The Orioles and Indians have held discussions on a number of players, per Jon Morosi of MLB.com (Twitter link), who calls a trade of Adam Jones to Cleveland a “viable” possibility. The Indians, Morosi notes, have been in the market for a right-handed-hitting outfield bat.
Of course, any discussion of Jones as a trade candidate should begin with the fact that he’s spent the past 11 seasons with the Orioles and, as such, has full 10-and-5 rights that allow him to veto any trade scenario. Jones’ future is entirely in his own hands, and late last month, he spoke with the Baltimore Sun’s Jon Meoli about that unfamiliar situation. To this point, there’s been no indication that Jones will approve a trade, though the virtually inevitable reality that the last-place Orioles will trade away teammates Manny Machado, Zach Britton and Brad Brach (among others, potentially) could motivate Jones to approve a trade sending him to a contending club.
The Indians certainly fit that bill, as they lead the Twins in the American League Central by 7.5 games with the All-Star break looming. Cleveland has already lost Lonnie Chisenhall for up to 10 weeks, and Bradley Zimmer has struggled tremendously at the MLB level so far in 2018. The team has also received a woeful lack of production from right-handed-hitting outfield options Brandon Guyer and Rajai Davis.
All of that said, there’s also cause to wonder just how much of an upgrade Jones might be — especially relative to his cost. The 32-year-old has plenty of name value after making five All-Star teams earlier in his career, but he hasn’t even produced at a league-average rate himself in 2018. While Jones would unequivocally be an upgrade over Guyer and Davis, he’s sitting on a flat .300 on-base percentage and is slashing .275/.300/.422 overall (99 OPS+, 95 wRC+).
From a defensive standpoint, Jones has remained in center field for the Orioles for years despite the fact that nearly any defensive metric in existence paints him as a dismal performer there. Jones rated as a premium defender in center earlier in his career, but he’s been among the worst in the league there this season by measure of Defensive Runs Saved (-16), Ultimate Zone Rating (-10) and Outs Above Average (-8).
Add in the fact that Jones is still owed about $7.22MM of this season’s $17MM salary through season’s end, and it’s worth questioning just how much any club would be willing to surrender in order to rent him for his final couple of months before free agency. Certainly, the Orioles could help their cause by offering to pay down some of Jones’ salary, though it’s not clear if they’d be willing to do so. That’d likely be a particularly enticing offer for the Indians, though, as they entered the 2018 season with a franchise-record payroll of roughly $136MM, and adding Jones at his current price point would carry them into completely unprecedented territory in terms player payroll.
Adam is the heart of the Orioles. It will officially be the end of a small era if he’s traded
Jones will be resigned as a free agent by the Orioles
To do what??
To suffer.
If he wins a WS with whoever he gets traded to, he will resign with the O’s. But he’s not young anymore. If he doesn’t win it this year, he will sign with someone who he can win it with. Hate to see him go.
You guys act like he’s Ernie Banks turning 40 and deserves a title like nobody else does.
That is not going to happen.
In my mind not only is Adam Jones a great teammate he is also a great person and I cannot imagine any MLB team that wouldn’t want his presence in their clubhouse. I just personally cannot imagine seeing him in another uniform.
And you obviously personally know him from the clubhouse.
No….but you obviously don’t know anything about Adam Jones and his contributions to both his team as well as the community.
No I just want guys like you that are totally dialed in to expound on their claims. 😉
I want to know what he thinks the best postgame spread was.
@Polish
Not an Os fan but live in Baltimore.
Jones is super involved in multiple charities and community programs. The Boys & Girls club I volunteer at is almost entirely funded by him.
Heard Kirby Puckett was great in the community also.
Polish has a very good point. We know nothing about a player’s private life unless we are part of their private life.
I personally know him, and he’s right. Adam is an all around great guy and has been a great teammate, even since his high school baseball days.. He loves baseball, loves to compete, gives 100% in everything he does in life, and works his butt off.
Its a good fit for Cleveland. I would like to see Brach/Jones deal.
Only if they take kipnis Cleveland doesn’t have a huge payroll like other powerhouses
As weird as it is to say this, Kipnis is the least of their problems at this point
Kipnis is a negative asset. You would have to include a top 5 prospect to balance that out.
In my opinion it would be worth it for CLE to include a top 5 prospect to clear Kipnis from the field and the books. Even though he’s been hitting better lately (hot streaks aren’t as hot as they used to be), his defense is still brutal.
