Randy Jones: Former N.L. Cy Young Winner & Early Eighties Mets Pitcher (1981-1982)

Randall Leo Jones was born January 12, 1950, in Fullerton, California located in Northern Orange County.  The tall six-foot lefty was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the fifth round of the 1972 draft. He only spent parts of two seasons in the minors blowing through AA at 8-1 with a 2.01 ERA in 1973 getting brought right up to a needy Padre pitching staff.

MLB Career: Jones made his MLB debut at Shea Stadium on June 16th against Jerry Koosman, allowing two runs in four innings but getting no decision in the Mets 10-2 win. Jones then lost his first two decisions before earning his first career win in Los Angeles on July 3rd. 

Overall he went 7-6 in 1973 with a 3.16 ERA & became known with the nickname “The Junkman”.

In 1974 he led the league in losses (22) going 8-22 on a Padre team that lost 102 games. He had losing streaks of four straight to begin the season, then five straight from May into June. The year got worse as he lost seven straight including going 1-8 in the final two months. Overall, he threw over 208 innings while striking out 124 batters while posting a 4.45 ERA.

Somehow Jones turned it all around in 1975 & won the NL Comeback pitcher of the Year Award. He threw a four-hit shout for nine innings on Opening Day but got no decision. He threw another four hitter the next month & one July 3rd pitched a one hitter against the mighty Big Red Machine.

By the end of the first half of the season he was 11-6 with one of the league's best ERAs at 2.25. He made the All-Star team earning the save pitching a scoreless 9th inning, retiring the Minnesota Twins Rod Carew for the last out.

The 1975 Padres won 71 games (71-91) finishing in fourth place under manager John McNamara, Jones finished with 20 wins himself (20-12) the second most victories in the NL. Jones also led the league with a 2.24 ERA, was second with 18 complete games & in shut outs (6). He had the second-best walks per nine innings ratios at 1.76 & made 36 starts.

Cy Young Season: In the bicentennial year, he won the Cy Young Award beating out the Mets Jerry Koosman. Many Mets fans believed Koosman should have won the Award; he was 21-10 (second in wins) with three shutouts, 17 complete games, a 2.69 ERA (4th in the NL) & 200 strikeouts (3rd in the NL) in 247 innings pitched.

Jones led the league in wins (22) complete games (25) starts (40) and an incredible 315 innings pitched. His 2.76 ERA was sixth in the league behind some very good pitchers.

"The junkman" only struck out 93 batters & in his career never had more than 124 strikeouts in a season. That season Jones set a record for most chances by a pitcher without an error (112), posting a perfect fielding percentage (1.000.) He also tied the NL pitchers season record for the most double plays with twelve.

Jones began the year at 4-0, in May he pitched five straight complete games besting his record to 9-2. In June he shut out the Mets at Jack Murphy Stadium allowing seven hits in a 3-0 win over Tom Seaver.

Randy was 16-3 at the All Star break and got the start against Mark the Bird Fidrych at the All-Star game in Philadelphia. He pitched three scoreless innings allowing just two hits earning the victory.

Jones had a rough August 2-6 and a rough September as well 2-4. At the end of the season, he injured a nerve in his pitching arm and required surgery. He was never the same pitcher, going just 6-12 the next season with a 4.58 ERA pitching 27 games.

Jones then two had a pair of sub .500 seasons, first in 1978 he was 13-14 but lowered his ERA to 2.88 on a Padre team that was 84-78 finishing fourth. In 1979 he was 11-12 with a 3.63 ERA.

1980 was an injury ridden season again as he lost a month of action from June 14th -July 10th. He then was lost from August 22nd through September with more injuries. He went 5-13 with a 3.91 ERA in 24 starts.

On December 15, 1980, Jones was traded to the New York Mets, for John Pacella and Jose Moreno.

Mets Career: Randy Jones made his Mets debut in the third game of the 1981 season at Wrigley Field, pitching six innings allowing just one run getting no decision. It was one of his best starts, after that he lost his first five decisions as a Met, pitching past the 6th inning just once. After being 0-5 he finally got a win, beating the Cubs at Shea Stadium, allowing just one run in 5.2 innings of work. 

Jones then lost three more games although he pitched well in two of them. He pitched six innings allowing two runs at Houston on June 5th but was beaten by Nolan Ryan who threw a five hit shutout striking out ten Mets. 

His next start was at Shea, Jones went into the 8th inning on a two run five hitter but lost to the Reds Mario Soto who pitched a 2-0 twelve strike out shut out. Jones then went on the DL for three months returning in September for two more appearances. 

He finished the year at 1-8 with 12 starts striking out 14 batters walking 38 in 59 innings pitched posting a 4.85 ERA.

1982:  This would be Randy's last year pitching in the major leagues. He was given the Opening Day start in Philadelphia by manager George Bamberger. That day Jones beat Hall of Famer Steve Carlton allowing just one run in six innings of work. 

On April 13th, in his next start he beat the Phillies again at Shea Stadium to go 2-0.

He took his first loss then had a pair of no decisions, holding a 2.79 ERA after his first five games. On May 2nd, in the night cap of a double header in San Francisco, Jones pitched eight innings of shutout ball as the Mets beat the Giants 3-1, as he went to 3-1. 

Complete Game Win: On May 10th at Shea Stadium, Jones threw a complete game victory against his old Padres team, allowing two runs on seven hits, fanning three besting his record to 4-1 with a 2.60 ERA.

He had a fantastic May going 4-2 pitching seven or more innings in all but one of his seven starts. 

Shut Out: On May 23rd, in Houston he threw his best career Mets game, a four hit, season high six strikeout-shut out in 2-0 win over the Astros Joe Niekro. It was his first shutout in two years & the 19th of his career.

He entered June with a 6-3 record & 3.07 ERA. But he then went on to lose six straight decisions allowing 36 runs in 37.1 innings of work (7.47 ERA) to fall to 6-8. He would get moved to the bullpen where he made seven relief appearances.

On August 6th, in the nightcap of a double header split in Pittsburgh, Randy earned his final career win beating the Pirates allowing two runs in seven innings while striking out five. In September he made just one appearance in relief.

He finished the season going 7-10 posting a 4.60 ERA with 44 strike outs & 51 walks in 107.2 innings pitched, for the last place team.

The Mets released him that winter, ending his playing career.

Career Stats: In ten career seasons he went 100-123 with a 3.42 ERA. He posted 735 strikeouts with 503 walks in 1933 innings in 305 appearances (285 starts).

Jones pitched 73 complete games with 19 shut outs to his credit. 

Trivia:  Randy Jones is the only Cy Young Award winner to have a career losing record.

Family: Randy married his high school sweetheart Marie Stassi, together they had two children.

Retirement: He is the owner of Randy Jones Big Stone Lodge, the home of his catering business that sells a famous Randy Jones BBQ sauce.

In San Diego’ s Petco Park he has a concession stand named after him called the Randy Jones BBQ. He also does Padres local radio broadcast for pregame shows.

Jones was inducted into the San Diego Hall of Champions and has his number retired by the Padre team as well.