Randy Jones obit

Randy Jones, former Cy winner and 'David against Goliath,' dies at 75

 

He was not on the list.

Randy Jones became a San Diego icon, not only for a pitching peak that rivaled the best in baseball, but for his everyman approach to the game and to fame.

Jones, the 1976 National League Cy Young Award winner, died on Tuesday, according to a statement released by the Padres on Wednesday. He was 75.

“With deep sorrow and heavy hearts, the Padres mourn the passing of our beloved left-hander, Randy Jones," the statement read. "Randy was a cornerstone of our franchise for over five decades, highlighted by becoming the first Padres pitcher to win the Cy Young Award. Inducted into the Padres Hall of Fame in 1999, his impact and popularity only grew in his post-playing career, becoming a tremendous ambassador for the team and a true fan favorite. Crossing paths with RJ and talking baseball or life was a joy for everyone fortunate enough to spend time with him. Randy was committed to San Diego, the Padres, and his family. He was a giant in our lives and our franchise history.

"We extend our heartfelt sympathy to his wife Marie and the entire Jones family during this difficult time. RJ will be greatly missed.”

Jones had a 10-year Major League career, from 1973-82. His two-season stretch from 1975-76 vaulted him to the game’s elite and made him the first true face of the Padres franchise, which began play in ’69.

In those two seasons, Jones posted a 42-26 record for teams that didn’t approach .500, along with a 2.50 ERA, 11 shutouts and 43 complete games. He was an All-Star both seasons, earning the save in 1975 and notching the win as the NL starter in ’76. He finished second behind Tom Seaver in the ’75 NL Cy Young voting before claiming the prize the following year.

"When he was on," Padres teammate Merv Rettenmund once said, "I've never seen a better pitcher."

That is not faint praise. Rettenmund also played alongside Hall of Famers Jim Palmer and Nolan Ryan.

Jones led the NL with a 2.24 ERA in ’75 and topped the Majors the next year in wins (22), starts (40), innings (315 1/3) and complete games (25). He gained a national profile in his Cy Young season, earning the cover of Sports Illustrated when he reached the All-Star break with a 16-3 record. “Threat to win 30,” the cover blurb blared.

Jones’ star turn wasn’t just because of the on-field success. He appealed to fans because of his unassuming appearance -- a vintage 1970s man perm was his trademark -- and his even more unassuming fastball. The left-hander fed right-handed hitters a steady diet of sinkers that topped out at 80 mph. Lefties got a mix of sinkers and sliders.

Jones’ sinker so befuddled Pete Rose that the all-time hits leader once eschewed switch-hitting and tried hitting lefty instead. Jones struck him out looking at three sliders.

Jones’ starts became a sensation in San Diego. During his pregame stroll to the bullpen -- tucked in foul territory near the left-field corner of San Diego Stadium -- fans rose to their feet and applause grew with his every step. In 1976, attendance averaged 27,400 for his 21 home starts. The Padres averaged 15,769 on their other home dates.

“Part of it was that he wasn’t a Dave Winfield. He wasn’t 6-foot-6, cut and lean,” former San Diego sportscaster and news anchor Hal Clement recounted in a 1996 interview. “He was an average-sized guy who didn’t throw especially hard. He got by on guile and intelligence. There was an everyman quality about him.”

Former Padres broadcaster Bob Chandler echoed those sentiments.

“In a way, it was kind of David against Goliath,” Chandler said. “It was Randy Jones, this little guy who didn’t throw the ball hard, playing for the San Diego Padres, who hadn’t ever had a winning season. But when he took the mound, we were as good as anybody. We expected to win.”

His peak workload proved costly: Jones tore a nerve near his left biceps tendon in his 40th and final start of 1976, requiring postseason surgery. He never regained his top form and was traded to the Mets after the ’80 campaign. Jones played two seasons in New York and retired after spending the 1983 spring with the Pirates but failing to crack the Opening Day roster.

In San Diego, Jones’ popularity never waned. He settled in north San Diego County and worked as an ambassador for the Padres. Jones was a regular at Petco Park in recent years, meeting and greeting fans. His Randy Jones BBQ stands were a staple at Qualcomm Stadium and made the migration to Petco Park. He had several stints working on Padres pregame and postgame broadcasts.

A lifetime user of chewing tobacco, Jones revealed in 2017 that he was undergoing treatment for throat cancer. He was touched by the outpouring of support during his treatment -- and after he announced in May 2018 that he was cancer-free.

 “It was a magical relationship that we had when I was pitching, the way the fans supported me in ’75 and ’76, and even after that,” Jones told MLB.com reporter AJ Cassavell in 2018. “I enjoy them. I still look forward to seeing a lot of those folks.”

Randall Leo Jones was born on Jan. 12, 1950, in Fullerton, Calif. He was a fifth-round Draft choice out of nearby Chapman College in 1972 and cracked the Majors the following year. His 10-year totals included a 100-123 record and a 3.42 ERA.

 Those numbers don’t hint at his impact in San Diego, where he was known for his influence on a franchise in its infancy and his affection for the city that embraced him. The Padres retired his uniform No. 35 in 1997 and included him in the inaugural class of the Padres Hall of Fame in ’99.

The San Diego Padres selected Jones in the fifth round of the 1972 Major League Baseball draft. In 1972, the Padres assigned Jones to the Single-A Tri-City Padres, where he played in one game, and the Double-A Alexandria Aces where he started 11 games. He only had a 3–5 win–loss record with Alexandria, but had a 2.91 earned run average (ERA) and 63 strikeouts in 68 innings pitched. He began 1973 in Alexandria, where he had a 8–1 record, 2.01 ERA, three complete games, one shutout and 67 strikeouts in 67 innings.

His best season was in 1976, when he survived a car crash, went 22–14 with a 2.74 ERA, started the All-Star Game against Mark "the Bird" Fidrych. He became the first Padre to win the Cy Young Award, and was named The Sporting News NL Pitcher of the Year. He was also selected as the left-handed pitcher on The Sporting News NL All-Star Teams for the second consecutive season. At the All-Star break in July 1976, Jones's record was 16–3. a first-half win total that no one has equaled since. In 1976, Jones led the NL in wins, had the most complete games with 25 (eight more than the next closest pitcher), and led the league in innings pitched (315.1). He was tied for second with five shutouts.

In 1976, he tied inaugural Hall of Fame inductee and pitching legend Christy Mathewson's National League record of 68 consecutive innings without allowing a base on balls. Their NL record was broken in 2001 by Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux.

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. During his last start of the 1976 season, he injured a nerve in his pitching arm that required surgery, and he was never quite able to regain his Cy Young form. Post-surgery, in 1977 he pitched less than half the number of innings he had pitched a year earlier, and ended up with a 6–12 record and 4.58 ERA. On May 4, 1977, Jones and his Philadelphia counterpart, Jim Kaat, pitched the fastest game in Padres history at one hour and 29 minutes. San Diego won 4–1, as Jones induced 19 ground-ball outs while striking out one and walking one.

Jones pitched effectively for San Diego in 1978 and 1979, with records of 13–14 and 11–12, 2.88 and 3.63 ERAs and 263 and 257 innings pitched, respectively in those years. In 1980, his record fell to 5–13, with a 3.91 ERA in only 154.1 innings pitched. On December 15, 1980, he was traded to the New York Mets for José Moreno and John Pacella. After two years, Jones was released by the Mets, and signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was released by the Pirates before the 1983 season started, thus ending his playing career.

After retiring from Major League Baseball, Jones coached young pitchers. His most prominent pupil was Barry Zito, who won the 2002 Cy Young Award winner with the Oakland Athletics.