Randy Jones | |||
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Randy Jones in 2009.
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Pitcher | |||
Born: Fullerton, California |
January 12, 1950 |||
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MLB debut | |||
June 16, 1973, for the San Diego Padres | |||
Last MLB appearance | |||
September 7, 1982, for the New York Mets | |||
MLB statistics | |||
Win–loss record | 100–123 | ||
Earned run average | 3.42 | ||
Strikeouts | 735 | ||
Teams | |||
Career highlights and awards | |||
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Randall Leo Jones (born January 12, 1950), nicknamed "Junkman", is an American former professional baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched in Major League Baseball for the San Diego Padres and New York Mets. Jones won the Cy Young Award in 1976.
He attended Brea-Olinda High School in Brea, California. He attended Chapman University in Orange, California. He was known for his sinker and the large number of ground-ball outs he induced.
Jones was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the fifth round of the 1972 Major League Baseball draft. He made his major league debut on June 16, 1973.
In 1974, Jones went 8-22 with a 4.45 ERA. He was able to turn it around in 1975 when he won 20 games and led the National League with a 2.24 ERA earning The Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year Award honors. His best season was in 1976, when he went 22-14 with a 2.74 ERA, winning the National League Cy Young Award and being named The Sporting News NL Pitcher of the Year. He was selected as the left-handed pitcher on The Sporting News NL All-Star Teams after the 1975 and 1976 seasons.
Jones established the Major League season record for most chances accepted by a pitcher without an error (112 in 1976), tied ML pitchers records for highest season fielding percentage (1.000, 1976) and most assists in an inning (3, 9/28/75 – 3rd inning), and tied the NL pitchers season record for the most double plays with 12 in 1976.
Jones owns the distinction of recording a save for the NL in the 1975 All Star game and being the starting and winning pitcher the next year. He entered the 1976 All-Star Game with a record of 16-3, an All Star break win total that no one has equaled since. During his last start of the 1976 season, he injured a nerve in his pitching arm that required exploratory surgery, and he was never quite able to regain his Cy Young form.