Orioles CF Jones signs extension

BALTIMORE — Adam Jones signed a six-year, $85.5 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, keeping the 26-year-old center fielder tied to the team through 2018.

“I fit here in this city. I fit here on this team. I fit in Camden Yards. I don’t see myself wearing another white uniform that doesn’t have Orioles across the chest,” Jones said.

Jones entered Sunday with a 17-game hitting streak and leads the team in home runs (14) and RBI (31). He is a career .278 hitter with 89 home runs and 322 RBI in 6 seasons.

Jones’ new deal includes a $2 million signing bonus, $8.5 million in 2013, $13 million each in 2014 and 2015, $16 million each in 2016 and 2017 and $17 million in 2018. It also includes a no-trade provision.

The news conference was attended by a local youth baseball team that Jones sponsors.

“A lot of these kids look up to me, and I am a role model,” Jones said.

Jones had one more year before he could have been a free agent, and he acknowledged he decided he wanted to stay in Baltimore some time ago.

“Now, I don’t have to worry about trade deadline, free agency,” Jones said. “I don’t have to worry about any of that, just worry about being a part of the best team in baseball.”

The Orioles have suffered through 14 consecutive losing seasons, and since Jones came to Baltimore in a trade from Seattle in 2008, the team hasn’t won even 70 games. Entering Sunday’s game with Kansas City, the Orioles led the AL East with a 29-18 record.

“We have to prove to the fans that we’re for real. We’re slowing doing it. This is a big step in that right direction,” Jones said.

“There’s a bigger goal here, I believe, and that’s winning games.”

— The Associated Press