HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Andruw Rudolf Jones (; born April 23, 1977) is a Curaçaoan former
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to c ...
and
designated hitter The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by th ...
who played 17 seasons in
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB), most notably for the
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in Bos ...
. Jones also played for the
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
, Texas Rangers,
Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...
, and
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
, and in
Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''. Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...
(NPB) for the
Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles The , often shortened as the , are a baseball team based in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It has played in Nippon Professional Baseball's Pacific League since the team's formation in November 2004. The team is owned by the Internet shopping ...
. Jones was a noted defensive specialist for most of his career and won the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for outfielders every year from 1998 through 2007. He had a strong throwing arm in addition to his elite fielding. He was an
MLB All-Star The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual professional baseball game sanctioned by Major League Baseball (MLB) and contested between the all-stars from the American League (AL) and National ...
five times, and he won both the Hank Aaron Award and a
Silver Slugger Award The Silver Slugger Award has been awarded annually since 1980 to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball. These voters co ...
for outfielders in 2005. Jones made his MLB debut during the 1996 season with the Atlanta Braves. In the
1996 World Series The 1996 World Series was the World Series, championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1996 Major League Baseball season, 1996 season. The 92nd edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) ...
, he became the youngest player ever to hit a
home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
in the postseason, and just the second player ever to homer in his first two World Series at-bats. The following season, Jones finished fifth in voting for Rookie of the Year. From 1998 to 1999, he continued to increase his offensive production, and in 2000, Jones batted .303 with 36 home runs and 104
runs batted in A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the ba ...
(RBIs), making his first All-Star team. Jones started to draw many comparisons to
Willie Mays Willie Howard Mays Jr. (born May 6, 1931), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid" and "Buck", is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-tim ...
and was considered one of the top center fielders in baseball. He proved to be a top defensive player, leading all center fielders in putouts and total zone runs five years in a row from 1998 to 2002. In 2001, he again hit over 30 home runs and drove in 104 runs but his average dipped to .251 while his strikeouts increased. Jones improved with All-Star seasons in 2002 and 2003, but in 2004, he failed to hit at least 30 home runs for the first time since 1999 and exceeded 100 strikeouts, which became a regular occurrence thereafter. In 2005, he led the
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...
(NL) with 51 home runs and 128 RBIs, finishing second to Albert Pujols for NL Most Valuable Player. In subsequent seasons, his average continued to dip and his strikeouts increased. After a productive season in 2006, including a career- high 129 RBIs, in 2007 Jones had his weakest season to that point, batting just .222. During his time with Atlanta, Jones became one of the youngest players in MLB history to reach 300 career home runs. After the 2007 season, Jones signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent to a two-year deal, worth $36.2 million. However, Jones struggled with the Dodgers, batting just .158 with three home runs and 14 RBIs. Shortly after the season, Jones was released. Jones concluded his MLB career with brief stints for the Rangers, White Sox, and Yankees, transitioning from a center fielder to designated hitter and a
fourth outfielder In baseball, a utility player is a player who typically does not have the offensive abilities to justify a regular starting role on the team but is capable of playing more than one defensive position. These players are able to give the various s ...
role. While with the White Sox, Jones hit his 400th career home run.


Early life

Jones was born on April 23, 1977, in the capital city of
Willemstad Willemstad ( , ; ; en, William Town, italic=yes) is the capital city of Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea that forms a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was the capital of the Netherlands Antilles pr ...
on the Caribbean island nation of Curaçao. By the age of 11, Jones was on a youth select team that traveled all the way to Japan to play in a tournament. He could handle any position on the field, but because of his powerful arm, Jones often found himself at catcher or third base. He switched to the outfield a couple of years later.


Early professional career

Jones signed with the Atlanta Braves organization as a
free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
in 1993 at the age of 16. Jones was promoted to Danville of the Appalachian League after only 27 games with the Braves farm team in West Palm Beach, Florida. Jones played for Class-A Macon in 1995. In his first at bat, he belted a homer. He finished the season with 25 home runs and 100 runs batted in. Jones also led the South Atlantic League with 56 steals. His outstanding season was capped off when he was named Minor League Player of the Year.