No way, and a salary cap dump rental isn’t worth anything but a low impact prospect.
You are aware, are you not, that baseball does not have a salary cap?
Kipnis and Mckenzie/Bieber for Brach and Jones?
No thanks, don’t need it that bad.
Giving up McKenzie or (especially) Bieber is way too much for two rentals and clearing Kipnis’s money.
The Orioles are looking at dumping payroll and rebuilding with low cost youngsters.
Why would they want an overpaid veteran like Kipnis?
Salary dump is what was meant, thank you very much. And his value today is as just that, $7,500,000.00 for 2+ months of an average contributor and nothing more – rental for salary dump.
that is true. but the effect of the latest CBA where teams are penalized each year they are over the “cap”, renders a de facto type of cap that has encouraged at least some big spending clubs to pare down
NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
Here’s an intriguing idea for Cleveland to unload Kipnis…It’s a bad one but you might be able to expand on this.
Kipnis, Nolan Jones, Tyler Freeman and Luis Oviedo to Toronto
Donaldson (if healthy), Granderson, Oh and cash to Cleveland
Jose Ramirez flips to 2B. Donaldson takes over 3B. Oh is a bullpen arm Cleveland needs and Granderson is a vet OF they can use.
@TrimReaper Those are all guys that the Indians could use, so in that regard I think it’s a solid start. But the Indians would be nuts to give up all of that. Donaldson suddenly can’t stay, and he’s a rental anyway. Oh and Grandy help, but they’re more complementary players.
That’s exactly where I wanted to take the hypothetical trade conversation.
For the Jays, they can take on a big contract to fill a void for a couple years while they rebuild. After Vlad, Bichette and Jansen the organization has potential from guys under 20 years old, and a bunch of highly ranked underachievers (Alford, Urena, Warmoth, Tellez, Adams). Thin depth in the OF. Jays sit with either teenage gems or in-need of more bullets.
Not an ideal trade scenario for CLE, but getting a team to take Kipnis off their hands will require a trade like the one you described. I’d do it.
Yes, and what’s great about the O’s position right now is they can actually offer some strong PACKAGES of players.
But they wont because of management.
Their management is quite competent actually, has been for many years now.
The funniest comment I read all day.
Lack of international signing, not trading when its the right time to trade someone, bad long term signing,.
Yeah, ‘competent’ my ass.
They’re easily the most incompetent in the league
Would make sense. Let him go in a trade to a contender for one final run at a World Series. Resign him in the offseason and keep him in Baltimore for the remainder of his career.
At a corner outfield spot. Would have to be left.
I agree. He would be a good mentor for Cedric Mullins in Triple A.
Pass on Jones
For sure!
Amen!
Based on his performance so far this year, he’s not enough of a difference-maker to trade any significant prospects for.
Shouldn’t the Indians be focused on their bullpen?
That should be the biggest priority, but other than Brantley and occasionally Naquin their outfield has been pretty bad this year. I’d personally escort Guyer to the airport out of Cleveland if I had to.
Adam Jones is one of my favorite non-Indians players, but I question the fit. I’d take him for a lottery ticket, but I’m not sure if a low-level prospect is worthwhile for the Orioles to trade a guy of his stature.
Losing AJ would make me really sad.
For those of you who don’t know, Adam Jones is one of baseballs really great people. And for all you Indians fans who think he’s washed up, if he were on your team, I promise you would Love him for what he does on the field, although you would probably love him a little bit more for his off-field work.
I propose an Ohio trade. Cincinnati sends Raisel Iglesias and Adam Duvall to Cleveland for Francesco Mejia Shane Bieber and Ryan Merritt. Helps both clubs. What’s the thought
My thought: stop regurgitating BS trades ideas
indians won’t give up bieber
Mejia is a solid prospect and Bieber too with success in the MLB. But with that said, Iglesias and Duval come with a lot of control. I assume Cincinnati May want a little more.but idk I’m not a scout, could be very close. If I was Cincinnati I’d want some more pitching prospects
Merritt is likely out for the year and he isn’t any good. Cleveland isn’t trading Beiber for a reliever, or likely at all. I don’t think Duvall really helps Cleveland. I think the Indians would target Iglesias and Amir Garrett. Cleveland could send back Mejia, Plutko, and a prospect in the mid 20s, like SS Ernie Clement or 2B Tyler Kreiger.
