Keeping Up With Adam Jones

So...who else was thinking they'd seen the last of Adam Jones' better numbers?

Look, maybe you can blame the chaotic free agent season that's just passed, but once February came around and Adam Jones' name was still on the board, we all kind of assumed the worst. At least I did. I mean, as an Oriole, Jones was one of the best, and had so many fun seasons of solid contact-hit ball. The man was essentially the last big gun standing last year, and if he hadn't have vetoed a trade, he would have ended last year in Philadelphia.

But...somehow the D-Backs signed him to a minor league deal. And it went well enough that Jones was guaranteed a spot on the roster, and has been playing beautifully thus far, batting .333 with 4 home runs. Yes, he's not 2012-era Adam Jones, but he's still a fun player, capable of carrying a team that needs a leader. And...I guess that's what he's doing, with apologies to David Peralta.

He also just picked an amusing year to join the Diamondbacks, because this is a very odd in-flux team. You've got tons of pitchers with beards doing okay things, you've got great starts from Robbie Ray and Japanese import Merrill Kelly, and you've got rookies like Christian Walker and Carson Kelly doing sneaky-good work. Plus, as the heroes of this team, Peralta notwithstanding, have gone, you get bit players like Jarrod Dyson getting starting spots, and most of them are doing well (the less said about Wilmer Flores, the better).

I don't know if this D-Backs team can get above spoiler status this year, but they're a very fun, rootable team that could have some nice games this year. And having a marquee guy like Adam Jones certainly helps.

Coming Tomorrow- Meanwhile, back in Jones' old city...not much is happening, except for a nice-enough start from this starting pitcher.