Ross Jones
Encyclopedia
Ross A. Jones is a former Major League Baseball
shortstop
. Jones was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers
ninth overall in the 1980 Major League Baseball Draft
. He played college baseball at the University of Miami
.
After four seasons in the Dodgers' farm system, Jones was traded with Sid Fernandez
to the New York Mets
for Bob Bailor
and Carlos Diaz
. He made the team out of Spring training
, but saw only limited action behind Jose Oquendo
and Ron Gardenhire
at short, and was used primarily as a pinch hitter
or pinch runner
. In thirteen plate appearances, he had a double
and three walks. The double was a game winning walk-off hit
against Al Holland
and the Philadelphia Phillies
on April 28. On May 13, in one of his few appearances on the field with the Mets, Jones committed an error
that led to three unearned runs in the Mets 5-3 loss to the Dodgers. He was reassigned to their triple A affiliate, the Tidewater Tides shortly afterwards, and briefly reappeared with the Mets following the All-Star break.
Jones split between Tidewater and the double A Jackson Mets
, and batted only .192 combined. Following the season, he was released, and signed with the Seattle Mariners
.
Jones played at three levels for the Mariners in , one of which was the major leagues. Despite batting .290 in the minors, with Seattle, he had only one hit in 21 at-bats for a .095 batting average
.
Batting .319 with the Pacific Coast League
's Calgary Cannons
in , Jones was traded to the Kansas City Royals
for a player to be named later. He continued to hit well for the Omaha Royals
, and earned a promotion to Kansas City
. In 39 games, Jones batted .254, and had ten of his eleven career RBIs
.
Following the season, Jones signed with the Oakland Athletics
, but after committing four errors in three games with the triple A Tacoma Tigers, and getting only two hits in eighteen at bats, he was released. He signed with the New York Yankees
shortly afterwards, spending the rest of the season with their triple A affiliate, the Columbus Clippers
, before retiring.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
. Jones was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
ninth overall in the 1980 Major League Baseball Draft
1980 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1980 Major League Baseball draft.- Compensation Picks :*William Erickson, was drafted in the second round by the San Francisco Giants, 31st pick overall. *Jeff Horne was drafted in the second round by the Pittsburgh Pirates,...
. He played college baseball at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
.
After four seasons in the Dodgers' farm system, Jones was traded with Sid Fernandez
Sid Fernandez
Charles Sidney Fernandez was a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher from to . Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Fernandez was proud of his roots and wore uniform number 50 in honor of Hawaii being the 50th state...
to the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
for Bob Bailor
Bob Bailor
Robert Michael Bailor is a former right-handed utility player in Major League Baseball, best known for his speed and for being difficult to strike out...
and Carlos Diaz
Carlos Diaz (pitcher)
Carlos Antonio Diaz is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Born in Kaneohe, Hawaii, he was the thirteenth native Hawaiian to have played in the major leagues....
. He made the team out of Spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
, but saw only limited action behind Jose Oquendo
José Oquendo
José Manuel Roberto Guillermo Oquendo Contreras is a former Major League Baseball infielder and the current third base coach for the St. Louis Cardinals...
and Ron Gardenhire
Ron Gardenhire
Ronald Clyde "Gardy" Gardenhire is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and current manager of the Minnesota Twins.He is six feet tall and weighed 175 pounds during most of his baseball career....
at short, and was used primarily as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
or pinch runner
Pinch runner
A pinch runner is a baseball player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing a player on base. In the typical case, the pinch runner is faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted...
. In thirteen plate appearances, he had a double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and three walks. The double was a game winning walk-off hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
against Al Holland
Al Holland
Alfred Willis Holland is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who mostly pitched in the Major Leagues from to ....
and the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
on April 28. On May 13, in one of his few appearances on the field with the Mets, Jones committed an error
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
that led to three unearned runs in the Mets 5-3 loss to the Dodgers. He was reassigned to their triple A affiliate, the Tidewater Tides shortly afterwards, and briefly reappeared with the Mets following the All-Star break.
Jones split between Tidewater and the double A Jackson Mets
Jackson Mets
The Jackson Mets were a professional baseball team based in Jackson, Mississippi, from 1975 through 1990. As of 2010, they are the longest-tenured club to be based in the Jackson metropolitan area...
, and batted only .192 combined. Following the season, he was released, and signed with the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
.
Jones played at three levels for the Mariners in , one of which was the major leagues. Despite batting .290 in the minors, with Seattle, he had only one hit in 21 at-bats for a .095 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.
Batting .319 with the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
's Calgary Cannons
Calgary Cannons
The Calgary Cannons were a minor league baseball team located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada for 18 seasons, from 1985 until 2002. They were a member of the AAA Pacific Coast League and played at Foothills Stadium. The Cannons replaced the Calgary Expos who played in the rookie level Pioneer League...
in , Jones was traded to the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
for a player to be named later. He continued to hit well for the Omaha Royals
Omaha Royals
The Omaha Storm Chasers are a United States minor league baseball team currently based in the Omaha suburb of Papillion, Nebraska. The team is the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals major league club and has been a member of the expanded Pacific Coast League since 1998. From 1969 to 1997,...
, and earned a promotion to Kansas City
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
. In 39 games, Jones batted .254, and had ten of his eleven career RBIs
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
.
Following the season, Jones signed with the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, but after committing four errors in three games with the triple A Tacoma Tigers, and getting only two hits in eighteen at bats, he was released. He signed with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
shortly afterwards, spending the rest of the season with their triple A affiliate, the Columbus Clippers
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
, before retiring.