Where in the world is Adam Jones, and how is his hip?

For lack of anything else to discuss about the Mariners-Orioles trade, it seems someone on a Baltimore radio station threw out a tale about the possibility Adam Jones has a degenerative hip, and that’s what’s holding up the deal.

To that, just about everybody who’s ever watched Jones play since the Mariners drafated him — fans, media or teammates — are saying, “Huh?”

I don’t have any more evidence that Jones has a healthy hip than I have that he has a bad one. All I know is that everyone I’ve talked with, including closer J.J. Putz this morning, are bewildered by the “hip” talk. Putz not only has played with Jones, he’s been a frequent workout partner with him over the years because they both live in Peoria, Ariz., in the offseason. Jones has spent most of this winter playing in Venezuela, but Putz said there’s nothing he’s seen or heard to indicate that Jones is anything but completely healthy.

As for Jones’ expected return to the United States from Venezuela on Tuesday, at the Mariners’ request, none of the players working out at the Mariners’ spring training facility saw him on Wednesday.