Doug Jones obit

All-Star closer Doug Jones dies at 64

 Former teammate and Houston native Greg Swindell tweeted that Jones was a "long-time friend, teammate, husband, father, grandfather and one hell of a pitcher."

 He was not on the list.

We’ve become so accustomed to flame-throwing hurlers like Emmanuel Clase and Aroldis Chapman -- or someone who boasts a devastating out pitch like Mariano Rivera’s cutter -- closing games that pitchers like Doug Jones are easily forgotten. Today is a day to remember Jones, who passed away Monday from complications due to COVID-19. He was 64.

His is a baseball story no one could have seen coming. In the mid-80s, after one brief and unsuccessful stop in the Majors with Milwaukee in 1982, it looked like Jones’ professional baseball career was over. But in a last-ditch effort to get some pitching help, Cleveland gave him an opportunity to showcase himself in Spring Training. And from there, he began a strong, 15-year career that consisted of seven seasons in Northeast Ohio. Now, the city he once called home must find a way to say goodbye.

Solely looking at Jones’ career stats sheet, it’d be perplexing to those who aren’t familiar with his journey how a 25-year-old hurler who had had no success could suddenly emerge and record 37 saves during an All-Star season with Cleveland in 1988. But this was Jones’ underdog story.

A starter who had a lukewarm heater, sitting in the low-to-mid 80s with a high contact rate, rarely works out in the Majors. That’s why Jones failed to crack his way into the big leagues with the Brewers. And after he spent the next few seasons in the Minors, his opportunity to become a regular big leaguer was waning as his age continued to climb.

Cleveland Guardians - We are saddened by the loss of one of our orgs all-time greats, Doug Jones.

His 129 saves is 3rd in franchise history. He was a member of the club’s Top 100 roster, celebrated in 2001. He enjoyed 16 big league seasons, 7 in Cleveland (1986-1991, 98) including 3X as an All-Star.

But Cleveland needed pitching in the worst way -- so badly that it was willing to take a chance on Jones and invite him to big league Spring Training. From there, the transition from starter to reliever took place and in that process, he discovered a devastating changeup. If he couldn’t throw harder, well, he’d throw slower, keeping hitters off balance with his unique slow, slower and slowest velocities. And the ultimate dark-horse narrative was born.

Jones enjoyed a 16-year career before he retired in 2000, ending with 303 saves across seven clubs. His breakout season was in ’88 as a 31-year-old, owning a 2.27 ERA with 72 strikeouts and 16 walks in 83 1/3 innings and 37 saves with Cleveland. And before departing for Houston in 1992, Jones racked up two more All-Star selections, during in his 32-save season in ’89 and a 43-save season in ’90. Jones' dominance came to an end in ’91 when he lost the closing job to Steve Olin and was non-tendered at the end of the season. Even then, he still had one more comeback story up his sleeve.

After stops in Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago (Cubs) and Milwaukee Brewers, Jones found his way back to the city that helped jumpstart a tremendous career 12 years prior. Jones was traded back to Cleveland for Eric Plunk at the 1998 Trade Deadline, and he owned a 3.45 ERA in 23 appearances in the second half of the season to help get his team into the playoffs. The righty made his first postseason appearance in his 15th big league season, tossing 2 2/3 innings during a loss in Game 1 of the ALDS against Boston. His time in Cleveland came to an end after he was left off of the ALCS roster.

Despite his age, Jones found work with Oakland as a 42- and a 43-year-old in 1999 and 2000. He logged at least one save in each season, pitched in at least 50 games and kept his ERA under 4.00. Of his 303 saves, just one of them came before he turned 30 years old.

Over the past decade, Jones bounced around coaching high school and Minor League teams, making his way to Cleveland in 2019 to take part in Progressive Field’s All-Star Game festivities, interacting with fans who vividly remember their beloved '90s Cleveland teams.

Jones' story is unlike any other in Major League Baseball, blossoming when most are at the tail end of their careers. He will no longer be able to attend Cleveland activities or coach up-and-coming prospects, but his story will continue to inspire, demonstrating that it’s never too late to find success.

As noted in the above tweet, Jones is third in Cleveland franchise history in saves, trailing only Cody Allen and Bob Wickman. During his time with the team, he earned the nickname "Mild Thing," a play off the movie, Major League where the Indians had a rockstar-like pitcher nicknamed "Wild Thing." The mustached Jones was just a no-frills and keep-quiet type.

Teams

 

    Milwaukee Brewers (1982)

    Cleveland Indians (1986–1991)

    Houston Astros (1992–1993)

    Philadelphia Phillies (1994)

    Baltimore Orioles (1995)

    Chicago Cubs (1996)

    Milwaukee Brewers (1996–1998)

    Cleveland Indians (1998)

    Oakland Athletics (1999–2000)

Before the 1992 season, Jones signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros. After the 1993 season, the Astros traded Jones and Jeff Juden to the Philadelphia Phillies for Mitch Williams. A free agent after the 1994 season, he signed a one year, $1 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles. Jones threw an immaculate inning during a save on September 23, 1997, by striking out Johnny Damon, Scott Cooper and Rod Myers of the Kansas City Royals.

