Adam Jones on Orioles Hall of Fame selection and his return to organization

SARASOTA, Fla. – The rotation, bullpen, infield and outfield are impacted by health issues in Orioles camp. Starter Grayson Rodriguez informed the club that he’s experiencing soreness in his right triceps. Reliever Andrew Kittredge is shut down with inflammation in his left knee and the club is discussing its options. Shortstop Gunnar Henderson is making gradual improvement after his diagnosis of a strained right intercostal.

The outfield had been immune to injuries until yesterday, with Tyler O’Neill scratched due to soreness in his left rib cage. He also missed a game with an illness. Manager Brandon Hyde said O’Neill should be available for the next home game.

The Orioles have plenty of veteran options if they need replacements, some of them graying more than others.

Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, Al Bumbry and John Shelby are together in camp as guest instructors. They covered a lot of ground back in the day and they’re covering different generations in team history.

“Bumbry’s playing center tomorrow. Ced (Mullins) and him are gonna switch off,” manager Brandon Hyde quipped.

“Awesome. We’ve got Nick, who as an incredible right fielder, and Al and T-Bone. We’ve got a really cool list of celebrity instructors this year and they’ve all been so wonderful. I know our guys appreciate having them around. It’s been a great group.”

Jones joined the others as an Orioles Hall of Famer, with the news arriving yesterday morning. He’s been in camp for about a week, though he has other duties as special advisor to the general manager.

“It’s been a lot of fun having him,” Hyde said. “A big help assisting with the outfielders and just being around and sharing knowledge with guys, rubbing elbows with our players. You know how well respected he is, not only in Baltimore but in Major League Baseball. It’s a great honor and we’re happy to have him here.”

Jones found out that he would be inducted on Aug. 9 before a 7:05 p.m. game against the Athletics at Camden Yards.

“Pretty, pretty humbling, pretty cool,” he said, sitting in the dugout with a fungo bat. “Obviously, still letting it process, but that’s pretty badass to be in a professional organization’s Hall of Fame. One that has such prestige as the Orioles’ does. And you’ve got T-Bone here, you’ve got Cal (Ripken) here, Bumbry here, some guys who were very formidable in the Orioles organization. Markakis is here. So it’s really cool to be able to share this moment with those guys.

“Obviously, Markakis going in last year, my longtime teammate. So it’s pretty cool to share this special moment with them.”

Jones’ professional life keeps leading him in new directions. He retired as an Oriole and is working in their front office and as a community ambassador.  

“I like baseball, so I think it was a pretty easy thing,” he said. “It wasn’t like a forced relationship. I like baseball and my wife’s family is from Baltimore, so being in Baltimore is something I probably have to do no matter what due to family obligations. When you like something, it’s never really like coming to work, so get the opportunity be back in the organization in an official capacity is cool. But at the same time, it’s fun. To be around baseball is fun. And I’ve got a great escape by going back to Spain.”

Jones has a couple of former teammates in the Orioles’ Hall of Fame, including shortstop J.J. Hardy, who was in camp earlier as an instructor. The media took turns with him yesterday naming possible future inductees.

“There’s gonna be more,” he said. “I don’t think it stops with me.”

Matt Wieters, Chris Davis and Chris Tillman were on the ballot. Jones mentioned former closer Jim Johnson for his “back-to-back 50-save seasons.”

“That’s something that hasn’t been done too often in history,” Jones said.

“Obviously, Zack Britton, three seasons of absolute dominance as a closer.”

Wieters, Davis, Manny Machado, Darren O’Day, Buck Showalter and Dan Duquette also entered the chat.

Reminded about Showalter, Jones said, “Obviously, that’s gonna come soon and that’s gonna be a big moment. Buck was the (harbinger) of change here. I think he’s definitely a candidate one day soon, cause he’s not a spring chicken.”

The Orioles made the playoffs in 2012, ’14 and ’16 with Jones in the lineup and patrolling center field, where he won four Gold Gloves. He’s loving the franchise’s resurgence under manager Brandon Hyde, a front office led by executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias, and a young core of talented players.

“The generation that watched my teams, they grew up with not so much winning in their childhood, and then they get some winning. And now the cool thing is they get to share it with their young kids,” Jones said.

“They’ve got a great group here. Last few years obviously being in the playoffs. And you see the fan base has gotten a lot younger, you see a lot more kids at the ballpark. You see the community is standing behind the players, and that’s what you want. I had a lady who messaged me today that her love for the game is so awesome that it’s trickled down to her son. And that’s what it’s about.”