MLB All-Star Game: Orioles' Adam Jones in starting lineup after injury to KC's Alex Gordon

The Orioles will have a starter in the All-Star Game after all. Adam Jones was deemed to be the next man up after the injury suffered by Royals outfielder Alex Gordon, who is expected to miss at least eight weeks with a groin injury. Jones was not the runner-up in fan voting. He was picked because he had the highest votes of the reserves among the player balloting, which makes it even cooler that he's got the respect of his peers.

It doesn't mean a whole heck of a lot in the sense that nothing to do with the All-Star Game means a whole heck of a lot. You know what, though? It's fun to be a fan of a team with four All-Stars, where you get to puff up your chest when you're talking about them to fans of every other inferior team. The Orioles now will have someone on the field from the beginning of the game, too, which is even better.

Since the other starting outfielders are both natural center fielders, Mike Trout and Lorenzo Cain, Jones will probably be manning a corner outfield spot for as long as he's in the game. The whole thing will be that much more interesting to get to see Jones do something that he doesn't normally do.

One of the other reserve outfielders on the roster was Jose Bautista. If you, like me, are the type to hold a grudge against the Blue Jays for multiple decades due to such things as Cito Gaston not putting Mike Mussina in the All-Star Game in Baltimore, or just for more recent transgressions like their general douchiness every time they've been playing the Orioles, then the Orioles star getting picked to start over the Blue Jays star is just one more feather in the cap.