Jones to DH, could return to CF tonight
After testing his left ankle, which he injured sliding into home in the second game of Thursday’s doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox, Jones was back in the starting lineup on Monday.
Before the game, Jones ran sprints and did agility drills under the supervision of head athletic trainer Richie Bancells. While he believed he could have returned to center field, he was instead the team’s starting designated hitter, a move Jones took in stride.
“I am not going to be stupid,” Jones said. “I am not going to be Superman in the beginning of June. But I want to be out there. … It’s boring DH-ing. I’m going to try to play center. But if I have to DH, I’ll DH. But I think the smart thing is to make sure there’s no lingering effects and try not to be Superman right now. Just try to make sure it’s going to hold, so you’ve got nothing lingering throughout the season.”
Showalter wanted to give Jones another day off from playing defense but said Jones will be back in center tonight, barring a setback.
“If he doesn’t come in sore tomorrow,” he will play center field, Showalter said. “Believe me, if you’ve ever been in a dugout with Adam Jones, you’d a lot rather have him play center field.”
Jones said he was bored being out the lineup and said jokingly that he needs to get back onto the field so that he’ll stop raiding the clubhouse dining room.
“I’ve been bored, really bored, missing my teammates, missing being on the field with the guys,” Jones said. “So when I’m not playing, I’m bored. I don’t know what to do. I’m going to try to get out there and stay out of the kitchen, because when I don’t play, I just raid the kitchen. … I’m not sad. I just want to play. You’ve been around me. I don’t like to disclose about how I’m feeling or how my body feels, but I just want to play, and that’s what I’ve done here. Let’s get back to that.”
No Orioles among All-Star vote leaders
The second update on All-Star Game fan balloting was released Monday, and no Orioles were among the American League’s leaders at their respective positions.
Jones remains one spot out of the top three vote-getters among outfielders and trails Kansas City’s Alex Gordon by 402,998 votes for the third and final starting outfielder spot.
Third baseman Manny Machado (fourth) and catcher Caleb Joseph (fifth) are the only other Orioles to be among the top five vote-getters at any position.
Former Oriole Nelson Cruz leads AL designated hitters with 2,108,584 votes.
Around the horn
Showalter said that after Matt Wieters catches right-hander Bud Norris’ rehabilitation start at Triple-A Norfolk tonight, he expects both to fly to Houston to rejoin the team. Wieters is expected to be activated Thursday, DH that day and make his catching debut Friday in Cleveland. Norris would be set to make his next start Sunday, but rookie Mike Wright also is slated to pitch that day. … Designated hitter Jimmy Paredes, who is 1-for-20 with 11 strikeouts over his past five games, was given Monday off.