Trade winds hit Jones

Adam Jones is still a bat-carrying member of Cardenales de Lara, the team from Barquisimeto, Venezuela, that is battling for its country's winter-league championship.

More importantly to Seattle fans, Jones is still — for now — a member of the Mariners, despite a two-day layoff over the weekend at the behest of M's management that awakened speculation of an impending trade.

Lara management was requested by the Mariners to hold Jones out of games Saturday and Sunday. But on Monday, Lara received the all-clear from the Mariners for Jones to return to action. He was in the lineup Monday against Tiburones of Laguaira.

The reason for Jones' two-day respite remains a mystery, though naturally most speculation links it to the ongoing trade talks between the Mariners and Baltimore Orioles regarding left-handed pitcher Erik Bedard.

Jones has long been believed to be the centerpiece of any trade between the teams. It was reported Monday by some news outlets that Jones had been told by the Mariners to come home, intensifying rumors that a trade was coming down. But Jones never left Venezuela.

"It was something we asked the Lara club to do and they accommodated our request," Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi said in an e-mail response to a query about Jones being lifted from the lineup.

"We will not comment further. The reason we are commenting to this extent is to make it clear that the move was made out of Seattle and that the Lara club is doing all they can to win; this was certainly not their idea. As of this afternoon, Jones will be back in the lineup."

A Mariners official said Jones is expected to remain with Lara through the end of its season. According to the latest statistics available from MLB.com, Jones, 22, is hitting .304 for Lara. He had a breakout year for Tacoma in 2007, batting .314 with 25 homers and 84 runs batted in in 101 games.

The Orioles are said to be asking a steep price for Bedard — three to five legitimate prospects or near major league-ready players, according to The Baltimore Sun.

Bedard, 27, was 13-5 with a 3.16 earned-run average in 2007, striking out a team-record 221 in 182 innings despite being shut down for most of September with a strained oblique.

The Orioles have a particular need for Jones, who is slated to take over as the Mariners' regular right fielder in 2008 but would likely play center for the Orioles.

Numerous other names have been speculated as Orioles targets in a trade, including left-hander George Sherrill, right-hander Brandon Morrow and 17-year-old shortstop Carlos Triunfel. The Orioles are also said to covet 19-year-old right-hander Chris Tillman.

In an interview with XM Radio on Sunday, Jones said he was mystified by being pulled from the lineup.

"I try to keep contact with our organization," Jones told XM, "but, the last time I talked with our GM, he just said, 'You're not going to play for a couple days. We are in the process of doing all this, we don't know what's going on yet. So, hang tight for a couple days, and we will get back to you.'

"So, hopefully, I can play Monday, 'cause we are in the playoffs and we are in first place, and I wanna be there for the guys. But if I'm not there physically, I am definitely there emotionally on the bench."

In the same interview, Jones addressed the ongoing trade rumors.

"It's pretty cool to be involved in a trade for such a high-profile player [Bedard]. I'd rather be playing. I like Seattle [but] whatever move is made, I can't do anything about it. I'm here to play baseball. If I'm playing baseball for anybody, as long as I'm in the big leagues playing baseball, having fun, that's all I can really ask for."

Larry Stone: 206-464-3146 or lstone@seattletimes.com