Professional career


Major League Baseball


Atlanta Braves (1996–2007)

The Braves brought Jones up to Atlanta on August 15, 1996, when he was just 19 years old. In his first career Major League game, Jones went 1-for-5 with a run batted in and a run scored. In his second game, he went 2-for-5 with a home run and a triple. He had his first multi-homer game against the Reds on August 22. He spent his early time in the majors playing in right field because established center fielder
Marquis Grissom Marquis Deon Grissom (born April 17, 1967) is an American former professional baseball center fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Montreal Expos, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and ...
was already entrenched in the position. He finished the season batting .217 with five home runs and 13 RBIs. Jones was selected to the Braves' postseason roster in 1996. In the National League Championship Series against the Cardinals, Jones batted .222 with a home run and 3 RBIs. The Braves won the Series and advanced to the World Series. In Game 1 of the
1996 World Series The 1996 World Series was the World Series, championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1996 Major League Baseball season, 1996 season. The 92nd edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) ...
on October 20, 1996, Jones was able to demonstrate his talents on the national stage. He connected for two
home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s to left field on his first two at bats as the Braves routed the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
12–1. Jones became the youngest player ever to homer in the World Series at the age of 19 years, 180 days, breaking
Mickey Mantle Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995), nicknamed "the Commerce Comet" and "the Mick", was an American professional baseball player. Mantle played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career (1951–1968) with the New York ...
's record of 20 years, 362 days — on what would have been Mantle's 65th birthday. Jones joined
Gene Tenace Fury Gene Tenace (; born Fiore Gino Tenacci; October 10, 1946), better known as Gene Tenace, is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played as a catcher and first baseman in Major League Baseball from through , most n ...
as the only other player to hit home runs in his first two World Series at bats. Tenace did it in 1972 with the Oakland Athletics. Jones became the Braves' everyday right fielder in 1997. Jones hit his first home run of the season against Jeff McCurry of the Rockies. Jones had his second multi-homer game against the Cubs on July 22. On August 31, Jones went 3-for-3 with a home run and five runs batted in a game against the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...
. Jones finished his rookie season with a .231
batting average Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic. Cricket In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
, 18 home runs, and 70
runs batted in A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the ba ...
. Jones also showed his speed by stealing 20 bases. He finished 5th in Rookie of the Year voting. In 1998, he moved to center field nearly full-time, and had a much more encouraging season. He hit his 30th home run of the season against Florida on September 13. He also won his first of ten straight Gold Glove Awards. In the 1998 National League Division Series, Jones went 0 for 9 but did draw 3 walks. The Braves won the series against the Cubs. In the
1998 NLCS The 1998 National League Championship Series (NLCS), to determine the champion of Major League Baseball's National League, was played from October 7 to 14 between the East Division champion Atlanta Braves and the West Division champion San Diego ...
against the
San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penn ...
, Jones batted .273 with a home run and two RBIs. However, The Braves lost the series in six games. Whether he was in the batter's box or gliding under a fly ball to make an easy basket catch, Jones played the game in a very relaxed manner. This temporarily earned him the ire of manager
Bobby Cox Robert Joe Cox (born May 21, 1941) is an American former professional baseball third baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Cox played for the New York Yankees and managed the Atlanta Braves and Toronto Blue Jays. He is a member of ...
in June 1998 in an incident in which Cox pulled Jones out of a game, in the midst of an inning, because he felt Jones had lazily allowed a single to drop in center field. Jones went on to hit .271 with 31 home runs and 90 runs batted in and stole 27 bases. Still just 22 years old, Jones had similar numbers in 1999. He had a breakout season with his bat in 2000 with career highs up until that point in batting average (.303), home runs (36), and RBIs (104). He also earned his first All-Star Game appearance. He also led the National League in Plate Appearances (729) and At Bats (656). Jones struggled in the National League Division Series against the Cardinals. He went 1 for 9 with a home run. The Braves lost the series. However, in 2001, Jones' batting average fell and his strikeouts went up. Jones finished with 34 home runs and 104 RBIs but his average dropped to only .251 and he struck out 142 times. By now, Jones had gained nearly 30 pounds since arriving in the Major Leagues, greatly diminishing his speed on the basepaths (he would not steal more than 11 bases after 2001). He maintained a similar batting performance in 2002, but was still playing superb defense. On September 7, he belted two home runs in his last two at-bats. In his first two at-bats on September 10, he belted two more home runs. He became the 11th player in MLB history to homer in four straight at-bats. Then on September 25, Jones belted three home runs against the Phillies. Jones became the first Braves player to hit three home runs in a game since Jeff Blauser did it in 1992. Jones was named to his second All Star team. He ended the season with 35 home runs and 94 RBIs. In 2003, with the power-hitting Gary Sheffield in the line-up, Jones achieved a new career high-water mark in RBIs, with 116. Jones made his third All Star team and homered in the game. The American League beat the National League, 7–6. In the 2004 season, he took a step backward when he hit fewer than 30 homers and struck out 147 times. During the season, Jones was the subject of trade rumors.


