Roger McDowell
Encyclopedia
Roger Alan McDowell is the pitching coach of the Atlanta Braves
and was a right-handed relief pitcher
for twelve seasons in Major League Baseball
from 1985 to 1996. He played for the New York Mets
, Philadelphia Phillies
and Los Angeles Dodgers
in the National League
and the Texas Rangers
and Baltimore Orioles
of the American League
. McDowell was a key component in the 1986 World Series
champion New York Mets and was the winning pitcher in the deciding Game 7. His major league record of decisions was 70 wins and 70 losses.
s in the dugout
. He also could skillfully wrap a wad of chewing gum around a cigarette, then secretly place the contraption on the heels of unsuspecting teammates' cleats. This is known as the hot foot
.
During a nationally televised game, he was filmed with his uniform on upside down – his pants over his head with his shoes on his hands. He also took part in an on-field mariachi
band and wore earrings in the clubhouse to protest Cincinnati Reds'
owner Marge Schott
's banning of earrings.
In 1992, McDowell made a cameo appearance in a two-part episode of Seinfeld
called The Boyfriend. The episode starred McDowell's ex-teammate, Keith Hernandez
, and featured McDowell as a grassy knoll-type figure spitting
on Cosmo Kramer
and Newman
during a Zapruder film
parody after Kramer and Newman insulted Hernandez.
McDowell also made several appearances on the MTV
series of Rock N' Jock softball games, often donning humorous costumes such as kilt
s and wigs.
, graduated from Colerain Senior High School and was acquired by the Mets in the third round of the Major League Baseball Draft. He spent 1982 in the A-level minor league
s and spent with the AA Jackson Mets
, both as a starting pitcher
. In , McDowell was at Jackson when he suffered an elbow injury which limited him to only three games. As a result of the injury, he became a relief pitcher and developed a fantastic sinker ball
that became the main weapon in his arsenal for his entire career.
McDowell debuted in the majors in . He was impressive as both a middle relief pitcher
and as a closer
, splitting the duties with Jesse Orosco
. Orosco was a lefty and a strikeout
threat while McDowell was a righty and a groundball specialist, making them a challenging pair late in games. McDowell posted a 2.83 earned run average
. The Mets continued on an upward surge that saw them barely miss their first postseason in over a decade. McDowell averaged more than two innings pitched
per appearance in his rookie
season and even logged the only two games started
of his career. He never again averaged more than two innings per appearance and, through most of his career, averaged less than one-and-a-half inning, as became customary throughout the majors.
In , McDowell was again impressive and was part of a strong core of Mets farm-hands — players that had come up through the minor league
s in the Mets' system — which, together with a few fiery veterans, helped the Mets win the 1986 World Series
. McDowell was involved in many close games, posting an amazing 23 pitching decisions despite never starting a game. His 14-9 record, which included winning his first seven decisions, and 3.02 ERA resulted in five points in the voting for National League MVP
. McDowell was fantastic in the 1986 National League Championship Series
, allowing a single hit in seven innings pitched including five innings in the famous sixteen-inning Game 6. He was less impressive in the World Series, where he pitched in five of the seven games. Although Sid Fernandez
gets much deserved recognition for holding the Boston Red Sox
silent in the middle innings of Game 7, McDowell was credited with the win by pitching an important scoreless seventh inning before the Mets broke the tie in the bottom of the inning.
was McDowell's first down year, with an ERA over four after missing the first six weeks of the season with a hernia
. He did manage to post a career-high 25 saves but his most infamous game occurred on September 11, 1987 when he gave up a game-tying 9th inning two-run home run to the St. Louis Cardinals
' Terry Pendleton
. The Cardinals won the game the following inning. With the Cardinals and Mets in the midst of a close division race, many credited the home run with ending the Mets' chances for a repeat championship.
