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Andruw Jones a father figure to the Dutch in World Baseball Classic
SAN FRANCISCO – Andruw Jones, father figure.
Somehow it doesn’t seem right to put that name and that description in the same sentence.
Maturity was one of the biggest reasons why Jones went from what once looked a Hall of Fame lock with the Atlanta Braves – he made five All-Star Game appearances and won eight Gold Gloves in 12 seasons with them — to a journeyman who played with four major-league teams in the last five seasons.
Jones has moved on to Japan this year and will play for the Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Pacific League.
Jones’ career took a downward turn after he signed a two-year, $36.2-million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent in the 2007-08 offseason and began to gain weight. Even during the good teams in Atlanta, Jones was occasionally benched by Braves manager Bobby Cox for lackadaisical play.
More recently, Jones was arrested on Christmas Day and charged with assault after his wife, Nicole, accused him of dragging her down a staircase by her ankles and threatening to kill her.
Nicole filed for divorce one week after the alleged incident; the Golden Eagles have said they will honor their contract with Jones.
Yet, at 35, Jones has indeed become the father figure of the Netherlands team that faced the Dominican Republic last night in a semifinal of the World Baseball Classic at AT&T Park. The winners Dominican Republic will face Puerto Rico in the championship game Tuesday (tonight).
It’s also an odd turnabout for a player originally known for his youth – hitting two home runs at Yankee Stadium as a 19-year-old in Game 1 of the 1996 World Series.
“His maturity has really shown up in this tournament,” Netherlands manager Hensley Meulens said. “He’s taken guys under his wing. He’s showing leadership on and off the field. ”
Jones, a native of the Dutch territory of Curacao, has gone 8-for-23 (.348) in seven games while drawing five walks.
“He’s played with a lot of heart, with a lot of determination, and he’s leading by example on the field, and that’s easier to have guys follow you when you do that,” said Meulens, the San Francisco Giants’ hitting coach. “When you’re a star and you perform on the field, it’s easier to get guys to believe what you’re saying and that’s been the case.”
Jones laughed when asked about the father figure role on a team that has reached the semifinal round of the WBC for the first time.
“Well, I don’t want to be their father, because I would have to take care of a lot of kids,” Jones said with a smile “I’m proud of them. I’m proud of all these guys. We managed to get them together and make things happen. I know all the guys that say all those good things, they probably grew up watching me play and wanted to be at the same stage that I am.”
Despite his late-career slide, Jones remains the Babe Ruth of Curacao, where the majority of Dutch players reside. Texas Rangers infielder Jurickson Profar – considered the top prospect in baseball by most analysts – is one of those players who idolized Jones.
“We all grew up watching him. Every player,” said the 20-year-old Profar, who was added to the Netherlands roster for the final round. “He was the only one there when I grew up. So everyone was watching him and everyone wanted to be like him.”
Credits to John Perrotto, Special for USA TODAY Sports
Andruw Jones a father figure to the Dutch in World Baseball Classic
SAN FRANCISCO – Andruw Jones, father figure.
Somehow it doesn’t seem right to put that name and that description in the same sentence.
Maturity was one of the biggest reasons why Jones went from what once looked a Hall of Fame lock with the Atlanta Braves – he made five All-Star Game appearances and won eight Gold Gloves in 12 seasons with them — to a journeyman who played with four major-league teams in the last five seasons.
Jones has moved on to Japan this year and will play for the Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Pacific League.
Jones’ career took a downward turn after he signed a two-year, $36.2-million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent in the 2007-08 offseason and began to gain weight. Even during the good teams in Atlanta, Jones was occasionally benched by Braves manager Bobby Cox for lackadaisical play.
More recently, Jones was arrested on Christmas Day and charged with assault after his wife, Nicole, accused him of dragging her down a staircase by her ankles and threatening to kill her.
Nicole filed for divorce one week after the alleged incident; the Golden Eagles have said they will honor their contract with Jones.
Yet, at 35, Jones has indeed become the father figure of the Netherlands team that faced the Dominican Republic last night in a semifinal of the World Baseball Classic at AT&T Park. The winners Dominican Republic will face Puerto Rico in the championship game Tuesday (tonight).
It’s also an odd turnabout for a player originally known for his youth – hitting two home runs at Yankee Stadium as a 19-year-old in Game 1 of the 1996 World Series.
“His maturity has really shown up in this tournament,” Netherlands manager Hensley Meulens said. “He’s taken guys under his wing. He’s showing leadership on and off the field. ”
Jones, a native of the Dutch territory of Curacao, has gone 8-for-23 (.348) in seven games while drawing five walks.
“He’s played with a lot of heart, with a lot of determination, and he’s leading by example on the field, and that’s easier to have guys follow you when you do that,” said Meulens, the San Francisco Giants’ hitting coach. “When you’re a star and you perform on the field, it’s easier to get guys to believe what you’re saying and that’s been the case.”
Jones laughed when asked about the father figure role on a team that has reached the semifinal round of the WBC for the first time.
“Well, I don’t want to be their father, because I would have to take care of a lot of kids,” Jones said with a smile “I’m proud of them. I’m proud of all these guys. We managed to get them together and make things happen. I know all the guys that say all those good things, they probably grew up watching me play and wanted to be at the same stage that I am.”
Despite his late-career slide, Jones remains the Babe Ruth of Curacao, where the majority of Dutch players reside. Texas Rangers infielder Jurickson Profar – considered the top prospect in baseball by most analysts – is one of those players who idolized Jones.
“We all grew up watching him. Every player,” said the 20-year-old Profar, who was added to the Netherlands roster for the final round. “He was the only one there when I grew up. So everyone was watching him and everyone wanted to be like him.”
Credits to John Perrotto, Special for USA TODAY Sports
Andrelton Simmon’ scores
Netherlands’ Andrelton Simmons claps as he scores past Dominican Republic catcher Carlos Santana (R) during the first inning of the semi-final round of World Baseball Classic in San Francisco, California March 18, 2013.
Credits: REUTERS/Robert Galbraith (UNITED STATES)
WENSHOW 