Breakout in 2005

Prior to the 2005 season, Jones increased his workout regimen and followed advice given by
Willie Mays Willie Howard Mays Jr. (born May 6, 1931), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid" and "Buck", is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-tim ...
to widen his batting stance. The result was his most productive offensive season ever. After Chipper Jones went down with an injury early in 2005, Jones carried the Braves. By the All Star break, Jones was leading the
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...
in home runs with 27. Jones was named to the All Star team, the fourth of his career. Jones hit his 40th home run of the season on August 23 in a loss against the Cubs. It marked the first time in his career that he hit at least 40 home runs in a season. Jones became the first Braves hitter to hit 40 home runs in a season since Javy Lopez did it in 2003. On September 14, 2005, Jones hit his 300th career home run which went off Philadelphia Phillies reliever Geoff Geary in a 12–4 Phillies win. The ball landed in the upper deck in left field at
Citizens Bank Park Citizens Bank Park is a baseball stadium located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the city's South Philadelphia Sports Complex. It is the home playing field of the Philadelphia Phillies, the city's Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise. The ...
. Jones became the first hitter since
Alex Rodriguez Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975), nicknamed "A-Rod", is an American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman, businessman and philanthropist. Rodriguez played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the ...
(57) and
Jim Thome James Howard Thome (; born August 27, 1970) is an American former professional baseball corner infielder and designated hitter, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 22 seasons (1991–2012). He played for six different teams during the ...
(52) to hit at least 50 home runs in a season. Jones also became the 12th player in history to hit 300 home runs before his 30th birthday. Jones hit a major league-leading 51 home runs, surpassing
Hank Aaron Henry Louis Aaron (February 5, 1934 – January 22, 2021), nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1954 through 1976. One of the gre ...
's and
Eddie Mathews Edwin Lee Mathews (October 13, 1931 – February 18, 2001) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) third baseman. He played 17 seasons for Boston / Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves (1952–1966); Houston Astros (1967) and Detroit Tigers (1967– ...
' single-season club record, and winning the Babe Ruth Home Run Award. He also led the
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...
with a career-high 128 RBI. Jones' torrid hitting in the summer, especially while teammate Chipper Jones was out with an injury, helped carry the Braves to their 14th consecutive division championship. He finished just behind
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
first baseman A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
Albert Pujols in the 2005 NL MVP vote. In the 2005, National League Divisional Series against the Houston Astros, Jones hit .471 with a home run and five RBIs. However, the Astros took the series, 3–1.


