Adam Jones is getting his wish for more athleticism in the outfield.
The Baltimore Orioles have re-signed Michael Bourn to a minor-league deal with an invite to Sarasota. Bourn would make $2 million if he makes the O’s initial 25-man roster, a steal for a player that hit .283/.358/.435 with two home runs, eight RBI and two stolen bases in 24 games for Baltimore last season.
Bourn fills all the gaps the Orioles are lacking offensively. While he is no longer stealing 50-plus bases a season, he is the closest thing Buck Showalter has to a prototypical lead-off hitter. He gets on base and can steal bases, something the O’s lineup has desperately been missing. Bourn finished 2016 with 15 stolen bases, while Baltimore finished last in the Majors with 19 all season.
He played center field for much of his career and still has the range to make all the plays. Many remember Bourn for misplaying a fly ball in the American League Wild Card game that cost the Orioles a run, but he also made a play in that game that Mark Trumbo or any other Orioles outfielder would have had no chance of running down. That athleticism gives him a leg up on the competition in Spring Training.
He batted .261/.307/.362 in 89 games with the Arizona Diamondbacks prior to joining the Orioles last season and is a career .266/.329/.357 hitter with two Gold Gloves to his credit. The only other outfielder on the roster with a Gold Glove: Adam Jones.
Jones was outspoken about his desire for the club to bring in outfielders that were better defensively. What was more shocking to many was Dan Duquette responded by openly critiquing Jones’ play in the outfield. The drama looked to be brewing within the Orioles.
All Duquette has done since is add two athletic outfielders to the mix.
After re-signing Bourn and recently signing Craig Gentry, the O’s will have 14 outfielders at Spring Training. Joey Rickard is the biggest loser with the latest additions as he faces more competition for a spot that he thought was basically his heading into Spring Training.
Rickard entered camp as the primary backup because of his ability to play all three outfield spots and his speed off the bench. He was the darling of last spring, but could not turn it into a full season of success. That is in large part why the Orioles needed to make the trade to land Bourn. Now it is a competition, and what is not working in Rickard’s favor is that he has a minor league option available.
An outfield consisting of Jones, Bourn, Hyun-soo Kim and Seth Smith is not the most exciting bunch, but each offers a role to the lineup and defensively. They give Showalter flexibility in the lineup and outfield. And while he was never a liability last season, it keeps Trumbo’s glove in the dugout. That’s the best scenario for everyone.
Is this enough to make Jones happy? We shall see. It is a move that makes the Orioles a better overall team. A $2 million investment for a player that would likely lead the team in stolen bases and also has range in the outfield is a bargain.
