Jones: Orioles would have accepted Bautista as a free agent

Though Jose Bautista's been labelled a villain by Baltimore Orioles executive Dan Duquette, he has the backing of one longtime division rival.

Adam Jones - who's been in the middle of many back-and-forths with the Toronto Blue Jays and Bautista over the years - believes the slugger would have fit in well with the team as a free agent if he hadn't signed a one-year, $17.2-million deal with the Blue Jays.

"First and foremost, I respect the body of work. I mean, I've played against him for the last seven years, eight years, and to see what he's done with his career and the transition has been, as a fan of the game, nothing short of amazing," Jones said, according to MLB Network Radio.

"That part being said, this clubhouse, the way it's been orchestrated and the way it's been constructed with myself, (Darren) O'Day, with C.D. (Chris Davis), with J.J. (Hardy) and Manny (Machado), we accept any and anybody. You know, you want to get the better of them, competition, whatever gets heated ... but when you're on the same team, you figure out a way to make it all work. I think he would have been accepted around here just because I know the character of men we have in here."

O'Day and Davis, two players Jones mentions, have had some run-ins with Bautista over the years. In January, Davis said of Bautista: "He's actually a pretty good dude - said no one ever. ... He's a guy who's easy to dislike."

The bad blood has a chance to continue as both teams face off to start their respective seasons in Baltimore on Monday. The Orioles faithful welcomed Bautista with a flurry of boos.