Randy Jones (baseball)

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 with San Diego in 1976. The Padres retired his No. 35.

Jones attended Brea-Olinda High School in Brea, California, and Chapman University in Orange, California. He was known for his sinker and the large number of ground-ball outs he induced. He was inducted into the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame.

Professional baseball career
Jones was selected 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. He felt that he should have been a contender for the 1975 Cy Young Award but lost out due to a lack of exposure from the media. His best season was in 1976, where he survived a car crash, went 22–14 with a 2.74 ERA, started the All-Star Game, won the National League Cy Young Award, and was 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. At the All-Star break in July, Jones' record was 16–3. a win total that no one has equaled since. He also had the most complete games and had pitched over 300 innings in the 1976 season.



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 exploratory surgery, and he was never quite able to regain his Cy Young form.

Jones pitched effectively for San Diego through the 1980 season. 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.

His career win–loss record was just .440; he remains the only starting pitcher to win a Cy Young Award but retire with a losing record. He was named an All-Star in 1975 and 1976. After his retirement, Jones' uniform No. 35 was retired by the Padres on May 9, 1997.

Post-playing career
After retiring from Major League Baseball, Jones has coached young pitchers. His most prominent pupil was Barry Zito, a former Major League pitcher and the 2002 Cy Young Award winner while with the Oakland Athletics.

In 1996, Jones was inducted by the San Diego Hall of Champions into the Breitbard Hall of Fame. He was inducted as part of the inaugural class of the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame in 1999.