After the season, Jesse Orosco was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers
and, in , McDowell improved his ERA back down to 2.63 and moved into third place on the Mets' all-time save list behind Orosco and Tug McGraw
. The lefty-righty closer platoon system
was maintained with McDowell and Randy Myers
. The Mets won 100 games and were pitted against Orosco and the Dodgers in the 1988 National League Championship Series
. In Game 4, the Mets had a chance to take a commanding 3-1 series lead but Mike Scioscia tied the game with a 2run shot off Dwight Gooden in the 9th inning. McDowell would later give up the game-winning home run
to Kirk Gibson
in the 12th inning. Overall, McDowell gave up a run in three of his four games. The favored Mets lost in seven games in their last postseason for over a decade. It also spelled the last postseason appearance of the 27-year-old McDowell's career.
to the Phillies for potential superstar Juan Samuel
. Samuel proved to be a huge disappointment for the Mets, batting .228 before the Mets re-traded him after the season, and he never regained the combination of speed and power he had shown in his few years with the Phillies. Dykstra, meanwhile, became a fixture for the Phillies, twice finishing in the top ten in MVP voting including a second-place finish in 1993 when he led the Phils to the 1993 World Series
. McDowell was untouchable in his first partial season with Philadelphia, compiling a microscopic 1.11 ERA in 44 games for the last-place 1989 Phillies.
McDowell was rewarded with his first million-dollar contract for but was only average as the Phillies finished below .500. In , McDowell improved for the Phillies but was traded at the trading deadline to the Dodgers for two minor leaguers. Neither minor leaguer accomplished much in Philadelphia but the Phillies shocked the National League
by winning the pennant two years later.
After his poor 1992, McDowell re-signed with the Dodgers for , but for only $1.35 million as opposed to the $2.2 million he was paid for 1992. He responded with a 2.25 ERA which was the last time his season ERA was below 4.00. The Dodgers defense was a factor for McDowell as nearly half of the runs he allowed were unearned in 1993. The Dodgers rose from last in 1992 to .500 in 1993 to first place in when the 1994 Major League Baseball strike prematurely ended the season. The unearned runs of 1993 were replaced by earned runs in 1994 and McDowell's ERA skyrocketed to a career-worst 5.23. He was granted free agency
after the season and was signed by the Texas Rangers shortly before the strike ended in April .
, the 34-year-old McDowell fit in well and was given the most innings he'd pitched since 1991. He also pitched in the second-highest number of games in the American League. While his 4.02 ERA was poor compared to his career average, it was far better than the 4.67 A.L. average for 1995. Nearing his 35th birthday, the Rangers granted him free agency and he signed on with the Orioles for . His ERA was again high but better than the league average in 1996 but shoulder surgery ended his season in mid-August. After the season, he was again a free agent before the Chicago White Sox
signed him for the season. Unfortunately for McDowell, he had two more shoulder surgeries wiping out the whole season. In , he attended spring training
with Chicago but retired before the season began at age 37.
for and . He was promoted to the AAA Las Vegas 51s
for and .
On October 29, 2005, McDowell was hired to replace Leo Mazzone
as the pitching coach of the Atlanta Braves
after Mazzone became the coach for the Baltimore Orioles
.
Fredi Gonzalez
was named Braves manager for the 2011 season after Bobby Cox
retirement. McDowell was kept on as the pitching coach.
McDowell and his wife, Gloria, have two daughters.
fan claimed that McDowell had used foul language, homosexual slurs, obscene gestures, and threats before a game at AT&T Park
in San Francisco. It is alleged that he said, "Are you guys a homo couple or a threesome?" Justin Quinn of Fresno said he saw McDowell make crude sexual gestures at three men during batting practice. Quinn alleges that when he told McDowell that there were children present, McDowell replied that kids don’t belong at a baseball park, picked up a bat and threatened him.
On April 27, Quinn and his family held a press conference with attorney Gloria Allred
demanding an apology and action from Major League Baseball
. McDowell apologized the same day, saying that he was "deeply sorry" that he responded to the heckling fans. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig
said he found the allegations "very troubling" and that he would make a decision once a Braves investigation had been completed.
On April 29, 2011, McDowell was placed on administrative leave by the Braves while they investigated the allegations.
On May 1, 2011, Major League Baseball announced a two-week suspension (retroactive to April 29, when the Braves had placed McDowell on administrative leave), an undisclosed fine, and required sensitivity training for McDowell. Quinn was to receive an apology from McDowell and an invitation for his family to attend a future Giants game from Major League Baseball.
