Average production at above average cost, not good. And he's just as likely to be below average as above. Jones is only acceptable in RF if they have massive improvements elsewhere. Jones is not above average cost. His contract, by current market, is a bargain. The Cubs are not going to field an all-star at every position, so we agree that assuming upgrades elsewhere, Jones is acceptable. I do find it highly ironic that Hendry got killed for not pursuing Giles on this board, and Jones dwarfed Giles production in 2006, in terms of slugging and OPS. Giles OPS+ 105 Jones OPS+ 107 I find it highly amusing how much you love Jim Hendry screwing up the Cubs. Jones is above average cost. You can't compare him only to free agents, that's absurd. He's not competing only against free agents. Smart teams find ways to get production above cost. Stupid teams spend big on mediocrity.