2006

Before the 2006 season, Jones played in the
World Baseball Classic The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is an international baseball tournament sanctioned from 2006 to 2013 by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and after 2013 by World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) in partnership with Major Lea ...
for the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. Jones started the season by hitting a home run off a pitch from Derek Lowe. Jones finished the game by going 2 for 4 with a home run, 4 runs batted in, a strikeout, and a base on balls. The Braves won the game, 11–10. From April 16 through April 19, Jones homered in 4 consecutive games. During that stretch, he batted .438 with 5 home runs and 8 runs batted in. Jones finished the month of April with a .281 average, 8 home runs and 23
runs batted in A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the ba ...
(RBI). Jones matched his career high with 6 runs batted in on July 18 against the Cardinals. He also went 5 for 5 with 2 home runs. On August 29, in a game against the Giants, Jones drove in 3 runs, which gave him his 1000th career RBI. On September 26, in a game against the
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
, Jones hit his 40th home run of the season. He became the first hitter in Atlanta's history to have consecutive seasons of at least 40 homers. Jones finished the 2006 season with 41 home runs and 129 RBIs. Jones also became more selective at the plate (82 walks, as compared to 64 the prior season), which helped him score 107 runs during 2006, an increase of 12 over the prior year and his most in a single season since 2000. He won his ninth consecutive Gold Glove award. The Braves finished with a 79–83 record and missed the postseason for the first time since 1990.


2007

Coming into the last year of his contract with the Braves, many fans and sports analysts alike felt that 2007 would be his last year as a Brave, mostly because of his potential value on the market that the Braves would not be able to afford. Jones, however, had an unexpectedly poor start to the season, striking out 51 times in 41 games and carrying a batting average in the low .200s for the majority of April and May. On April 30, Jones hit a three-run
walk-off home run In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. For a home run to end the game, it must be hit in the bottom of the final inning of the game and generate enough runs to exceed the opponent's score. Because the opponent will no ...
against the Philadelphia Phillies. On May 28, Jones hit his 350th career homer off Chris Capuano. After the All-Star break, Jones continued to have productive power numbers; however, his batting average remained poor. He was honored with a Fielding Bible Award as the best fielding center fielder in MLB. Jones finished the 2007 season with 26 home runs and 94 RBIs. On the downside, Jones hit only .222 and struck out 138 times. On October 2, the Braves announced they would not be bringing Jones back for the 2008 season.


Los Angeles Dodgers (2008)

On December 5, 2007, Jones agreed to a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, worth $36.2 million. After showing up out of shape and over 20 pounds overweight, he continued to struggle, hitting below .200 for most of the season. Additionally, he had only 10 hits in 116 at-bats with runners in scoring position. Due to his lack of production, Jones was dropped to eighth in the Dodger line-up. This was the first time since 1998 that Jones had hit eighth in any line-up. Jones was put on the disabled list for the first time in his entire career on May 25, 2008. He had knee surgery after injuring his knee during batting practice earlier that day. On July 27, 2008, the Dodgers manager
Joe Torre Joseph Paul Torre (; born July 18, 1940) is an American professional baseball executive, serving as a special assistant to the Commissioner of Baseball since 2020. He previously served in the capacity of Major League Baseball's (MLB) chief baseb ...
benched Jones and said that he would only be used as a spot starter in the future. At that time, Jones had a .166 batting average, two home runs and 12 RBIs combined with 68 strikeouts in 187 at-bats. On September 13, 2008, Jones was put on the 60-day disabled list, and removed from the playoff roster, putting an end to his season with the Dodgers. Jones finished the season with a .158 batting average, just three home runs, and 14 RBI. Jones stated that he did not wish to return to the Dodgers in 2009, saying that the Los Angeles fans did not give him a fair chance. During the 2009 off-season, the Dodgers reached an agreement with Jones to trade or release him before spring training in exchange for a deferral of some of the remaining money due on his contract. On January 15, 2009, Jones was officially released by the Dodgers.


