July 6, 2007

Chris Jones, last year's MVP, is fifth player to leave Honkers

By Donny Henn

Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN

The turnover continues for the 2007 Rochester Honkers with the departure of outfielder Chris Jones today due to an injury.

Jones, an outfielder from Cal State Fullerton who was the 2006 Honker of the Year, barely got his bags unpacked before sustaining a wrist injury that will prematurely end his second Northwoods League season.

He's the fifth player to leave the defending Northwoods League champion Honkers in the first half of the 68-game regular season.

Jones was hit by a pitch in the right wrist in last Sunday's game against the Waterloo Bucks in Iowa. X-rays revealed that none of the large bones in his wrist are broken, but there is still a lot of swelling, which indicates that a smaller bone might be broken or that there's ligament damage.

"I didn't think it was a bad injury when it first happened," Jones explained. "But when I went back to right field in the bottom half of the inning I tried to throw, and the ball just went straight down to the ground. I couldn't grip the ball."

Jones, a sophomore who redshirted his freshman season, played in the College World Series with Cal Fullerton in June. He arrived late to the Honkers and played in only four games before the injury. He was batting .333 with four hits, all singles, two runs and three RBIs.

Last year Jones also arrived late to the Honkers, but he made up for lost time with 38 RBIs and a league-leading eight home runs in 39 games. He also won the home run hitting contest at the 2006 All-Star Game.

"We are going to miss his attitude, his presence in the lineup, and his presence in the locker room," said Honkers manager Greg Labbe. "Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to see what he could do this year."

Jones will return to his home in Mission Viejo, Calif., and will have his wrist checked by a doctor who is a hand specialist.

"It sucks that I have to leave, especially since I had to beg and plead with my college coach to come up here this season," Jones said. "He wanted me to rest this summer.

"It's disappointing, but it's just one of those freak injuries that you have to deal with and take it serious."

Catcher Orlando Torres (Riverside CC) left the Honkers June 19 due to an injury, and pitcher Ryan Mullins (Winthrop College) left with an injury June 25.

Efren Navarro Jr. (UNLV) also left June 25 to sign a professional contract with the Rookie League affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels, and Jareck West (Delta State) left July 1 to sign with the Rookie League affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.

Jones, who'll be a junior at Cal State Fullerton, could play for the Honkers next summer, but he said "hopefully not."

"That would mean that I didn't get drafted," he said.

Despite the departure of some key players, Jones believes the Honkers still have the manpower to defend their league title, despite an 18-16 first half. The second half begins today.

"They definitely have the pieces to win the second half, and the whole thing again," he said.