The Left-Handed Bobby Jones: 2000 N.L. Champion Mets Pitcher (2000 - 2002)
Bobby played baseball in Rutherford Little League & then later at Rutherford high school.
By 1991 he was drafted in the 44th round of the amateur draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. While playing A-ball in the Brewers organization he was taken by the Colorado Rockies getting drafted in the Rule 5 Draft in 1995.
He pitched in the Pacific Coast League for the AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox & was 5-1 in 1997 when the Rockies called him up.
After four starts he was 1-1 with an ERA of 8.38 & was sent back to AAA for the remainder of the season. In 1998 he was back with the Rockies & Jones would pitch as both a starter as well as a reliever for Colorado over the next two seasons, going 13-18 with a 5.52 ERA.
2000 Mets Pennant Season: Jones started out the season at AAA Norfolk & came up briefly in mid-June debuting on June 16th pitching an inning in a 7-1 Mets win at Milwaukee. In his next appearance he took a loss on the 4th of July in Florida, allowing seven runs (six earned) on six hits in four innings pitched. In that game he served up a three run HR to Alex Gonzales.
After the Pennant-2001: Jones missed the entire season with injury pitching just seven games in the minor leagues.
Career Stats: In his six-year career he was 14-21 with a 5.77 ERA striking out 229 batters walking 195 in 324 innings pitched in 99 appearances - 47 starts.
Retirement: Jones was back in New Jersey playing for the Independent League's Newark Bears for a brief time.
Jones eventually opened a baseball academy in Montville, New Jersey. He also became a pitching coach for both the Don Bosco Prep and the Montclair Mounties varsity teams. He also worked as an instructor with the Academy of Pro Players in Hawthorne, New Jersey.
MLB Debut: On May 18, 1997, Jones made his MLB debut against his favorite team growing up, the New York Mets. He made the start at Shea Stadium earning no decision in a 10-4 Mets win, pitching into the 6th inning, allowing two runs while walking seven.
After four starts he was 1-1 with an ERA of 8.38 & was sent back to AAA for the remainder of the season. In 1998 he was back with the Rockies & Jones would pitch as both a starter as well as a reliever for Colorado over the next two seasons, going 13-18 with a 5.52 ERA.
Mets Career: In January of 2000 he was traded to his favorite team, the Mets for pitcher Masato Yoshi. Things got a little confusing with two Bobby Jones’ on the same pitching staff. This Bobby Jones became known as the left-handed Bobby Jones.
2000 Mets Pennant Season: Jones started out the season at AAA Norfolk & came up briefly in mid-June debuting on June 16th pitching an inning in a 7-1 Mets win at Milwaukee. In his next appearance he took a loss on the 4th of July in Florida, allowing seven runs (six earned) on six hits in four innings pitched. In that game he served up a three run HR to Alex Gonzales.
Jones was sent back down to AAA Norfolk where he went 10-8 on the season. He got another September call up, getting no other decisions in eleven games on the season. He did not make the Mets post season roster.
2002: Bobby returned in 2002 to appear in 12 games with the Mets through late July before getting traded to the Padres along with a young Jason Bay for Steve Reed & Jason Middlebrook.
Post Mets Career: Jones spent all of 2003 with the AAA Richmond Braves & Omaha Royals. In 2004 he pitched three games for the Boston Red Sox after making the club as a Spring Training invitee. He would later sign with both the White Sox & Tigers but not make their major league teams.
Retirement: Jones was back in New Jersey playing for the Independent League's Newark Bears for a brief time.
Jones eventually opened a baseball academy in Montville, New Jersey. He also became a pitching coach for both the Don Bosco Prep and the Montclair Mounties varsity teams. He also worked as an instructor with the Academy of Pro Players in Hawthorne, New Jersey.
Frontier League: Jones has been involved in the Independant Frontier League in New Jersey for many years. From 2016-2022 he was manager of the Sussex County Miners & was then named VP of the New Jersey Jackals in Patterson NJ.
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