Jones made sure he wasn’t getting traded
Adam Jones chose to stay with the Baltimore Orioles, using his contractual right to block a trade from a team dealing veterans and going into a rebuilding mode.
“It’s my decision. It’s my life,” Jones said following Tuesday night’s 6-3 loss to the New York Yankees. “No one’s going to tell me what to do. I earned every single bit of it. People before me fought vigorously, tirelessly, to get rights like this.”
Infielder Jonathan Schoop, and pitchers Kevin Gausman and Darren O’Day were the latest departures in the payroll purge ahead of Tuesday’s deadline for trades without waivers, joining Manny Machado, Zach Britton and Brad Brach among the jettisoned from a team that dropped to a major league-worst 32-75.
A five-time All-Star who can become a free agent after the season, Jones chose to remain with the club where he’s spent the past 11 seasons, reportedly blocking a deal to the Philadelphia Phillies by invoking his 10-and-5 service time rights. He said he doesn’t care about criticism of his decision.
“Well here’s the thing about society, everyone thinks that they know what’s best for the next person,” said Jones, 32. “Now if someone wants to pay all my bills, trust me, they can tell me what to do. But until then, shut the hell up.”
Baltimore acquired 14 prospects, one major leaguer and $2.75 million in international signing bonus allotment in exchange for six veterans. The Orioles cut nearly $29 million in payroll obligations for this year and next.
However, Jones and his $6 million in remaining salary are staying put.
“When players walked out years ago and walked the picket lines and stuff, they did that for reasons like this,” Jones said. “It’s business. When you understand and you can separate the business from the emotion part, then you understand it.
“A lot of people outside of these clubhouses try to do everything with emotion. It’s business. Trust me, there are guys that love playing in certain places, but the reality of it is that it’s business. So, if the team wants you, they want you. If they don’t, they don’t.”
Executive vice president Dan Duquette said he wasn’t sure if Jones would be a part of the team’s rebuilding plans.
“I don’t know the answer to that question,” Duquette said. “But what I do know is that the club is going to start auditioning some young players for full-time jobs for the future. We’ll have to address those questions in the offseason.”