Andruw Jones

2013

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2012

Jones provided decent power as the Yankees' fourth outfielder in 2011, hitting 13 homers in just 190 at-bats. Jones' struggles against right-handers are likely to preclude him from finding a starting role, as he hit just .172 against them in 2011. However, he was very effective against left-handers, hitting .286 with a .924 OPS. He'll return to the Yankees in a similar role in 2012 and his power potential makes him worth a short-term pickup if injuries thrust him into the lineup for a week or two.

2011

Jones was brought into Chicago to be part of a DH-by-committee, but he wound up playing 89 games in the outfield, and his 107 total appearances were his most since leaving Atlanta after the 2007 season. He hit nine home runs through May 5 but only 10 the rest of the way out, and his batting average flirted with .200 for much of the middle months. Still, his .827 OPS was a four-year high, and he should be able to find work as a right-handed bat off the bench.

2010

Jones showed some power, swatting 17 homers in just 281 at-bats, and goes to a pretty similar situation in terms of expected role and home environs after signing a one-year deal with the White Sox for 2010.

2009

Where to start? Coming off a disappointing 2007, Jones nonetheless managed to garner $36.2 million over two years based on his past successes and hopes for a rebound. Instead, the Dodgers received .158/.256/.249, which has to be near the worst line for any hitter with 200+ at-bats in baseball history. To further fuel the ire of the Dodgers and their fans, Jones came to camp seemingly out of shape. The positive? He got hurt (knee) and opened the door for full-time at-bats for Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp. He was released by the Dodgers this winter after agreeing to defer his remaining salary. He'll now try to rebuild his major league career with Texas, after signing a minor league deal.

2008

Jones picked the wrong time to have the worst season of his career as he wasn't able to get the multiyear contract he was seeking after finishing his tenure with the Braves. Jones signed a two-year, $36 million deal with the Dodgers and will take his gold glove defense to centerfield in Chavez Ravine. While he played most of the second half with a sore left elbow, it didn't appear injury was a big factor in his performance. He'll likely rebound from career lows in batting average (.222) and OPS (724), but playing home games in a pitcher's park won't help his hitting stats. Still, he's just two years removed from a 51 home run season and will be just 31 years old next season. He may never come cheaper and could be a bargain as a result.

2007

While Jones didn't duplicate his 51-homer season of 2005, there were few complaints about his production last season. Jones had the third-highest OPS of his career and close to the best OBP. When he had just 29 home runs in 2004, he seemed to become too much of a free swinger. But the last two seasons he's shown a better eye at the plate and that's resulted in new highs in power. In addition, he's in the last year of his contract. While that's led to speculation he could be traded (despite a no-trade clause), it might also motivate him this season. As a result, he's as good a bet as anyone to produce 35-plus home runs and will contribute his usual solid glove in center field.

2006

Jones will patrol center field with Gold Glove defense and power at the plate. He had a career season in 2005, becoming the first Braves player to hit 50 home runs. While Jones credits some of his success to a new batting stance, and he did reduce his strikeouts slightly, the rest of his season looked about the same as his past few years. As a result, he may be about the best bet in the NL to hit 35-plus home runs, but we're not sure he'll come close to 50 home runs again.

2005

Jones' star has dimmed somewhat at the plate and in the field. He failed to hit more than 30 HR for the first time in four seasons and struck out more than ever before. With about $40 million left on his contract, there were rumblings he could be traded this offseason to help trim payroll. Despite all the negatives, Jones will still be a fixture in center field with Gold Glove defense and power at the plate. He's always a batting average risk but actually increased his walks last year.

2004

Jones has become one of the more consistent home run hitters in the NL while playing arguably the best defense in center field anyone has ever seen. His fantasy value has fallen, however, as he failed to reach even double digits in steals in 2003. Frequent nagging injuries have limited his appetite to pad his steal totals, so don't expect a rebound. His lack of plate discipline makes his batting average a risk, but he's a good bet to post 30 homers or more.

2003

Jones continued to display power but his inclination to steal bases disappeared. Nagging shoulder and wrist injuries caused him to say trying to steal bases for the sake of padding his stats wasn't worth it. While the days of 20+ steals may be over, Jones has solidified himself as one of the best NL sources of homers. He continues to struggle with his plate discipline, so his batting average is always a risk. However, he's among the best bets to post 30 HRs or more.