The Orioles and center fielder Adam Jones have avoided arbitration by agreeing to terms on a one-year deal, the team announced via press release. Jones will earn a base salary of $6.15MM with $50K in performance-based bonuses — $25K apiece for reaching 620 and 635 plate appearances, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links).
Jones, 26, is under team control through the 2013 season, after which he is eligible for free agency. We heard earlier today that the O's and the right-handed hitter have discussed a possible long-term extension, although Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com tweets that those talks have been tabled till next offseason, as GM Dan Duquette considers in-season negotiations a distraction.
Jones, for his part, seems uncertain about the prospects of a long-term deal with the O's, according to Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com: "I don't know, I guess I am brand new to this sort of thing. Whatever happens, happens. I just go out there and get to do what I love to do. All the people that talk, let them talk. Let me play. I don't care to see the talking back and forth. Just let me go play."
The Orioles offered Jones $5MM for the upcoming season, while he and his agent, Nez Balelo of CAA Sports, filed at $7.4MM, so the settled amount of $6.15MM is just shy of an even midpoint. With Jones' 2012 salary now settled, the Orioles have no remaining arbitration eligible players, as MLBTR's Arbitration Tracker shows.
I suppose this outcome was to be expected. I’m sure at this point that no extension would sit well with either party; either too long and expensive, too short and cheap or some variation on those.
Good – although arb hearings might be just business, I wouldn’t want any bad feelings to arise between Jonesy and the team. Maybe they can work out an extension deal now.
With one year of arbitration left after this and free agency looming, it’d have to be a very player-friendly deal, I assume. As I’ve said before, something worth an average of at least $13MM a season.
Not gonna extend him because O’s will trade him to restock minors. Not going to win in next 2-3 years much anyway.
One of the most overrated players in the game today. Strikeout machine, never walks, and his defense is okay but certainly not extraordinary.