2015 has been a test of Jones’ endurance
Back spasms would have benched center fielder for Monday night’s game
WASHINGTON — Center fielder Adam Jones takes pride in playing every day, as he did in 2012, when he appeared in all 162 Orioles games.
At the time, he joked that he wanted to break Cal Ripken Jr.’s consecutive-games record of 2,632. Jones failed, of course, but still missed just five games over his next two seasons.
This year, though, has been a physical trial for Jones, who has dealt with injuries to his shoulder, wrist and ankle, with other maladies he hasn’t revealed. He also had to pass a battery of concussion tests in August after slamming into an outfield wall in Kansas City, Mo.
And before Monday’s game against the Washington Nationals was rained out, he was out of the starting lineup because of back spasms, which are not considered serious, but were troublesome enough to keep Orioles manager Buck Showalter from writing Jones’ name on the lineup card.
“Everybody has some different spasms now and then. Believe me, if Adam could play, he’d play. It’s my decision. I’m not going to run him out here,” Showalter said. “He’s played many a game here as an Oriole
that he had some issues. His 70 percent is not as good as somebody else’s 100 percent. Sometimes it is. [Monday’s] not one of them.”
Jones spoke with reporters Monday afternoon, and though he didn’t mention his back, he downplayed the situation altogether.
“It’s not a story. Just a normal human being takes his bumps and bruises and gets days off,” Jones said. “When other players get days off around the league, I don’t see them being talked to whenever they get a day off. They get a day off. There’s nothing wrong with that any more.”
It would have been his 14th missed game of the year, meaning he would have played fewer games in 2015 than in any season since 2009, when he missed most of September with a sprained ankle. Few major league players have been more durable in that time, but Jones has learned to listen more to his body’s aches and his manager’s requests.
“Everything is barking,” Jones said. “Playing a lot of games, [Showalter is] looking out for me, giving me a day off. Thank you.”
Jones turned 30 in August, and said he is beginning to notice the physical changes that happen as players — and people —age.
“Chemically, yeah. I think so,” Jones said. “But we shall see.”
The Orioles might now have a new Mr. Durable — at least for this season.
Third baseman Manny Machado, 23, has played in all of the Orioles’ 149 games this season. He’s the only major leaguer with a chance at 162 games played in 2015.
Showalter said he’ll talk with Machado to see how important it is to him to play every game this year or whether he’d appreciate a small break before the season ends.