Andruw Jones trying MLB comeback after two years in Japan

Andruw Jones, who we last saw in MLB in 2012 wearing New York Yankees pinstripes, is hoping two years of hitting long balls in Japan has whet the appetites of a few clubs back here in the U.S.

Jones, 37, is plotting a comeback, according to Nick Cafardo at The Boston Globe, who tucked this note into his Sunday column:

Mashing in Japan doesn't mean Jones will come to MLB and start hitting like it's 2005 again, but he could still be useful. Back in '05 and '06, Jones was lighting the league on fire. He hit 51 homers with 128 RBIs in 2005 for the Atlanta Braves, finishing as an MVP runner-up to Albert Pujols. Then Jones hit 41 homers and drove in 129 the next season.

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That had declined sharply by his age 35 season with the Yankees, in which he hit a sluggish .197/.294/.408 with 14 homers and 34 RBIs. But baseball loves a comeback story, so it's not a surprise if Jones is drawing interest like his agent claims.

Andruw Jones WAR Over Career | FindTheBest

We've seen plenty of former stars thrive in DH/bench roles as they've aged, while also offering a veteran presence in the clubhouse. Jones will be 38 in April, so don't count on him as a Gold Glove regular in the outfield. His market will likely be limited to AL clubs who have flexibility at DH and in the outfield.

Even then, Jones will have to show up at spring training and prove himself before making anybody's roster.

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Mike Oz is an editor for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz