Doug Jones is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for several teams during his career. He was born on June 24, 1957, in Covina, California, and attended college at Chapman University in Orange, California. Jones was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the fifth round of the 1978 MLB draft and made his debut with the team in 1982.
Jones spent the first few years of his career as a relief pitcher for the Brewers, but he struggled to find consistent success. In 1985, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians, where he began to establish himself as a reliable closer. Jones recorded 37 saves for the Indians in 1988, which was the second-highest total in the American League that season.
After spending six seasons with the Indians, Jones was traded to the Houston Astros in 1990. He continued to pitch well for the Astros, recording 36 saves in 1992 and earning his first All-Star selection. Jones was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1994, where he spent two seasons before being traded to the Baltimore Orioles in 1996.
Jones had one of the best seasons of his career with the Orioles in 1997, recording 36 saves and earning his second All-Star selection. He continued to pitch well for the Orioles in 1998 and 1999 before being traded to the Oakland Athletics in 2000. Jones struggled in his brief stint with the Athletics, and he retired from baseball at the end of the season.
Overall, Jones had a successful career as a relief pitcher in the major leagues. He recorded 303 saves over the course of his career, which ranks him 25th on the all-time saves list. Jones was known for his deceptive delivery and his ability to keep hitters off balance with his changeup. He was also known for his durability, as he pitched in over 800 games during his career.
After retiring from baseball, Jones worked as a pitching coach for several minor league teams. He also served as a special assistant to the general manager for the Cleveland Indians from 2002 to 2005. In 2014, Jones was inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame in recognition of his contributions to the team during his career.
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