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
and was a right-handed relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
for twelve seasons in Major League Baseball
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...
from 1985 to 1996. He played for 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...
, 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...
and 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...
in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
and the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
and Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
of the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
. McDowell was a key component in the 1986 World Series
1986 World Series
The 1986 World Series pitted the New York Mets against the Boston Red Sox. It was cited in the legend of the "Curse of the Bambino" to explain the error by Bill Buckner in Game 6 that allowed the Mets to extend the series to a seventh game...
champion New York Mets and was the winning pitcher in the deciding Game 7. His major league record of decisions was 70 wins and 70 losses.
Prankster reputation
While McDowell was a stable major league-level pitcher, he was also notorious in the league and among fans as a prankster who would light firecrackerFirecracker
A firecracker is a small explosive device primarily designed to produce a large amount of noise, especially in the form of a loud bang; any visual effect is incidental to this goal. They have fuses, and are wrapped in a heavy paper casing to contain the explosive compound...
s in the dugout
Dugout (baseball)
In baseball, the dugout is a team's bench area and is located in foul territory between home plate and either first or third base. There are two dugouts, one for the home team and one for the visiting team. In general, the dugout is occupied by all players not prescribed to be on the field at that...
. He also could skillfully wrap a wad of chewing gum around a cigarette, then secretly place the contraption on the heels of unsuspecting teammates' cleats. This is known as the hot foot
Hot foot
The hot foot is a prank where the prankster sets the victim's shoe laces on fire with a match or lighter. There are several other versions of the hot foot prank, but all involve using a source of flame near a victim's foot...
.
During a nationally televised game, he was filmed with his uniform on upside down – his pants over his head with his shoes on his hands. He also took part in an on-field mariachi
Mariachi
Mariachi is a genre of music that originated in the State of Jalisco, in Mexico. It is an integration of stringed instruments highly influenced by the cultural impacts of the historical development of Western Mexico. Throughout the history of mariachi, musicians have experimented with brass, wind,...
band and wore earrings in the clubhouse to protest Cincinnati Reds'
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
owner Marge Schott
Marge Schott
Margaret Unnewehr Schott was the managing general partner, president and CEO of the National League's Cincinnati Reds franchise from 1984 to 1999...
's banning of earrings.
In 1992, McDowell made a cameo appearance in a two-part episode of Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
called The Boyfriend. The episode starred McDowell's ex-teammate, Keith Hernandez
Keith Hernandez
Keith Barlow Hernandez is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He is currently a baseball analyst working for the New York Mets, for whom he played from –, on SportsNet New York and WPIX television broadcasts...
, and featured McDowell as a grassy knoll-type figure spitting
Spitting
Spitting or expectoration is the act of forcibly ejecting saliva or other substances from the mouth. It is currently considered rude and a social taboo in many parts of the world including the West, while in some other parts of the world it is considered more acceptable...
on Cosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
and Newman
Newman (Seinfeld)
Newman is a recurring character on the television show Seinfeld, played by Wayne Knight from 1991 until the show's finale in 1998.-Background:...
during a Zapruder film
Zapruder film
The Zapruder film is a silent, color motion picture sequence shot by private citizen Abraham Zapruder with a home-movie camera, asU.S. President John F...
parody after Kramer and Newman insulted Hernandez.
McDowell also made several appearances on the MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
series of Rock N' Jock softball games, often donning humorous costumes such as kilt
Kilt
The kilt is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear, originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century. Since the 19th century it has become associated with the wider culture of Scotland in general, or with Celtic heritage even more broadly...
s and wigs.
New York Mets (through 1989)
Roger McDowell was born in Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, graduated from Colerain Senior High School and was acquired by the Mets in the third round of the Major League Baseball Draft. He spent 1982 in the A-level minor league
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
s and spent with the AA 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...
, both as a starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
. In , McDowell was at Jackson when he suffered an elbow injury which limited him to only three games. As a result of the injury, he became a relief pitcher and developed a fantastic sinker ball
Sinker (baseball)
In baseball, a sinker , is a type of fastball pitch which has significant downward and horizontal movement. The sinker is known for inducing a lot of ground balls...
that became the main weapon in his arsenal for his entire career.
