Jacque Jones

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Jacque Jones

| image = Jacque Jones 2007.jpg

| caption = Jones with the Chicago Cubs

| team =

| number =

| position = Outfielder

| bats = Left

| throws = Left

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1975|4|25}}

| birth_place = San Diego, California, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = June 9

| debutyear = 1999

| debutteam = Minnesota Twins

|finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = June 10

| finalyear = 2008

| finalteam = Florida Marlins

|statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Batting average

| stat1value = .277

| stat2label = Home runs

| stat2value = 165

| stat3label = Runs batted in

| stat3value = 630

| teams =

Minnesota Twins ({{mlby|1999}}–{{mlby|2005}})
Chicago Cubs ({{mlby|2006}}–{{mlby|2007}})
Detroit Tigers ({{mlby|2008}})
Florida Marlins ({{mlby|2008}})

|medaltemplates=

{{MedalCountry | {{USA}}}}

}}

Jacque Dewayne Jones (born April 25, 1975) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder for the Minnesota Twins, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers and Florida Marlins. He also coached for the Washington Nationals.

Early life

He graduated from San Diego High School in 1993,{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Nick |date=2017-11-22 |title=The All-San Diego Area Major League Baseball Team |url=https://eastvillagetimes.com/the-all-san-diego-area-major-league-baseball-team/#google_vignette |access-date=2025-01-03 |website=East Village Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Glaser |first=Kyle |date=2023-06-22 |title=After Falling Short As A Player, Jaime Jones Rises Again As An Ascendant Scout |url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/after-busting-as-a-prospect-jaime-jones-rises-again-as-an-ascendant-scout/ |access-date=2025-01-03 |website=College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America |language=en-US}} and the University of Southern California, where he had a stellar career. In {{Baseball year|1994}}, he was a first team all-American outfielder for the Trojans. In {{Baseball year|1996}}, he was a member of the US Olympic Baseball team. In 1993, he was named player of the year in the SCL with, .332 batting average, 33 home runs, and 124 RBI.

Professional career

=Minnesota Twins=

Jacque was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the second round of the {{Baseball year|1996}} amateur draft. He played three seasons in the minor leagues, and was brought up to the majors in {{Baseball year|1999}}. He started off in center field, but moved to left to accommodate Torii Hunter. Between {{Baseball year|2002}}-{{Baseball year|2003}}, he batted over .300, and went to the playoffs with the Twins. The Twins outfield was one of the fastest in baseball in {{Baseball year|2005}}, boasting Jones, Hunter and Shannon Stewart. With the acquisition of Stewart, Jones was moved to right field. Jacque was able to hit for power and averaged 20 home runs between {{Baseball year|2000}}-2005.

Jones officially ended his relationship with the Twins by turning down arbitration on December 19, 2005. After considering a deal to play for St. Louis, he signed a three-year deal with the Chicago Cubs just a day later.ESPN.com news services, [https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2266855 Cubs agree to terms with outfielder Jacque Jones], ESPN.com, Retrieved on July 28, 2007

=Chicago Cubs=

On August 15, 2006, Jones [http://mlb.mlb.com/media/player/mp_tpl_3_1.jsp?w_id=511781&w=2006/open/tp/archive08/081506_chnhou_jones_hr_tp_350.wmv hit a home run over the center field wall] against Roger Clemens at Minute Maid Park, well over 440 feet. He finished the {{Baseball year|2006}} season strong with a .285 batting average, and tied his career best with 27 home runs.

After the 2006 season, it appeared Jones' future with Chicago was uncertain. It was rumored that he had requested a trade and a deal was in the works, but on February 17, 2007, he asked to not be traded, and that he was hoping to have a comeback year. Jones remained with the Cubs to start the {{Baseball year|2007}} season, though he was never really accepted by the fan base, partly due to his lack of production and partly due to questionable comments regarding the teams decision to fire Dusty Baker, whom Jones said he came to Chicago to play for. Baker was replaced by Lou Piniella in December 2006. Early in the 2007 season he became disgruntled with his playing time and the Cubs again sought to trade him. Trades with the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers fell through in June 2007 because of new owner Sam Zell's unwillingness to transfer money to another team to cover Jones' remaining salaries.Berardino, Mike, [http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/columnists/sfl-flspmikeb627nbjun27,0,6074527.column?coll=sfla-sports-col Crucial position must be Marlins' center of attention]{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Sun-sentinel, Retrieved on July 28, 2007

=Detroit Tigers=

On November 12, 2007, Jones was traded to the Detroit Tigers for infielder Omar Infante. After getting off to a poor start, batting just .165 in his first 24 games, he was designated for assignment by the Tigers on May 5, {{Baseball year|2008}}. As a Tiger, Jacque Jones's best game was against the Texas Rangers where he had his only home run in a Detroit uniform as well as a triple, which came in back to back at bats. However, on May 13, he was released by the Tigers.

