Adams adjusting to utilityman role
Russ Adams thought he was well on his way to a lengthy major league career.
The former first-round draft pick hit .256 in 139 games as a rookie shortstop with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2005.
But the next season, the organization wanted Adams to move to second base and sent him to Triple-A Syracuse to learn the position. He has been bouncing between the majors and minors since.
“At the time, I didn’t handle it very well,” said Adams, the 14th overall pick out of the University of North Carolina in 2002. “It’s something that’s learned. You have to learn to put things behind you and not worry about where you’ve been and not worry about things you can’t control.”
Now 28, the left-handed hitting Adams can play both middle infield positions as well as the outfield, which along with how well he hits might help his chances of returning to Toronto.
Adams went 1-for-3 with a double and played left field Tuesday as the 51s (3-9), in their first season as the Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate, lost 6-5 to the Fresno Grizzlies (3-10) in front of 2,266 at Cashman Field.
“It’s an adjustment moving from spot to spot, not knowing where you’re going to play on a given day,” said the 6-foot, 200-pound Adams, who is hitting .324 with five doubles and six RBIs. “But it does nothing but help me to prove I can play every day, and getting work at different spots is fun. You get a variety instead of being in a rut when you come to the ballpark.”
It also gives 51s manager Mike Basso flexibility with his lineup.
“His versatility is his strength,” Basso said. “He’s swinging the bat real well. He runs well, and he’s a good leader in the clubhouse. He never complains.”
Adams has nothing to complain about with his start or being in Las Vegas. It was 92 degrees during batting practice Tuesday, and Adams was in shorts and a thin jersey. That’s a far cry from last spring, when he was bundled up in chilly Syracuse.
“The travel and the weather is different,” Adams said of the adjustment from the International League to the Pacific Coast League. “But it’s the same game you’ve played as a kid.”
Unlike the 51s, who have struggled early, Adams has handled the switch to the PCL with no problem.
“It’s been pretty good,” he said. “But it’s too early to be thinking about statistics. It’s a long season. We just need to get in a rhythm, win some ballgames, and that will help everybody.
“We didn’t get off to the start we wanted to, but we’ve battled in every game. Even when we’re four, five runs behind, we’ve never quit. “That’s what it’s about. If you do that more times than not, you’ll end up on the good side of it. I’m here to play my butt off every day, and hopefully I’ll get a chance, whether it’s with Toronto or someone else.”
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.