| Todd Jones | |
|---|---|
 Jones with theDetroit Tigers in 2008 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1968-04-24)April 24, 1968 (age 57) Marietta, Georgia, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 7, 1993, for the Houston Astros | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 15, 2008, for the Detroit Tigers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 58–63 |
| Earned run average | 3.97 |
| Strikeouts | 868 |
| Saves | 319 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Todd Barton Jones (born April 24, 1968) is an American former professional baseballrelief pitcher. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was an effectivemiddle reliever for several teams and also filled the role ofcloser, most notably with theDetroit Tigers for whom he earned 235 of his 319 career saves.[1] On September 16,2007, Jones became the 21st member of the 300-save club during his second stint with the Tigers.
Jones graduated fromOsborne High School inMarietta, Georgia, and attendedJacksonville State University inAlabama. He was drafted by theHouston Astros in the first round of the1989 Major League Baseball draft and made his major league debut during the1993 season.
Initially a setup reliever, Jones started being used as a closer for the Astros in the 1995 season. His best years came with the Detroit Tigers from1997–2001, when he notched 142 saves. On April 22, 1999, Jones earned career save number 100.[2] On September 27,1999, Jones threw the last official pitch atTiger Stadium, striking outCarlos Beltrán as the Tigers defeated theKansas City Royals 8–2.[3][4] Jones' tenure as a Detroit Tiger peaked in 2000, when he converted 42 saves in 46 attempts, made his first and only AL All-Star team, and won the ALRolaids Relief Man Award. The 42 saves established a new Tigers team record, surpassingJohn Hiller's 38 saves in 1973. The record would stand until 2011, when it was broken byJosé Valverde.[5]
Jones could not continue his success into the 2001 season. After blowing 6 of his first 17 save opportunities, Jones lost his closer role and the Tigers traded him to theMinnesota Twins on July 28, 2001.[6] After the 2001 season, Jones became a free agent and signed with theColorado Rockies. While playing for the Rockies in April2003, Jones made remarks criticized as anti-gay comments during a discussion of the playTake Me Out. Jones publicly apologized, but did not retract his comments.[7] He shifted to theBoston Red Sox midway through the season. He made his first career postseason appearance that year, pitching to three batters in Game 6 of theALCS as the third Red Sox pitcher against theNew York Yankees. In the sixth inning, he allowed a hit while garnering a strikeout and a walk before being taken out forAlan Embree.[8] The Red Sox won the game 9-6 with six pitchers used, but they lost the ALCS the next night. Jones left the Red Sox after the season.
Following a2004 season spent with theCincinnati Reds andPhiladelphia Phillies, Jones signed a one-year contract with theFlorida Marlins. After an injury to incumbent closerGuillermo Mota, Jones took on the role for the first time since 2001. He finished the2005 season with a 2.10 ERA and 40 saves, surpassing 200 career saves during this season.
On December 8, 2005, Jones signed a two-year contract to return to the Tigers. In2006, he also participated in the inauguralWorld Baseball Classic. On May 21, 2006, he became the Detroit Tigers' all-time leader in saves, passingMike Henneman.[9] Jones saved 37 games for the2006 Tigers, who made the postseason for the first time since 1987. He would appear in seven postseason games for the Tigers: two in theALDS, three in theALCS, and two in theWorld Series, pitching the ninth inning in each occasion. He converted four saves and allowed one total run (unearned) throughout the postseason. His last postseason appearance was Game 2 of the 2006 World Series, as he finished the only victory that the Tigers would garner against the St. Louis Cardinals. Jones retired with a postseason ERA of 0.00 in seven innings.[1]
On September 16, 2007, Jones worked out of a bases-loaded ninth-inning jam against the Minnesota Twins to earn his 300th career save, becoming the 21st member of baseball's300 save club.[10] The Tigers re-signed Jones to a one-year contract for the 2008 season. On July 27, Jones lost his role as the Tigers' closer toFernando Rodney. On September 25, 2008, the 40-year old Jones announced his retirement from Major League Baseball.[11]
Jones was a finesse pitcher and showed good durability. In every season from1995 through2007, he pitched in at least 51 games. His main pitch was a low-90s fastball that he couldsink orcut, and he pitched to contact. He only had one season (2000) in which he recorded more strikeouts than innings pitched. He also incorporated an occasional low-70s curve ball.[12] Though he didn't have overpowering stuff, he kept hitters off-balance and rarely got rattled.[1] He was a ground-ball pitcher, allowing only 22% fly balls over his career versus 47.2% ground balls.
Jones joined the Tigers television broadcast team onFanDuel Sports Network Detroit as a studio analyst beginning in the 2023 season, and as of 2025 is one of the two primary in-game analysts.[13]
Jones is a devout Christian, and is known for usingContemporary Christian music when entering from the bullpen. During the 2006 playoffs, he entered to "Last One Standing" byMercyMe.[14]
Since 2002, Jones has been writing a weekly column, "The Closer", forThe Sporting News and Jones was on the cover of the baseball preview issue with the caption "Don't Tell columnist Todd Jones but (Beware of The Tigers)".
Jones currently resides inPell City, Alabama with his wife Michelle and his son Alex (born October 7, 1994) and daughter Abby (born May 22, 1997). He currently works as an adviser for the local high school and middle school boys baseball teams, and occasionally appears as a guest analyst for the Detroit Tigers.
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