McDowell debuted in the majors in . He was impressive as both a middle relief pitcher
Middle relief pitcher
In baseball, middle relief pitchers are relief pitchers who commonly pitch in the 6th or 7th innings or in situations where several innings worth of work is required . In the National League, a middle reliever often comes in after the starting pitcher has been pulled for a pinch hitter...
and as a closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
, splitting the duties with Jesse Orosco
Jesse Orosco
Jesse Russell Orosco is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who holds the major league record for career pitching appearances. He pitched most notably for the New York Mets in the 1980s. He won a World Series in 1986 with the Mets and in 1988 with the Dodgers. He threw left-handed,...
. Orosco was a lefty and a strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
threat while McDowell was a righty and a groundball specialist, making them a challenging pair late in games. McDowell posted a 2.83 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
. The Mets continued on an upward surge that saw them barely miss their first postseason in over a decade. McDowell averaged more than two innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
per appearance in his rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
season and even logged the only two games started
Games started
In baseball statistics, games started indicates the number of games that a pitcher has started for his team. A pitcher is credited with starting the game if he faces the first opposing batter...
of his career. He never again averaged more than two innings per appearance and, through most of his career, averaged less than one-and-a-half inning, as became customary throughout the majors.
In , McDowell was again impressive and was part of a strong core of Mets farm-hands — players that had come up through the minor league
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
s in the Mets' system — which, together with a few fiery veterans, helped the Mets win the 1986 World Series
1986 World Series
The 1986 World Series pitted the New York Mets against the Boston Red Sox. It was cited in the legend of the "Curse of the Bambino" to explain the error by Bill Buckner in Game 6 that allowed the Mets to extend the series to a seventh game...
. McDowell was involved in many close games, posting an amazing 23 pitching decisions despite never starting a game. His 14-9 record, which included winning his first seven decisions, and 3.02 ERA resulted in five points in the voting for National League MVP
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
. McDowell was fantastic in the 1986 National League Championship Series
1986 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 8, 1986 at Astrodome in Houston, TexasGame 1 featured a pitching duel between eventual NLCS Most Valuable Player Mike Scott and Dwight Gooden. Scott allowed just five hits and walked one while striking out 14 in a complete-game effort as the host Astros prevailed 1–0...
, allowing a single hit in seven innings pitched including five innings in the famous sixteen-inning Game 6. He was less impressive in the World Series, where he pitched in five of the seven games. Although 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...
gets much deserved recognition for holding the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
silent in the middle innings of Game 7, McDowell was credited with the win by pitching an important scoreless seventh inning before the Mets broke the tie in the bottom of the inning.
was McDowell's first down year, with an ERA over four after missing the first six weeks of the season with a hernia
Hernia
A hernia is the protrusion of an organ or the fascia of an organ through the wall of the cavity that normally contains it. A hiatal hernia occurs when the stomach protrudes into the mediastinum through the esophageal opening in the diaphragm....
. He did manage to post a career-high 25 saves but his most infamous game occurred on September 11, 1987 when he gave up a game-tying 9th inning two-run home run to the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
' Terry Pendleton
Terry Pendleton
Terry Lee Pendleton is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball, and a former hitting coach and current first base coach of the Atlanta Braves. He played primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves, but he also spent time with the Florida Marlins, Cincinnati Reds, and Kansas...
. The Cardinals won the game the following inning. With the Cardinals and Mets in the midst of a close division race, many credited the home run with ending the Mets' chances for a repeat championship.
After the season, Jesse Orosco was traded to 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...
and, in , McDowell improved his ERA back down to 2.63 and moved into third place on the Mets' all-time save list behind Orosco and Tug McGraw
Tug McGraw
Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw Jr. was a Major League Baseball relief pitcher and the father of Country music singer Tim McGraw and actor/TV personality Mark McGraw and Cari McGraw...
