masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgOrioles center fielder Adam Jones can be a focal point for fan criticism when both he and his team’s offense are struggling. And right now, some fans have expressed concern about his slow start.
Through 22 games, the O’s five-time All-Star is batting .205 with one homer and seven RBIs. He is slugging just .295 with an OPS of .582. His career numbers in both categories are .460 and .778.
Is it that strong track record of success that can lead his manager Buck Showalter to expect Jones to start…

Orioles center fielder Adam Jones can be a focal point for fan criticism when both he and his team’s offense are struggling. And right now, some fans have expressed concern about his slow start.

Through 22 games, the O’s five-time All-Star is batting .205 with one homer and seven RBIs. He is slugging just .295 with an OPS of .582. His career numbers in both categories are .460 and .778.

Is it that strong track record of success that can lead his manager Buck Showalter to expect Jones to start hitting. Jones has made some loud outs in recent games and when asked about Jones today, Showalter expressed confidence.

Adam Jones back black.jpg“Adam, you know he’s, I wouldn’t say frustrated,” Showalter said. “Adam wants to contribute in every phase of the game. He’s one, I can tell you two or three games about his play in center field. The play he made night before last on the line drive. Not many center fielders come and get that ball. Most of them back off of it.

“But on my list of things that I’m concerned with, he’s going to do what Adam has done for us many years. And I’ve got a long memory. He will. He’ll be fine.”

Jones is 1-for-11 over his last three games and 5-for-26 over his last seven.

But when it comes to drawing walks and striking out, Jones is doing more of the former and less of the latter. Jones has a career walk rate of 4.4 percent and strikeout rate of 19.2 percent. This year, his walk rate is 9.2 percent, easily the best of his career, and his K rate is 18.4 percent, a bit up from last year’s 17.6 percent.

As for tonight’s pitching matchup, it is a good one at Camden Yards in the series finale, with Kevin Gausman (0-1, 2.45 ERA) pitching for the Orioles and Masahiro Tanaka (1-0, 2.87 ERA) for the Yankees.

Tanaka has allowed exactly two earned runs in all five of his 2016 starts. He is 1-1 with a 3.03 ERA in four career starts versus the Orioles.

“Tanaka still has a lot of fastball and great moxie,” Showalter said of the 27-year-old right-hander. “And the split is always an equalizer. People miss how often he can throw his breaking ball behind in the count. That is something we have to be aware of. This guy is a good pitcher, one of the best Japan has had to offer. He’s been a solid contributor for them, for the investment they made in him.”