Now talking smack against the Red Sox: Adam Jones.
With the Orioles and Red Sox having only a short history of bad blood between them, and with both expected to be picking up the scraps in the American League East this year, trash talk heading into the teams’ first meeting wouldn’t appear to be in the cards. But Jones is providing just that as Baltimore prepares to face Boston for the first time this season at Fenway Park’s Opening Day on Monday.
“It’s important,” Jones said of the O’s playing well Monday, according to The Boston Globe. “You’ve seen the last couple days. You look on the scoreboard [Sunday]. [The Red Sox] had 13 runs, and they put them up quick, too.
“I think they are swinging the bats. We’ve got to go out there … and spoil their Opening Day.”
That sounds innocuous enough, but Jones wasn’t just talking about the final line on the scoreboard. He had something else in mind: quieting the resurgent Red Sox faithful, who are starting to get excited about their 4-2 team and its quality pitching, hitting and hustle so far this season.
“The more people, the more you want to shut them up,” Jones said of what is expected to be a packed Fenway Park. “That’s how I look at it. I don’t care. They can stand up the whole game. They do anyway. But when you can silence 40,000 people, it’s pretty cool.”
He’s got a point. But when 40,000 people won’t quiet down, that’s pretty cool, too — and possibly on tap Monday.
