Time to add 1976 Cy Young Award winner Randy Jones to my on-going 1977 N.L. Centennial sub-set, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Senior League during our Bicentennial Year of 1976:
Jones’ season in 1976 was brilliant, as he cruised to a record of 22-14,
with an ERA of 2.74, leading the league in wins, starts with a whopping
40, complete games with 25 and innings pitched with 315.1.
Along the way he also tossed five shutouts, starting the All-Star game for the N.L., and ending up 10th in MVP voting at the end of the year.
Along the way he also tossed five shutouts, starting the All-Star game for the N.L., and ending up 10th in MVP voting at the end of the year.
Jones made his Big League debut in June of 1973 and went on to post a
record of 7-6, with a nice 3.16 earned run average over 20 appearances,
19 of them starts.
Though he would have a forgettable sophomore season in 1974 which saw him lead the National League with 22 losses, along with an ERA of 4.45, we all know how that could have easily been different had he pitched for a better team.
Regardless, over the next two seasons he arguably could have taken home the Cy Young BOTH times, as he’d go on to post records of 20-12 and 22-14, leading the league in ERA with a 2.24 in ‘75 and posting another nice 2.74 mark in his Cy season.
Though he’d play through the 1982 season, he’d never again taste success
in the Majors, never winning more than 13 games in any season between
1977 and 1982, finishing with a record of 100-123, with a 3.42 earned run average over 305 appearances.
Though he would have a forgettable sophomore season in 1974 which saw him lead the National League with 22 losses, along with an ERA of 4.45, we all know how that could have easily been different had he pitched for a better team.
Regardless, over the next two seasons he arguably could have taken home the Cy Young BOTH times, as he’d go on to post records of 20-12 and 22-14, leading the league in ERA with a 2.24 in ‘75 and posting another nice 2.74 mark in his Cy season.