Texas Rangers (2009)

On February 8, 2009, Jones signed a one-year minor league contract with the Texas Rangers; the deal paid him $500,000 for making the major league team, and offered $1 million in incentives. Jones reportedly turned down a similar offer from the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
to compete for their center field job and expressed an interest in staying with the Rangers even though he would likely not be a starter. He earned the Rangers' final roster spot.Jones Earns Final Roster Spot
ESPN, April 2, 2009
He was originally intended to be a pinch-hitter for the Rangers, but found a starting outfield role due to an injury to
Josh Hamilton Joshua Holt Hamilton (born May 21, 1981) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from to , most prominently as a member of the Texas Rangers teams that won two consecutive Americ ...
. Jones would go 3-for-5 in his Rangers debut with an RBI and two runs scored. By the end of April, Jones was batting .344 with three home runs and six
runs batted in A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the ba ...
. Jones was also faced with an opportunity to play against his old club, the Dodgers. Jones played two games against them on June 13 and 14, homering in each game. On July 4, Jones went 2 for 5 with a home run and 4 runs batted in against the Rays. On July 8, in a game against the Angels, Jones hit three home runs and drove in four runs in an 8–1 win. It was his second career three-homer game. Jones had a chance to hit his fourth home run of the game in his final two at-bats, but he popped out and struck out. "I was thinking about it. I tried. I just didn’t get it done," Jones said. "I’m just happy we won." Jones ultimately hit only .214 for the season, but did have 17 home runs in 82 games.


Chicago White Sox (2010)

On November 25, 2009, Jones signed a $500,000 deal for 2010 with up to an additional $1 million in performance bonuses. Unlike what he had done with the Braves and Dodgers in previous seasons, Jones showed up to camp in shape, a full 30 pounds under his previous weight. On April 23, 2010, Jones hit two home runs on his 33rd birthday, including a walk-off to help the White Sox win 7–6 over the
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion team ...
. On July 11, he hit his 400th career home run. He finished the year with nineteen home runs in 278 at-bats. He scored 41 runs, had 48 RBI and 64
base hits In baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H), also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches or passes first base after hitting the ball into fair territory with neither the benefit of an error nor a fielder's ch ...
in 107 games, the most games he has appeared in since 2007.


New York Yankees (2011–2012)

On January 20, 2011, Jones and the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
agreed to a contract for the 2011 season for $2 million, with an additional $1.2 million in performance bonuses. In his first Yankees at-bat on April 5, 2011, Jones hit a home run over the left field wall at
Yankee Stadium Yankee Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Bronx, New York City. It is the home field of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball, and New York City FC of Major League Soccer. Opened in April 2009, the stadium replaced the orig ...
off the Minnesota Twins'
Brian Duensing Brian Matthew Duensing (born February 22, 1983) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, and Chicago Cubs. Amateur career High school Duensing went ...
. Jones finished the season with a .247 average, 13 home runs and 33
runs batted in A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the ba ...
. He became a free agent after the World Series. Jones re-signed with the Yankees for the 2012 season on December 30, 2011, signing a one-year deal worth $2 million. He was slated to be a backup. However, due to Brett Gardner's DL stint, Jones received more starts than anticipated. Jones played very well in the first half of the season hitting 12 home runs in his first 62 games, including three over the course of a doubleheader in Boston, but in August and September he hit only .139 with two home runs over his final 32 games.


Nippon Professional Baseball


Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (2013–2014)

On December 7, 2012, Jones agreed to a one-year, ¥300 million (approximately US$3.5 million) contract with the
Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles The , often shortened as the , are a baseball team based in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It has played in Nippon Professional Baseball's Pacific League since the team's formation in November 2004. The team is owned by the Internet shopping ...
of Japan's
Pacific League The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series. It currently cons ...
. He finished the regular season with 26 home runs in 478 at-bats. He scored 81 runs, had 94 RBI, 116
base hits In baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H), also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches or passes first base after hitting the ball into fair territory with neither the benefit of an error nor a fielder's ch ...
and 105 walks in 143 games, helping Eagles to clinch their first Pacific League Championship. His steady performance continued in postseason, including two home runs in the
2013 Pacific League Climax Series The 2013 Pacific League Climax Series (PLCS) consisted of two consecutive series, Stage 1 being a best-of-three series and Stage 2 being a best-of-six with the top seed being awarded a one-win advantage. The winner of the series advanced to the 20 ...
and one in the 2013 Japan Series respectively, which played a key role in the Eagles' Japan Series win. After the season, Jones re-signed with Rakuten for the 2014 season, agreeing to a one-year contract worth ¥400 million (approximately US$3.8 million). In his two years with Rakuten, Jones hit 50 home runs and played primarily at
designated hitter The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by th ...
, however he played 48 games at first base, far more than the eight he played in his career before coming to Japan.


