Jones talks about "the best experience" of his life after WBC

SARASOTA, Fla. - Third baseman Manny Machado, second baseman Jonathan Schoop and catcher Welington Castillo returned to the Orioles lineup tonight upon their return from the World Baseball Classic. However, center fielder Adam Jones isn't certain when he'll make his next start after leading Team USA to the championship.

"How much do I want to play? How much do I think I'll play?" Jones said, grinning.

"I don't know. I'm going to try ... I feel great, obviously, but I did play a lot of innings. I got my at-bats up to the same amount of at-bats I had in all last year in spring training, so I think that I got my work in, but I'm going to definitely get some more at-bats. I just don't know how many or when. Maybe Norfolk Friday? Maybe Opening Day?"

Jones described his experience in the WBC as "pretty insane."

"To do it with those guys, it was probably the best experience of my life so far, especially with sports," he said. "Hopefully, we can do something special with these guys in the clubhouse with the Orioles, because it was pretty, pretty humbling, pretty special to go out and represent your country, for all the countries to go out and represent their countries.

"I think all 16 teams are very proud of themselves and what they accomplished. Even if they didn't win, promoting baseball in their various countries, and I think the reach and diversity of this game and the WBC this year especially, I know the commissioner was happy with a lot of the ratings, meaning the people were watching, people were tuning in, people were at the ballparks. The attendance was a record. I think it was overall a success."

Jones will be remembered for his spectacular leaping catch to rob Machado of a home run in the second showdown with the Dominican Republic. An instant classic.

"Pretty cool catch, pretty great moment," he said. "Sorry it had to be my boy Manny, but it's part of the game, part of that process. Pretty special to do it at home in San Diego.

"I've seen, obviously it's on various outlets. Great picture with USA across my chest right in front of the logo, in front of some American flags. There's one guy who doesn't look impressed at all by it, sitting off to the left like, 'What?' I've seen the picture. But a pretty great moment, pretty special moment for that team.

"I look at what's the most important part about it is what's across my chest. It's something that not just representing a team, of the Orioles, it's representing the nation that's bigger than myself and bigger than MLB in my eyes. I put on that uniform every day while I was there for the respect of the men and women that fight for my freedom, my dad, my brother, my friends, my cousins, people that have fought in the military. I'm sure you guys have family members who have fought in the military. That was bigger than myself. That picture there will show that I'm trying to do something that's bigger than life, bigger than me."

Machado raised his helmet to salute his friend as he rounded first base.

"Any other time of the day, if he hit that in the third inning, that ball is way back," Jones said. "It started to get cold the inning before, too. I was like, 'Lord, please don't let these guys hit the ball in the air.' That team is powerful. You've got the No. 2 hitter hit 30 home runs. (Robinson) Cano, (Nelson) Cruz, (Adrian) Beltre, (Carlos) Santana, all those guys hit 30 home runs in that lineup except (Jose) Reyes and Castillo. They're one and nine and they both have tremendous power.

"It was a great moment. It was a great win. And it was for the team, for the USA."

Jones irked catcher Yadier Molina by suggesting that a planned parade in San Juan before the final game further motivated Team USA. Molina demanded an apology following his team's 8-0 loss.

"I don't think I said anything incorrect," Jones said, again having to defend himself. "I respect Yadi and the whole Puerto Rican team, their nation. I've said that various times about every nation, what they're doing to promote baseball in their various countries. I've said it about Colombia, which is a soccer powerhouse. I've said, 'Watch out for them, because they're going to be good.' The Dominican, their following is grand, as you saw in Miami and San Diego when we played them both times.

"Puerto Ricans, I've said nothing more than respect for the country and the players. I know that baseball has not been the big powerhouse in the last couple years, but with (Carlos) Correa, with (Francisco) Lindor, with various others, the young guys, obviously following (Carlos) Beltrán and Molina and some of the big names that I was able to see out in San Diego and in L.A., they're doing a great job for their country.

"I don't think I said anything wrong. I just said what we've seen motivated us. It wasn't a slight at Puerto Rico by any stretch. I don't think I said anything wrong and I would never disrespect a country because that would make totally no sense. And I'd appreciate if they'd stop cussing at me on my Instagram and Facebook fan page because my mom is getting a little tired of it and I don't want her to respond to it."

The accolades for Jones came pouring in after his walk-off hit, two home runs, one incredible catch and the daily leadership.

"I think it was just the world seeing me in a different light, different players seeing me in a different light," he said. "I didn't do anything than I don't do in our clubhouse here. I just try to lead by example. I probably was a little more vocal during the WBC just because I'm ramped up. It's a different pride factor at this point. But I just do the same thing I do in this clubhouse, but now I think the world has gotten to see how the Orioles have been successful the last five years. It's not just me, obviously, but the leadership, the way you play the game, you can't quantify that in any equations."

Jones said he doesn't view himself in a different light now that he's a gold medal winner. It was the same guy, just surrounded by other players in a uniform that wasn't splashed in orange and black.

"I see myself as the same player, same person, same teammate," he said. "I'm going to push the guy behind me and the guy in front of me to do the job if I didn't get it done. I'm going to be on the top step cheering you on. That's how I always played the game.

"That's how you see the difference in our makeup in the Orioles the last five years. Guys are not 'me, me, me, I, I, I.' It's us and when you get that from all 25 guys, good things tend to happen."

Here's more from Jones:

On ramping up sooner than usual: "Man, I've got the energy. I take care of my body. So, I knew what the task was, so therefore I knew what I had to do to get myself into that position and it worked out."

On where the WBC ranks for him: "My main objective obviously is here playing for the Orioles, but that's Major League Baseball. That's just the United States. This was on a global scale.

"When we played in Miami, we were outnumbered. It was 47,000, it was 40,000 Dominican fans there. That shows first off that that country's prideful, all the countries are very prideful in what they do, and the United States was worried about March Madness in the first couple of rounds. It was great that the support from the American fans kept coming as we advanced and it's great that we could put baseball, and especially in the states, hopefully the inner cities are watching, we could put that back on our global scale."

On sensing a growth in support as Team USA advanced: "More and more. You could tell more and more people were watching. If you advance in the first round, cool. It's like any tournament and especially with America, we've got so many different things going on here as a country. We've got politics, March Madness, football's always talked about, so it was just great that when we got to San Diego there was a lot more support than there was in Miami, and when we got to L.A., facing Japan and facing Puerto Rico, the support was unbelievable."

On whether more U.S. players will get involved four years from now: "I mean, we had enough U.S. guys on the roster, so I think they can fill the roster just like they did this year. It doesn't matter who. People say, 'This guy didn't ...' The right guys were there."

On staying in contact with manager Buck Showalter: "I sent him two texts. I asked him did he miss me? He said, 'Get back here,' and then he said, 'Congratulations and good luck in the final round.' I pay attention. I'm a fan of this game. This is my team. I know what was going on here and I know a lot of guys are getting great opportunities to play.

"It's great to see Toro (Pedro Álvarez) back. And to see (Joey) Rickard is swinging the bat great. (Hyun Soo) Kim is swinging the bat great. (Trey) Mancini is the one who's really swinging the bat right now. We've got some tough decisions Buck has to make. It's good that guys have been able to get ample at-bats while myself, Manny, Schoop, Welington, have been gone, position players have been gone. Hopefully, some guys have made good and lasting impressions so they can break camp with us."