The Yankees gave Andruw
Jones his second consecutive one-year, $2-million contract to help balance
the team’s lefty-heavy lineup. But with injuries to Brett Gardner and Nick
Swisher, Jones has received much more playing time than originally planned.
Jones did his job pretty well in 2011, slugging 13 home runs
in 77 games and finishing with a .495 slugging percentage, which was better
than all of his teammates not named Curtis
Granderson and Robinson Cano.
Most importantly, Jones hit .286 against lefties over the course
of the season. This year, he is just 12-for-65, which is a measly .185- a drop
of 100 points. Only Eric Chavez (1-for-8, .125) is struggling worse against
lefties.
The outfielder is faring much better against right-handed
pitching, hitting .250 with a .977 OPS, second best on the team.
To Jones’ credit, his overall OBP (.310) is more than 100
points higher than his overall batting average (.206), so his approach is still
patient enough to fit the Yankees’ style and earn him a spot in the lineup.
Jones struggled mightily in the first half of 2011, with an
overall batting average of .195 with four home runs in 87 at-bats. He turned it
on after the all-star break, hitting .291 with nearly twice as many home runs
and RBIs in 103 at-bats. August was his best month, as he hit .344 with a home
run every eight at-bats.
Another second-half surge would be gladly welcomed, but with
Gardner expected to return around this year’s all-star break, Jones will see
less time in the lineup. He’ll have to make the most of his decreased plate
appearances if he hopes to have an impact.
3 comments:
I don't Jones is close to being a hall of famer. Why do you think so?
400 career home runs, 10 consecutive Gold Gloves and he's a 5-time all-star. Maybe I shouldn't have said it so definitively but I'd say he certainly deserves consideration.
The way I've always felt is that "hall of famers" are players that, for at least 7 years, were the players that defined their position. I never felt that about Jones during his prime.
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