The Baltimore Orioles did not trade outfielder Adam Jones prior to Tuesday's trade deadline. They won't trade him in August, either. That's by Jones's design.
By rule, players with more than 10 years of big-league experience and more than five seasons with their current team are allowed to veto any and all trades that involve them. Jones qualifies for that right and is protective of it, at least based on what he said on Tuesday night. Take a look:
More Jones (and not in an angry tone): “Well, here’s the thing about society, everyone thinks that they know what’s best for the next person. Now, if someone wants to pay all my bills, trust me, they can tell me what to do. But until then, shut the hell up.” #orioles
— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) August 1, 2018
Jones: "There’s the thing. I’m not going around telling other people and dictating other people’s lives. Why do they do that with us? No one’s going to tell me what to do. I earned every single bit of it. People before me fought vigorously to get rights like this." #orioles
— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) August 1, 2018
Jones on why he didn't approve trade: “When players walked out years ago and walked the picket lines and did all that stuff, they did all that for reasons like right now. I earned this and it’s my decision. I don’t have to explain it to nobody. It’s my decision. Thank you.”
— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) August 1, 2018
Some will question why Jones prefers to remain with one of baseball's worst teams rather than join a contender. He has a point though: It's his business, not ours. If he wants to stay in Baltimore, for whatever reason, he's earned that right. He doesn't owe anyone an explanation.
Give Jones credit for recognizing that, and for acknowledging the sacrifices previous generations of ballplayers made in order to secure provisions like 10-5 rights. It's easy to assume that this or that luxury was included from the start. Not so -- many exist only because of the hard work of past union members. Jones being cognizant of that fact shows he's a capable thinker -- even if him opting to stick with the O's will result in some questioning that.