. The lefty-righty closer platoon system
Platoon system
The platoon system in baseball is a method of designating two players to a single defensive position—usually one right-handed and one left-handed. Typically the right-handed half of the platoon is played on days when the opposing pitcher is left-handed and the left-handed player is played otherwise...
was maintained with McDowell and Randy Myers
Randy Myers
Randall Kirk Myers is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. During a 14-year baseball career, he pitched from 1985-1998 for the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, and Toronto Blue Jays.-Career:Myers first began his major league career with...
. The Mets won 100 games and were pitted against Orosco and the Dodgers in the 1988 National League Championship Series
1988 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 4, 1988 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaThe series opened with a classic pitching matchup, pitting the Dodgers' Orel Hershiser, who had won 23 games during the regular season and carried a Major League record 59 consecutive scoreless innings into the game,...
. In Game 4, the Mets had a chance to take a commanding 3-1 series lead but Mike Scioscia tied the game with a 2run shot off Dwight Gooden in the 9th inning. McDowell would later give up the game-winning home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
to Kirk Gibson
Kirk Gibson
Kirk Harold Gibson is a former Major League Baseball player and currently the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks. As a player, Gibson was an outfielder who batted and threw left-handed...
in the 12th inning. Overall, McDowell gave up a run in three of his four games. The favored Mets lost in seven games in their last postseason for over a decade. It also spelled the last postseason appearance of the 27-year-old McDowell's career.
Philadelphia Phillies (1989-1991)
In , McDowell pitched about average for the Mets before the Mets blundered in mid-June by trading him and Lenny DykstraLenny Dykstra
Leonard Kyle "Lenny" Dykstra , nicknamed "Nails" and "Dude", is a former Major League Baseball center fielder. Dykstra played for the New York Mets during the late 1980s before playing for the Philadelphia Phillies during the early 1990s....
to the Phillies for potential superstar Juan Samuel
Juan Samuel
Juan Milton Samuel is a retired second baseman who spent sixteen seasons in Major League Baseball with the Philadelphia Phillies , New York Mets , Los Angeles Dodgers , Kansas City Royals , Cincinnati Reds , Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays...
. Samuel proved to be a huge disappointment for the Mets, batting .228 before the Mets re-traded him after the season, and he never regained the combination of speed and power he had shown in his few years with the Phillies. Dykstra, meanwhile, became a fixture for the Phillies, twice finishing in the top ten in MVP voting including a second-place finish in 1993 when he led the Phils to the 1993 World Series
1993 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 16, 1993 at SkyDome in Toronto, OntarioThe Series' first game sent two staff aces—Curt Schilling for Philadelphia and Juan Guzman for Toronto—against one another. The result was less than a pitcher's duel, however, as both teams scored early and often.The deciding plays...
. McDowell was untouchable in his first partial season with Philadelphia, compiling a microscopic 1.11 ERA in 44 games for the last-place 1989 Phillies.
McDowell was rewarded with his first million-dollar contract for but was only average as the Phillies finished below .500. In , McDowell improved for the Phillies but was traded at the trading deadline to the Dodgers for two minor leaguers. Neither minor leaguer accomplished much in Philadelphia but the Phillies shocked the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
by winning the pennant two years later.
Los Angeles Dodgers (1991-1994)
McDowell was again impressive after a mid-season trade with a 2.55 ERA. Similar to 1990, however, he was less impressive in the first full season after a trade and his ERA ballooned to over four in , leading the league in relief losses and lowest save percentage. The Dodgers finished with their worst winning percentage in eighty years and their only last-place finish of the 20th century.After his poor 1992, McDowell re-signed with the Dodgers for , but for only $1.35 million as opposed to the $2.2 million he was paid for 1992. He responded with a 2.25 ERA which was the last time his season ERA was below 4.00. The Dodgers defense was a factor for McDowell as nearly half of the runs he allowed were unearned in 1993. The Dodgers rose from last in 1992 to .500 in 1993 to first place in when the 1994 Major League Baseball strike prematurely ended the season. The unearned runs of 1993 were replaced by earned runs in 1994 and McDowell's ERA skyrocketed to a career-worst 5.23. He was granted free agency
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
after the season and was signed by the Texas Rangers shortly before the strike ended in April .
