Hours before the MLB trade deadline, the stage was set for Baltimore Orioles’ center fielder Adam Jones to become a member of Philadelphia Phillies. Orioles and Phillies had reached an agreement for the five times All-Star, but Jones ultimately decided he didn’t want to head to Philadelphia and declined to waive his 10-and-5 no-trade rights.
Now, after the trade deadline is behind us, Adam Jones decided to explain his decision to stay in Baltimore.
“When players walked out years ago and walked the picket lines and stuff, they did that for reasons like this.” – Jones told Baltimore Sun. “I earned this, and it’s my decision. I don’t have to explain it to nobody. It’s my decision. Thank you.“
“I made the decision, you all didn’t” – he added. “This is my decision, this is my life. I’m not going around dictating other people’s lives. So why do they do that with us? No one is 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. And I can invoke them.”
Baltimore Orioles, who currently have the worst record in MLB with 32-75, are entering the rebuilding process and moved away from six players in the recent weeks including pending free agents shortstop Manny Machado, closer Zach Britton and reliever Brad Brach. Jones will also be a free agent next year, but it looks like he wanted to make the decision about his next destination on his terms.
Adam Jones made his MLB debut with the Seattle Mariners in 2006, before being traded to Orioles in 2008. During his 10 years in Baltimore, Jones made five All-Star appearances and won four Gold Glove Awards and one Silver Slugger Award.