=Florida Marlins=

File:Jacque Jones.jpg

On May 19, 2008, Jones signed a minor league deal with the Florida Marlins.[http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080519&content_id=2730505&vkey=news_fla&fext=.jsp&c_id=fla Marlins ink Jones to Minors deal] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080520234657/http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080519&content_id=2730505&vkey=news_fla&fext=.jsp&c_id=fla |date=May 20, 2008 }} Jones first reported to extended spring training in Jupiter, Florida. On May 23, he was added to the major league roster and made his Marlin debut in center field on May 25. He was designated for assignment on June 11 and became a free agent on June 20 after rejecting his assignment to the minors.{{cite web |last=Frisaro |first=Joe |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080620&content_id=2968737&c_id=mlb |title=Ex-Marlin Jones opts for free agency |work=MLB.com |date=June 20, 2008 |access-date=February 4, 2014}}

=Cincinnati Reds=

On February 5, {{Baseball year|2009}}, Jones signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the Cincinnati Reds.{{cite web |url=http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090205&content_id=3801994&vkey=news_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin |title=Ward, Jones agree to Minors deals |access-date=February 5, 2009 |author=Mark Sheldon |author-link=MLB.com |date=February 5, 2009 |work=MLB.com |archive-date=September 27, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927090507/http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090205&content_id=3801994&vkey=news_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin |url-status=dead }} He did not make the team, and was reassigned to the minor league camp on March 30. He was cut after a poor spring training. He chose to leave the Reds, rather than accept a minor league contract.

=Return to Minnesota=

Jones signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins on February 9, 2010. He was assigned to the minor league after that.{{cite web|url=http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20100209&content_id=8044408&vkey=pr_min&fext=.jsp&c_id=min|title=Twins Sign Jacque Jones To Minor League Contract|access-date=February 9, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100309045239/http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20100209&content_id=8044408&vkey=pr_min&fext=.jsp&c_id=min|archive-date=March 9, 2010|url-status=dead}} He received very loud standing ovations during his at-bats during two exhibition games against the St. Louis Cardinals at Target Field.{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=7254537|title=Jones gets an ovation - 04/03/2010|website=MLB.com}}

After retirement from playing

Jones was on the ballot for Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014 but received only one vote,{{cite web |last1=Gaine |first1=Chris |title=Four Over-Supported, Under-Supported Players On HOF Ballot |url=https://metsmerizedonline.com/2019/01/four-over-supported-under-supported-players-on-hof-ballot.html/ |website=metsmerizedonline.com |access-date=February 23, 2019|date=January 15, 2019}} less than the minimum 5% needed to appear in subsequent years.

Jones was hired as the hitting coach for the Class A Fort Wayne TinCaps by the San Diego Padres for the 2012 season. In 2013, he was promoted to be the hitting coach for the Double-A San Antonio Missions. In 2014, he was named the hitting coach for the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas but resigned from the job midway through the season. In 2016, he was hired by the Washington Nationals as the team's assistant hitting coach.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/nationals-journal/wp/2015/11/27/jacque-jones-on-joining-the-nationals-as-assistant-hitting-coach/|title=Jacque Jones on joining the Nationals as assistant hitting coach|newspaper=Washington Post}} During their 2017 postseason, just before playing Game 1 of the 2017 National League Division Series on October 6, 2017, the Nationals announced Jones's indefinite suspension with pay pending a team investigation of a revenge porn incident.{{cite news |last1=Perez |first1=A.J. |title=Nationals assistant hitting coach Jacque Jones suspended, faces lawsuit for revenge porn |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/nationals/2017/10/06/washington-nationals-assistant-hitting-coach-jacque-jones-suspended-revenge-porn-lawsuit/742179001/ |access-date=February 23, 2019 |work=USA Today |date=October 6, 2017}}{{cite news |last1=Hargrove |first1=Dorian |title=Nationals coach suspended for "revenge porn" – 10 San Diego woman sues, investigation underway |url=https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2017/oct/09/ticker-washington-nationals-coach-revenge-porn/ |access-date=February 23, 2019 |work=San Diego Reader |date=October 9, 2017}}