Adam Jones coming of age as star for Baltimore

Adam Jones came back to Seattle on Monday with an entourage — two burly guys standing by his locker in the visiting clubhouse at Safeco Field wearing Orioles' jerseys with "Jones" on the back.

By Larry Stone

Seattle Times staff reporter

Adam Jones came back to Seattle on Monday with an entourage — two burly guys standing by his locker in the visiting clubhouse at Safeco Field wearing Orioles' jerseys with "Jones" on the back.

OK, it was his brother and cousin, who came up from San Diego to visit Adam, who actually seems quite unaffected by the giant step into stardom he has taken this season.

"I'm just maturing as a baseball player," he said with a shrug. "Figuring out my role and not trying to do too much. Playing the game the way I know how to play it."

Which, as every wistful Mariners fan is well aware, is good enough to make him one of the game's most exciting young players, almost certainly headed, at age 23, to his first All-Star Game.

Ensconced in a perfect hitting spot — No. 2 in the lineup, behind Brian Roberts and ahead of Nick Markakis — Jones entered Monday among the American League's top 10 in average (.344), runs (40), total bases (111), slugging (.607), outfield assists (4), home average (.360), day average (.407), average vs RHP (.364), average with runners in scoring position (.447), and multi-hit games (.447). Other than that, he's struggling.

Notes

• Ryan Rowland-Smith (left triceps tendinitis) will throw a bullpen session today before making one final rehab start in Tacoma on Friday. He is slated to return to the rotation June 11 in Baltimore against the Orioles.

• Roy Corcoran (strained neck) will throw a simulated game Wednesday.

• Shawn Kelley (strained left oblique) is still "probably a couple of weeks before he's back on the mound," manager Don Wakamatsu said. "We thought sometime this homestand, but we're still pushing that a little. He's doing extremely well. There's no setback. We just talked a little more about being intelligent with him."

• According to Wakamatsu, "Carlos Silva is still progressing. He's feeling a lot better, but he's still a couple weeks away before he'll resume anything."

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

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Comments (9)

On Baseball Tonight, one of the ESPN analysts said that trade probably set the Seattle franchise back ten years. Bavasi should have been castrated... Posted on June 2, 2009 at 11:21 AM by hatecougs. Jump to comment

I have no doubt Jones is happier in Seattle. He not only was used like a yo-yo between Tacoma and Seattle, but was intimidated by a bunch of club... Posted on June 2, 2009 at 11:23 AM by W. Traveler. Jump to comment

Sorry, should have said "happier in Baltimore." Posted on June 2, 2009 at 11:24 AM by W. Traveler. Jump to comment

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