Retirement

Since playing in Japan, Jones attempted comebacks in both the 2015 and 2016 MLB seasons. He officially retired from baseball in February 2016 and was hired by the Braves as a special assistant later that month.


Career summary

As at end of the 2012 season, Jones owned a career .254 average, with 434 home runs, and 1,289 runs batted in. He currently ranks at 40 on the career home run list. However, Jones' weakness has been hitting against the
breaking ball In baseball, a breaking ball is a pitch that does not travel straight as it approaches the batter; it will have sideways or downward motion on it, sometimes both (see slider). A breaking ball is not a specific pitch by that name, but is any ...
and hitting for good average. Only once in his career has Jones batted .300 or better (he batted .303 in 2000), and since 2007 – the year he turned 30 – he has hit just .214. Jones was also known for his speed early in his career. In fact, his speed earned him the last playoff spot on the Braves' roster in 1996. Jones stole 20+ bases from 1997 to 2000. However, his speed declined as he hit for more power. Jones has not stolen at least 10 bases since he stole 11 in 2001. This could also be attributed to a noticeable weight gain. Jones also owned the lowest
batting average Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic. Cricket In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
(since broken by Jose Bautista in 2010), slugging percentage, on-base percentage, and runs scored in a season for a hitter that belted 50+ home runs in a season. Jones hit 51 in 2005 but batted just .263, with a .575 slugging, .347 on base, and 95 runs scored. From 1998 to 2007, Jones won 10 consecutive Gold Gloves. His 10 Gold Gloves for an outfielder ranks him in a tie for second with
Al Kaline Albert William Kaline ( ; December 19, 1934 – April 6, 2020), nicknamed "Mr. Tiger", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers. For most of his career, Kali ...
, Ichiro Suzuki, and Ken Griffey Jr. for most Gold Gloves won by an outfielder. Jones is also one of five center fielders to record at least 400 putouts in a season six times. The others are
Willie Mays Willie Howard Mays Jr. (born May 6, 1931), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid" and "Buck", is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-tim ...
,
Richie Ashburn Don Richard Ashburn (March 19, 1927 – September 9, 1997), also known by the nicknames, "Putt-Putt", "The Tilden Flash", and "Whitey" (due to his light-blond hair), was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball. (Some sources give his ...
,
Kirby Puckett Kirby Puckett (March 14, 1960 – March 6, 2006) was an American professional baseball player. He played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career as a center fielder for the Minnesota Twins (1984–1995). Puckett is the Twins' all-ti ...
, and Max Carey.


International career

Being born in Curaçao allowed Jones to be eligible for the
Netherlands national baseball team The Netherlands national baseball team is the national baseball team of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, representing the country in international men's baseball. They are currently ranked as the best team in the WBSC Europe, and the team is also ...
during their participation in the inaugural
World Baseball Classic The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is an international baseball tournament sanctioned from 2006 to 2013 by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and after 2013 by World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) in partnership with Major Lea ...
in 2006. Jones would later join the team again for the
2013 World Baseball Classic The 2013 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an international professional baseball competition, held from March 2 to March 19, 2013. This was the third iteration of the WBC, following the two previous tournaments, held in 2006 and 2009. Unlike t ...
. Two years later, in 2015, Jones was selected to play with the National Dutch team as a
first baseman A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
for the
2015 Premier 12 The 2015 WBSC Premier12 was an international baseball championship sponsored by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), the inaugural event of the WBSC Premier12. It was held from November 8 to 21 in Taiwan and Japan. The South Korean ...
. He later announced that those were his final games as a player.


