Adam Jones: "I'm getting a lot better day by day"

BOSTON - Adam Jones did some running and throwing before batting practice this morning and took a few swings to check whether he still felt discomfort in his rib area. The Orioles lineup already was posted inside the visiting clubhouse at Fenway Park while their center fielder worked up a sweat in the cold air.

Jones wasn't in it.

Jones hasn't played since Wednesday and remains day-to-day with an injury that the Orioles say isn't related to his oblique. Joey Rickard is back in center field, with Mark Trumbo in left and Nolan Reimold in right.

"I think I can play today, but it's probably not the best idea with the way Rickard is playing, Reimold's playing good, Trumbo's playing good," Jones said.

"I think it's smart to not try to aggravate it. I'm getting a lot better day by day, which is a positive thing. It's just frustration because I want to be out there playing, but I'll be a cheerleader again today and hopefully I can get out there tomorrow. And if not, we just keep progressing and continue to try to get better, because as you know, I want to be out on the field, but if missing a couple more days helps me not miss a month or two months or something like that, then that's just what we're going to have to do."

The weather is factoring into the decision to sit Jones again. It hasn't gotten any warmer in Boston.

"It could be," Jones said. "You're going to be sitting around. Especially playing center, you're just sitting around and sitting around and sitting around. And then you've got to react. And then when I'm hitting, obviously my aggressive style could hamper it. But I ran out there, threw. I hit and I feel pretty good. I see you guys spying on me.

"I just think overall I'm getting better and it's a lot better than the first day, and (Buck) Showalter is being patient. His patience is kind of thin these days, so it's good that he's being patient with me."

Once he returns to the lineup, Jones will have to continue managing his condition. It's not as difficult before the games, but the challenge increases once the lights turn on and the energy level rises. Jones only goes one speed.

"The biggest thing is testing it during a game," he said. "And obviously the game swings, the game adrenaline's a lot different than BP. In BP, I can easily coast through it, but in the game, I can't coast through it because of the adrenaline running. So first thing is I want to really get it going to where I don't feel anything no matter what and I can swing harder and harder in BP. Obviously, try to get as close to game speed as I possibly can.

"That's going to be the ultimate test because you can't simulate a game unless you do live hitting, or a pitcher that's throwing, try to take some swings off him."

Jones can find comfort in the Orioles' record. They're unbeaten in five games, the last three with Jones out of the lineup.

"It's great to win," he said. "The depth of this team is tremendous. I step out and, I'm not saying I'm the most important person here, but Nolan is fielding great, Rickard is fielding great in center field, (Hyun Soo) Kim yesterday with a couple knocks and some solid defense.

"Our lineup is deep. It's good that I don't feel like I have to rush myself back here to prove anything. The guys understand that I'm going through something and they are all supportive and say, 'Take your time.' Me missing five or six games is better than me missing a month of two."

Showalter still can't provide an exact timetable.

Asked when Jones will be available, Showalter replied, "I hope later in the game today."

"I'll never go there, but it's the old day-to-day," he added. "It's such a quick turnaround to expect a lot different than yesterday. I talk to him every day about it and everything. Like I said, there's such a fine line. You go out there and test it and you don't let it heal. But he's very close. You know, the intercostal, the oblique, all the things, they're all kind of related in some fashion, but weather has something to do about it, too. But hopefully we'll get him back in there shortly."

Getting into a game during the Red Sox series is "in play," Showalter said.

"I know in my gut what I think it going to happen, but I'm going to keep an open mind about it day-to-day. At the end of the day, me and Richie (Bancells) and Adam, we make a decision on what's best."

The disabled list also could come into play, but not at this moment.

"What is this, day six? Five, six, something like that," Showalter said. "We really wouldn't think about doing anything until it got to that 10-day mark if it got that far. I hope it doesn't."