In 2009, Jones coached Pusch Ridge Christian Academy to the Arizona 2A High School Championship. In the early 2010s, he was the pitching coach for San Diego Christian College.

On January 22, 2015, he was named pitching coach for the Boise Hawks, a minor league affiliate of the Colorado Rockies.

Some of his baseball associates include: Gorman Thomas, Bud Selig, Harry Dalton, Mike Hegan, Buck Rodgers, Harvey Kuenn, Bob Uecker, Moose Haas, Ben Oglivie, Cecil Cooper, Paul Molitor, Don Sutton, Don Money, Robin Yount, Rollie Fingers, Ted Simmons, Ned Yost, Pete Vuckovich, Doc Medich, F.J. "Steve" O'Neill, Richard Jacobs, Joe Klein, Pat Corrales, Brett Butler, Joe Carter, Julio Franco, Andre Thornton, Brook Jacoby, Pat Tabler, Tony Bernazard, Mel Hall, Andy Allanson, Ken Schrom, Phil Niekro, Otis Nixon, Carmelo Castillo, Jay Bell, Tom Candiotti, Doc Edwards, Joe Tait, Jack Corrigan, Herb Score, Rick Dempsey, Cory Snyder, Steve Carlton, Bobby Bonds, Bud Black, Terry Francona, Ron Washington, Charlie Manuel, John Farrell, Ron Kittle, Hank Peters, Paul Olden, Albert Belle, Charles Nagy, Jesse Orosco, Sandy Alomar Jr., Keith Hernandez, Carlos Baerga, Candy Maldonado, John Hart, Jim Thome, Tom Hamilton, Kenny Lofton, Glenallen Hill, Mark Whiten, Mike Hargrove, José Mesa, Bill Wood, John McMullen, Art Howe, Milo Hamilton, Larry Dierker, Enos Cabell, Shane Reynolds, Mark Portugal, Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Ken Caminiti, Darryl Kile, Pete Incaviglia, Steve Finley, Eric Anthony, Luis Gonzalez, Ed Ott, Scott Servais, Rafael Ramírez, Tuffy Rhodes, Doug Drabek, Todd Jones, José Uribe, Pete Harnisch, Bill Giles, Jim Fregosi, Lee Thomas, Harry Kalas, Richie Ashburn, Andy Musser, Chris Wheeler, Todd Kalas, Kent Tekulve, John Kruk, Ricky Bottalico, Mike Lieberthal, Darren Daulton, Milt Thompson, Fernando Valenzuela, Curt Schilling, Lenny Dykstra, Heathcliff Slocumb, Mariano Duncan, John Vukovich, Danny Jackson, Peter Angelos, Roland Hemmond, Mel Proctor, Josh Lewin, John Lowenstein, Jim Palmer, Arthur Rhodes, Gregg Zaun, Cal Ripken Jr., Rafael Palmeiro, Andy Van Slyke, Harold Baines, Scott Erickson, Matt Nokes, Mike Mussina, Jamie Moyer, Kevin Brown, Bobby Bonilla, Phil Regan, Jim Riggleman, Ed Lynch, Pat Hughes, Ron Santo, Harry Caray, Steve Stone, Wayne Larrivee, Mark Grace, Sammy Sosa, Ryne Sandberg, Rodney Myers, Dave Magadan, Doug Glanville, Turk Wendell, Brooks Kieschnick, Brant Brown, Jaime Navarro, Frank Castillo, Steve Trachsel, Brian McRae, Sal Bando, Phil Garner, Cal Eldred, Ricky Bones, Greg Vaughn, Ben McDonald, Jeromy Burnitz, John Jaha, Fernando Viña, Mike Matheny, Jim Powell, Chuck Carr, Jeff Cirillo, Mark Loretta, Dave Nilsson, José Valentín, Mark Davis, Geoff Jenkins, Marquis Grissom, Tim Worrell, Bartolo Colón, Brian Giles, Dwight Gooden, Mike Jackson, Ron Villone, Jim Thome, Richie Sexson, Cecil Fielder, Omar Vizquel, Shawon Dunston, Joey Cora, David Justice, Pat Borders, Travis Fryman, Kenny Rogers, Randy Velarde, Manny Ramirez, David Bell, Eric Plunk, Billy Beane, Barry Zito, Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, Stephen Schott, Kenneth Hofmann, Ray Fosse, Greg Papa, Kevin Appier, Jason Isringhausen, Eric Chavez, Jason Giambi, Jeremy Giambi, Mike Stanley, Ben Grieve, Miguel Tejada, Ron Gant, Matt Stairs, Thad Bosley, Ramón Hernández, Terrence Long, Gil Heredia, Cory Lidle, Mark Guthrie, Tim Raines, Ken Macha and Tony Phillips.