Cincinnati doesn’t need any infielders we have them coming out of the woodwork. Bieber may be very good but your bullpen sucks. 1 1/2 years of Iglesias and 2 plus years of Duvall is gonna cost. I think Mejia is for sure and I see Merritt has been dropped. So if not Bieber then your number 2 prospect pitcher who I can’t remember his name plus 2 additional pitchers or outfielder might work.
No chance Iglesias brings back Mejia and Triston McKenzie. Duvall is having an awful season and doesn’t help Cleveland.
Thank you! For some reason people think Duvall is good or something.
The top catching prospect in all of baseball and their top pitching prospect, that has been getting it done in the majors along with a lefty that has had success…sure, just hold your breath on that one…
“The top catching prospect in all of baseball……”
——–
You left out the word “fantasy” – i.e. fantasy baseball.
Mejia is a catcher that can’t play the position (arguably the most important defensive position).
In the words of Sparky Anderson – “He plays bat”.
At a time when teams are rotating players in the DH spot, he’s a DH. He’s a liability anywhere on the field. With 12-13 man pitching staffs, it’s difficult for any team to put him on their roster.
Top catching prospect in all of baseball is what it is. MLB ready bat stuck behind two catchers with contracts they won’t get out from under. Mejia is a top flight prospect regardless what you think of his glove Sparky.
Take your meds. You’re becoming delusional.
You must be out of your mind if you think they are giving up Bieber for that.
Jones would reject Cleveland deal.
Why would he reject it?
Yeah because there are so many other division champs guaranteeing him a spot in the playoffs.
While I fully understand that Jones is a first class teammate and citizen, the sad reality is that he hasn’t produced much, is aging and expensive. I don’t see him having much trade value at all.
Cincinnati doesn’t need any infielders we have them coming out of the woodwork. Bieber may be very good but your bullpen sucks. 1 1/2 years of Iglesias and 2 plus years of Duvall is gonna cost. I think Mejia is for sure and I see Merritt has been dropped. So if not Bieber then your number 2 prospect pitcher who I can’t remember his name plus 2 additional pitchers or outfielders might work.
Put down the pipe…
Hard pass.
Jones will re-sign. Read that he paid like 3.5 million or something for Cal Ripken’s house a few months ago. Seems unusual to spend that kind of money and then leave. I think the only reason he’d accept a trade is to get some assets for the future, but then he re-signs.
Re-signing Jones would be a questionable move on the part of BAL who should be rebuilding, but then again we’re talking about an organization owned by Angelos, so common sense and sound decisions come few and far between.
Then your probably not gonna get past the ALDS with the bullpen you have now. Getting Iglesias sets you up for this year and next and means you can resign Andrew Miller and pass on Cody Allen for 2019. But it’s gonna cost you more than a couple of magic beans that you want to trade instead of Mejia or Bieber. One of those 2 would be minimum return for Iglesias and something more would have to be included. Or you can be like Houston couple years ago when their bullpen imploded against Kansas City after supposedly passing on an Aroldis Chapman trade with Cincinnati
The funny thing about your sanctimonious attitude is: Cincy’s front office wont do business with Cleveland… They think its bad business, given the Ohio rivalry, and sets a bad precedent with fans.
Reds got Brandon Phillips from Cleveland years ago so they have dealt with them before.
Yeah but they got a cornerstone player for a bag of bp balls, no wonder they were in on him.
I think somebody in Cincinnati needs to stay off his “magic beans”…
I think he needs a change of scenery. He’s still got plenty of good years left
Years?
Months…
Jones/Britton to Seattle
Pirates need an infusion of young talent/prospects and the Indians need to capitalize on their chance. How about a trade revolving around Bieber OR McKenzie and Marte/Rivero? I’m actually a fan of both teams. Rivero is a top closer on a team that can’t win with what they have, and Marte’s tenure with them is half over with the team declining. The Tribe would get a MASSIVE boost for multiple seasons at two big areas of need with those two, and they would be dealing from an area of strength. Marte and Rivero are also both pretty cheap. The Bucs would be getting a top-notch pitching prospect. I’m assuming other pieces would be involved on one or both sides as well…
Thoughts?
Vazquez would be a nice addition to the bullpen but Marte will be owed too much to take on moving forward.
Bucs could add some money to facilitate it? Marte, Vazquez, cash, for Bieber OR McKenzie + lesser prospect or two.