Personal life

Jones was married to Nicole Derick. They are the parents of one son, Druw, and one daughter, Madison. Druw was the top prospect in the 2022 Major League Baseball draft and was selected second overall by the
Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The ...
. Early on the morning of Christmas Day, 2012, Jones was arrested for battery after police officers responded to a domestic disturbance call between him and his wife Nicole in suburban Atlanta. He was released on $2,400 bond late that morning. Nicole Jones filed for divorce in early January 2013.


Awards and accomplishments

* Minor League Player of the Year Award (1995 and 1996) * Youngest player in the National League (1996 and 1997) * 10-Time NL Gold Glove Award Winner (1998–2007) * 5-Time All-Star (2000, 2002–03, 2005–06) * Inaugural National League
All-Star Final Vote The All-Star Final Vote was an annual Internet and text message ballot by Major League Baseball (MLB) fans to elect the final player for each team that participates in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, after all other selections were m ...
winner (2002) * Led the majors with 51 home runs in 2005 * Holds Braves record for most home runs in a season (2005, with 51) * Led the National League with 656 at-bats in 2000 * Led the National League with 128 RBIs in 2005 * NL
Silver Slugger Award The Silver Slugger Award has been awarded annually since 1980 to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball. These voters co ...
in 2005 * NL Hank Aaron Award as the league's best offensive player in 2005 * NL Player of the Month for June and August 2005 * Major League Player of the Year for 2005, as chosen by the
Major League Baseball Players Association The Major League Baseball Players Association (or MLBPA) is the union representing all current Major League Baseball players. All players, managers, coaches, and athletic trainers who hold or have held a signed contract with a Major League cl ...
* Fielding Bible Award at center field (2007) Jones has appeared on balloting for the National Baseball Hall of Fame since
2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the Unit ...
, when he received 7.3% of the vote, well short of the 75% required for election, but above the 5% minimum required to remain on the ballot. His support has increased to 33.9% as of the 2021 Hall of Fame ballot, his fourth appearance. His support grew even stronger on the 2022 ballot, reaching up to 41.4% in his 5th year of eligibility. A player may appear on the ballot a maximum of 10 times.


See also

*
50 home run club In Major League Baseball (MLB), the 50 home run club is the group of batters who have hit 50 or more home runs in a single season. Babe Ruth was the first to achieve this, doing so in 1920. By reaching the milestone, he also became the first pla ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders This is a list of the 300 Major League Baseball players who have hit the most home runs. In the sport of baseball, a home run is a hit in which the batter scores by circling all the bases and reaching home plate in one play, without the benefit ...
* List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders *
List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders This is a list of Major League Baseball players who have compiled 1,000 runs batted in (RBIs). RBIs are usually accumulated when a batter in baseball enables a runner on base (including himself, in the case of a home run) to score as a result of ma ...
*
List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders In baseball, a run batted in (RBI) is awarded to a Batting (baseball), batter for each Baserunning, runner who Run (baseball), scores as a result of the batter's action, including a Hit (baseball), hit, fielder's choice, sacrifice fly, bases loade ...
* List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders


References


External links


Andrew Jones
at Pura Pelota (Venezuelan Professional Baseball League) {{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Andruw 1977 births Living people Águilas Cibaeñas players Curaçao expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic Atlanta Braves players Atlanta Braves scouts Chicago White Sox players Curaçao baseball players Curaçao expatriate baseball players in Japan Curaçao expatriate baseball players in the United States Danville Braves players Durham Bulls players Dutch people of Curaçao descent Frisco RoughRiders players Gold Glove Award winners Greenville Braves players Gulf Coast Braves players Las Vegas 51s players Los Angeles Dodgers players Macon Braves players Major League Baseball center fielders Major League Baseball players from Curaçao National League All-Stars National League home run champions National League RBI champions New York Yankees players Nippon Professional Baseball designated hitters People from Willemstad Richmond Braves players Silver Slugger Award winners Baseball players from Atlanta Texas Rangers players Tiburones de La Guaira players Curaçao expatriate baseball players in Venezuela Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles players 2006 World Baseball Classic players 2013 World Baseball Classic players 2015 WBSC Premier12 players