Roger McDowell: 1986 World Champion Mets Right-Handed Reliever (1985 - 1989)
Roger Alan McDowell was born December 21, 1960, in Cincinnati, Ohio. His parents Herbert & Edna had two other children as well with Roger being the youngest of the McDowell children. After high school in Cincinnati, he attended Bowling Green State University in Ohio on a baseball scholarship. By 1982 the six foot one, right hander was signed by the New York Mets in the third round of the amateur draft. In the minor leagues he was still a starting pitcher, going 11-12 at AA Jackson in 1983. In 1984, with the AA Jackson Mets, he suffered an arm injury & had surgery to repair it, missing all but three games that season. After the injury he converted from being a starter to being a full-time relief pitcher. McDowell’s best pitch & basically his only pitch was his sinker ball which made him a right-handed ground ball specialist. Mets Career: In 1985 McDowell surprisingly made the Mets staff out of Spring Training. Davey Johnson wa...