Doug Jones

Note: This page links to 1980s-1990s All-Star reliever Doug Jones. For the Tusculum College coach of the same name, click here.

Douglas Reid Jones

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 195 lb.
• School Butler University, Central Arizona College
• High School Lebanon (IN) High School
• Debut April 9, 1982
• Final Game September 29, 2000
• Born June 24, 1957 in Covina, CA USA
• Died November 22, 2021 in Tucson, AZ USA

BR page

Biographical Information

After ten professional seasons spent mostly in the minor leagues, Doug Jones got his first real shot in the major leagues as a 30 year-old rookie with the Cleveland Indians in 1987. Despite that late start to his major league career, Jones would become one of the dominant relievers of his time.

Among his notable accomplishments are:

• 300 saves aged 30 or older (6 pitchers)
• 1000 innings pitched in relief aged 30 or older (4 pitchers)
• 7 relief seasons with 2 or more Wins Above Replacement (10 pitchers)
• 5 relief seasons with 80 or more innings pitched and 150 or better ERA+ (6 pitchers)
• one relief season with 100 or more innings pitched, 30 or more saves and ERA under 2.00 (10 pitchers)
• 13 relief seasons with 50 or more innings pitched and Walks per 9 IP under 3.0 (3 pitchers)
• 6 relief seasons with 50 or more innings pitched and Walks per 9 IP under 2.0 (6 pitchers)
• 1.98 career Walks per 9 IP as a reliever, 3rd lowest among 41 pitchers with careers including 1000 or more innings pitched in relief
• 1.96 career Walks per 9 IP as a reliever aged 30 or older, lowest among 4 pitchers with careers including 1000 or more innings pitched in relief aged 30 or older (the other three all had Walks per 9 IP over 3.0)
• one season aged 40 or older with 100 or more innings pitched in relief (6 pitchers)
• 4 seasons aged 40 or older with 70 or more innings pitched in relief (2 pitchers)
• pitching an immaculate inning on September 23rd, 1997 at age 40, the oldest pitcher to do so since 1988 (when pitch counts were first recorded officially)

Doug was inducted into the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.

After retiring as a player, Jones was an assistant coach at Pusch Ridge Christian Academy. He then worked as a pitching instructor in the minor leagues for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He returned to Pusch Ridge as head coach. In 2010 Jones became an assistant coach at San Diego Christian College under Chris Bando. After five years there, he returned to organized baseball as pitching coach for the Rookie-level Boise Hawks in the Colorado Rockies organization in 2015-2016 and the Grand Junction Rockies in 2017-2018.

He died of complications from COVID-19.

Notable Achievements

• 5-time All-Star (1988-1990, 1992 & 1994)
• NL Reliever of the Year Award Winner (1992)
• 20 Saves Seasons: 8 (1988-1990, 1992-1995, 1997)
• 30 Saves Seasons: 5 (1988-1990, 1992 & 1997)
• 40 Saves Seasons: 1 (1990)
• 80 IP Relief Seasons: 9 (1987-1990, 1992-1993, 1997-1999)
• 90 IP Relief Seasons: 3 (1987, 1992 & 1999)
• 100 IP Relief Seasons: 2 (1992 & 1999)
• 20 Saves Seasons with ERA under 2.50: 5 (1988-1989, 1992, 1994 & 1997)
• 30 Saves Seasons with ERA under 2.50: 4 (1988-1989, 1992 & 1997)
• 30 Saves Seasons with ERA under 2.00: 1 (1992)

Further Reading

• Jason Owens: "5-time MLB All-Star pitcher Doug Jones dies at 64", Yahoo! Sports, November 22, 2021. [1]

Related Sites

• Doug Jones at the SABR Bio Project