American League (1995-1996)
In his first year in the American LeagueAmerican League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
, the 34-year-old McDowell fit in well and was given the most innings he'd pitched since 1991. He also pitched in the second-highest number of games in the American League. While his 4.02 ERA was poor compared to his career average, it was far better than the 4.67 A.L. average for 1995. Nearing his 35th birthday, the Rangers granted him free agency and he signed on with the Orioles for . His ERA was again high but better than the league average in 1996 but shoulder surgery ended his season in mid-August. After the season, he was again a free agent before the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
signed him for the season. Unfortunately for McDowell, he had two more shoulder surgeries wiping out the whole season. In , he attended 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...
with Chicago but retired before the season began at age 37.
Post-retirement and coaching
McDowell was hired as the pitching coach of the Dodgers' single-A minor league South Georgia WavesSouth Georgia Waves
The South Georgia Waves was a Low-A class minor league baseball team in Albany, Georgia for one season before relocating to Columbus, Georgia where they operated under the same name for the 2003 season before being rebranded the Columbus Catfish...
for and . He was promoted to the AAA Las Vegas 51s
Las Vegas 51s
The Las Vegas 51s, formerly known as the Las Vegas Stars, are a minor league baseball team. They are the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. They play at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team competes in the Pacific Coast League...
for and .
Leo Mazzone
Leo David Mazzone is a former pitcher in minor league baseball and coach in Major League Baseball. He began working with the Atlanta Braves' organization in 1979.-Early life:...
as the pitching coach of the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
after Mazzone became the coach for the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
.
Fredi Gonzalez
Fredi González
Fredi Jesus González is the current manager of the Atlanta Braves in Major League Baseball. Gonzalez is also the former manager of the Florida Marlins 2007–2010. For the four years prior to 2007, he was third base coach for the Atlanta Braves.-Biography:Gonzalez grew up in Miami, Florida, where he...
was named Braves manager for the 2011 season after Bobby Cox
Bobby Cox
Robert Joseph "Bobby" Cox is a former Major League Baseball third baseman and manager. He first led the Atlanta Braves from 1978 to 1981, and then managed the Toronto Blue Jays from 1982 to 1985. He later rejoined the Braves in 1985 as a general manager...
retirement. McDowell was kept on as the pitching coach.
McDowell and his wife, Gloria, have two daughters.
AT&T Park Incident
On April 23, 2011, a San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
fan claimed that McDowell had used foul language, homosexual slurs, obscene gestures, and threats before a game at AT&T Park
AT&T Park
AT&T Park is a ballpark located in the South Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, California. Located at 24 Willie Mays Plaza, at the corner of Third and King Streets, it has served as the home of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball since 2000....
in San Francisco. It is alleged that he said, "Are you guys a homo couple or a threesome?" Justin Quinn of Fresno said he saw McDowell make crude sexual gestures at three men during batting practice. Quinn alleges that when he told McDowell that there were children present, McDowell replied that kids don’t belong at a baseball park, picked up a bat and threatened him.
On April 27, Quinn and his family held a press conference with attorney Gloria Allred
Gloria Allred
Gloria Rachel Allred is an American lawyer noted for taking high-profile and often controversial cases, particulary those involving the protection of women's rights.-Early life:...
demanding an apology and action from Major League Baseball
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...
. McDowell apologized the same day, saying that he was "deeply sorry" that he responded to the heckling fans. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig
Bud Selig
Allan Huber "Bud" Selig is the ninth and current Commissioner of Major League Baseball, having served in that capacity since 1992 as the acting commissioner, and as the official commissioner since 1998...
said he found the allegations "very troubling" and that he would make a decision once a Braves investigation had been completed.
On April 29, 2011, McDowell was placed on administrative leave by the Braves while they investigated the allegations.
On May 1, 2011, Major League Baseball announced a two-week suspension (retroactive to April 29, when the Braves had placed McDowell on administrative leave), an undisclosed fine, and required sensitivity training for McDowell. Quinn was to receive an apology from McDowell and an invitation for his family to attend a future Giants game from Major League Baseball.