six pending free agents and a host of arbitration-eligible players.

Jones said re-signing first baseman Chris Davis, who hit his 44th and 45th home runs last night in Game 2 of the doubleheader, should be the top priority of the front office. He's already seen friend and outfield mate Nick Markakis leave for Atlanta last winter. He isn't ready to watch Davis walk out the door for the last time.

"It wouldn't be easy because obviously I've been playing with him since 2011," Jones said. "We've been 3-4 tandem, 3-4, 4-5, for four years. Most of all, we've both fed off each other and had success by feeding off each other. We've both had career years with each other. We're practically the same age.

"Obviously, I love playing with him. He plays a hell of a first base. He plays the game, he games up every day no matter what. I've grown to admire the way he goes about his business and obviously, the production, that's just icing on the cake. Because I get to see the guy inside here. To me, I think he's probably the highest priority, but he's earned himself a right to go and hear all 29 other offers.

"Forty-five (home runs) and 120 (RBIs), that's video game numbers. He's earned his right to hear everybody out."

Jones talked to Markakis about free agency and the possibility of leaving last winter. He hasn't been as vocal with Davis.

"It's a different relationship," he said. "I know Kakes differently than I know Chris. But Chris has expressed he likes being in Baltimore. It's a nice place to play. He's a big, strong guy. He can flick it out anyplace. It doesn't matter where he plays. It's like (Nelson) Cruz. You play in the Grand Canyon, you're still going to go out there and hit 40.

"You can't replace 40. That's been proven by this year's offense. You can't replace 40, no matter how you do it.

"He likes it here, but it's not about what you like when it comes to business. You have to make a tough decision. Markakis had to make a tough decision and do what's best for his family. Chris has got a family. He's got to do what's best for him and his family. (Matt) Wieters has to do the same thing, (Darren) O'Day has to do the same thing. These are guys who earned the right to become free agents. And that's the luckiest thing in sports. You earned the right to do whatever you want to do, whatever option you want to pick is at your disposal. Hey, you've got to respect that."

Jones plans on meeting with owner Peter G. Angelos after the season and push for more spending to keep the clubhouse intact.

"Yeah, but the thing is, I'm not an accountant, I don't know what the books show," he said. "I just know when we have a lot of free agents that means money is coming off the books. But do I know the exact amount? Hell no, I just know what I make. I don't know if they have $20, $30, $40, $50, $60 million to spend. That's dependent on how you want to go at it. You can get a lot of players for that much money.

"It depends how much money you have. Like I said, I'm not an accountant. I'm trying to balance my own books. Just say if you're interested in guys and ... You want to keep the fans interested and you want to keep the product on the field interested. You have to go out and spend some of the money."

Jones is counted among many Orioles wondering how much the club will change in 2016.

"It's going to be a different offseason, a lot of money coming off the books, which means a lot of money to spend," he said. "Honestly, we have a lot of guys that like playing here, but guys that have been very, very deserving and very, very rewarding to take care of themselves and their family beyond. At the end of the day, we're going to see what situations lie for the Orioles in 2016 and beyond."

What do the Orioles need to get back into the playoffs?

"You talk about needs," Jones said. "I like the way this clubhouse is right now. Obviously, you can add a few pieces, so if we bring this team back and add a few pieces, I'd like that. But the reality is, this clubhouse is going to be very different, especially with the number of free agents. Bring back who you really, really want and you really think is going to be the most effective for the next five years, at least three of four years, until I'm up, Manny (Machado) is a free agent. There's a lot of things. I think the next three years are going to be very important to this organization."

Jones doesn't know whether talking to ownership and executive vice president Dan Duquette will make an impact, but it doesn't hurt to try.

"At least they heard it," he said. "They heard my point, they heard my side, and at the end of the day, all you can do is get your point out, right?"

If Jones wants to recruit left-hander David Price, he needs only to walk down to the visiting clubhouse at Camden Yards.

"He's going to be commanding $25 to $32 million. I don't foresee that happening in Baltimore," Jones said with a chuckle.

"That's reality. And he's definitely earned it. He's going to be in the $25 to $32 million salary range, especially next year. He's making $19 million this year. I'd love to play with David Price. He's one of the game's best people and best pitchers, but I'm going to probably be an opponent of his for my entire career. That's perfectly fine with me. He's one of the game's best competitors."

Jones also provided an update on his back, saying he's feeling better and able to move more freely.

"But I still don't know how to react to my spasm," he added. "I'm not comfortable doing my normal routine with the spasms. Until it's comfortable with that ...

"I'm not going to ever say shut it down unless the doctors say shut it down. I'm still out there supporting my guys. That's not going to change. I'm getting treatment, trying to get better. The last thing you want is to go into the offseason treating something. You'd rather relax and than being able to get your strength back rather than rehab."

Jones didn't watch the Blue Jays celebrate their division title yesterday on the Camden Yards field, and again following Game 2.

"Congrats to them," he said. "It was ours for the taking. We were the one to beat and they beat everybody in our division. It's the game, tip our cap and move on. Come back in 2016 ready to beat the Blue Jays, who are the division champs."

The question is which players will be back to take up the fight.

Update: The Orioles scored three runs off Drew Hutchison in the bottom of the first inning.

Machado hit a two-run homer, his 32nd of the season, as the rain intensified. Davis doubled and later scored on Steve Pearce's double. The Orioles loaded the bases with one out, but didn't pad the lead.

Hutchison hit Jonathan Schoop on the right's. Schoop was in obvious pain, but he stayed in the game.

Tyler Wilson walked two batters and allowed a hit in the top of the first, but the Blue Jays didn't score. He threw 23 pitches.

And now we're in a rain delay in the top of the second.