// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did Rick Jones pitch? A bad inning.
| Rick Jones | |
|---|---|
 Jones in 1976 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: April 16, 1955 Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 18, 1976, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 30, 1978, for the Seattle Mariners | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 6–9 |
| Earned run average | 4.02 |
| Strikeouts | 72 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
Thomas Frederick Jones (born April 16, 1955) is an American former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played from 1976 through 1978 for the Boston Red Sox (1976) and Seattle Mariners (1977–78). Listed at 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m), 190 lb, he threw and batted left-handed.
The Red Sox selected Jones in the fifth round of the 1973 MLB draft out of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School in Jacksonville, Florida. He suffered an arm injury before his senior year of high school, but Boston drafted him as a pitcher.[1] He made his MLB debut in April 1976.[2] After Boston manager Darrell Johnson was fired, new manager Don Zimmer demoted Jones to the minors in June after Jones missed a team flight.[3][4]
The Mariners, managed by Johnson, selected Jones in the 1976 MLB expansion draft.[5] Jones set a franchise record with 11 walks in a game on June 18, 1977, his only win with Seattle.[4][6][7] After his next appearance, he had an elbow injury that required surgery, ending his season and lowering his fastball velocity.[4]
In three years in MLB, Jones had a 6–9 record with 72 strikeouts and a 4.02 earned run average in 159 innings pitched.
Seattle traded Jones, Enrique Romo, and Tom McMillan to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Mario Mendoza, Odell Jones, and Rafael Vásquez at the Winter Meetings on December 5, 1978.[8]
Following his time in the majors, Jones pitched in the minor leagues through 1980 for the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League. He played for Tigres Capitalinos in the Mexican Baseball League in 1981.[9] After ending his playing career, Jones lived in Jacksonville.[4]
References
[edit]- ↑ Brockman, John (November 6, 1973). "Bosox' Jones is proving he's big league calibre". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. pp. 1-E.
- ↑ "Rick Jones Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball Reference. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ↑ "Jones sent to minors in surprise move". The Day. Retrieved June 14, 2026 – via Google News Archive Search.
- 1 2 3 4 Findley, Jeff. "Rick Jones". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ↑ "With Mariners. Johnson Losing More, Enjoying It More". The Morning Record and Journal. UPI. July 19, 1977. p. 11.
- ↑ "Single-Game Records | Seattle Mariners". MLB.com. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ↑ Rudman, Steve (May 12, 2006). "Pitching improbables from Mariners history". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
- ↑ "Falcone to Mets, Romo to Bucs," St. Petersburg (FL) Times, Wednesday, December 6, 1978. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
- ↑ "Rick Jones Minor & Mexican Leagues Statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved June 12, 2026.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics from Baseball Reference · Baseball Reference (Minors) · Retrosheet · Baseball Almanac
- 1955 births
- Living people
- American expatriate baseball players in Mexico
- Baseball players from Jacksonville, Florida
- Boston Red Sox players
- Bristol Red Sox players
- Elmira Pioneers players
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- Mexican Baseball League pitchers
- Navegantes del Magallanes players
- American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
- Portland Beavers players
- Rhode Island Red Sox players
- San Jose Missions players
- Seattle Mariners players
- Tigres del México players
- Wichita Aeros players
- Winston-Salem Red Sox players
- Winter Haven Red Sox players
- 20th-century American sportsmen