Doug Jones

[Michael Trzinski]

Doug Jones was a late bloomer. The right-hander was drafted by the Brewers in the third round of the 1978 MLB January Draft--Regular Phase. Back in those days, major league baseball had four different drafts with two held in January and two held in June, depending on your status in high school or college. Jones began his pro career as a starting pitcher and moved steadily up the chain for four years before he got called up to Milwaukee.  Jones began the 1982 season in Milwaukee but was sent down in late-April to make room for Jim Slaton. He spent the rest of 1982 at Triple-A Vancouver, and then at Vancouver and Double-A El Paso in 1983 and 1984. With the Brewers now soured on Jones, he was granted free agency after the 1984 season.

Hungry for pitching help, the Cleveland Indians signed Jones before the 1985 season. He spent most of the next two years in the minors before getting called up to Cleveland in September and earned his first major league win and save, using a new change-up grip taught to him by former Vancouver teammate Willie Mueller. Jones made the Indians out of camp in 1987 but after struggling in April, was sent back down to Triple-A Buffalo where he excelled. In June, Cleveland sent for him and he ended with eight saves to finish out the year.

Jones picked up where he left off in 1988, earning All-Star status for three years from 1988-1990, compiling 112 saves during that period. He struggled in 1991 and lost his closer job and then became a free agent after the season. Jones signed with the Houston Astros and notched 62 saves in two years, making the All-Star team in 1992. In December 1993, Jones was traded with Jeff Juden to Philadelphia for Mitch 'Wild Thing' Williams. He was named to his fifth and final All-Star team at age 37 in 1994, earning 27 saves for the Phillies. After one and a-half lackluster seasons with Baltimore and the Chicago Cubs, the Brewers signed Jones as a free agent in the middle of the 1996 campaign. 

In 1997, Jones earned a then-Brewer record 36 saves but slumped in 1998, recording 12 saves in the first half of the season but posted subpar numbers of a 83 ERA+ and a FIP of 5.99. He was traded to back to Cleveland for Eric Plunk. He earned 13 saves over the next two-plus years with the Indians and the Oakland A's. 

He retired after the 2000 season at age 43 with 303 saves, 12th best in major league history at the time. All but one of the saves were recorded after age 30. He passed away on November 22, 2021 from Covid-related complications.

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[Jim French Stepstool]

I never knew he learned the change from Willie Mueller. That's interesting because Mueller (from West Bend) was a big boy & hard thrower; hardly the type you'd think would have changeup moxie.

302 Saves after age 30, That's really something.