Andruw Jones Blasts 3 Home Runs

Sports Betting News - July 9th, 2009 - Written by Bruce

Andruw Jones made a big statement yesterday showing he might be returning to his All Star form of years past. Jones blasted a home run in his first three at bats yesterday. His monster performance helped lead the Rangers to a 8-1 victory over the Angels. He had a chance to become the first player in six years to a hit four home runs in a game but he failed to do so in last two at bats. He is definitely heating up as he also had a three run home run on Tuesday against this same Angels team. With his recent surge in power Jones now has 14 home runs for the season. A season ago Jones only had three total HRs which ironically he matched in one game with this three from yesterday.

At the beginning of his career Andruw Jones made a name for himself as one of the premiere center fielder in the game. The Braves signed him when he was only 16 and he became a full time starter for them at the age of 20 in 1997. From 1998 to 2006 Jones was an elite player at his position not only playing excellent defensively put putting up big numbers at the plate. His best season was most likely 2005 when he led MLB in home runs with 51. The next season he also had a huge year finishing with 41 home runs and 129 RBI's. His struggles started the following year and the Braves did not resign him going into 2008 and he went to the Dodgers. The Dodgers gave him a two year contract worth $36.2 expecting big things from Jones. He had a miserable year for them and hit below .200 for most of the season. He truly looked lost at the plate and looked nothing like the hitter he was earlier in his career. He finished the year with a pitiful three home runs and the Dodgers wanted nothing to do with him. They released him and it looked as if no major league teams had any interest in signing the former star.

Towards the end of the off season the Rangers signed him to a one year minor league contract worth less than $1,000,000. He earned the final roster spot on this Rangers club and has become the productive hitter they were hoping he would be when they signed him. It looks as if he has found the swing that he had early in his career and seemingly lost the last few years. He is on pace for about 30 HRs this season and looks to be a big part of the Texas lineup. With his resurgence the Rangers have taken a one game lead in the American League West. His four home runs in the last two games over the 2nd place Angels have been key in the Rangers overtaking them in the division. It looks as if the Rangers have gotten the Andruw Jones slugger who was a feared power hitter and if he has a big second half of the season the Rangers will be a team to look out for.