Coaching Career
The 2012 season marks Roger McDowell's seventh with the Braves and his fifth as a Major League pitching coach.  The Braves' overall pitching staff ERA of 3.57 ranked third in the Major Leagues in 2009 and the starters 'ERA of 3.52 led the majors. Braves pitchers allowed a Major League-low 119 home runs on the year, including just 86 homers allowed by the starters (third in the majors) and just 33 allowed by the relievers (best in the majors). Braves starting pitchers ranked second overall with 986 innings pitched (compared to just 886 in 2008 -- 27th in the majors) and recorded 784 strikeouts, the fourth-best total in the majors. The Braves staff ranked sixth in all of baseball with 1,232 total strikeouts.

 

Some individual highlights in 2009 included Jair Jurrjens (2.60) and Javier Vazquez (2.87) finishing third and sixth, respectively, among National League ERA leaders. Rookie Tommy Hanson made his debut in June and posted an 11-4 record and a 2.89 ERA in 21 starts. He finished third in N.L. Rookie of the Year voting and Vazquez ranked second in the N.L. (and fourth in the majors) with 238 strikeouts.

 

In 2008 the Braves ranked second in the National League in earned run average (3.69) at the All-Star break, but injuries took their toll in the second half of the season and Atlanta dipped 12th in the circuit with an overall ERA of 4.46. The 2007 Braves finished third in the league in ERA (4.11), while the bullpen ERA of 3.54 ranked second in the circuit. McDowell spent the 2004-05 seasons as the pitching coach for the Dodgers' Triple-A franchise, the Las Vegas 51s, and was the pitching coach for the Class-A South Georgia Waves in 2002-03.

 

Playing Career
McDowell was one of the game's premier relievers during a 12-year career that spanned from 1985 to 1996 with the Mets, Phillies, Dodgers, Rangers and Orioles. He was a third-round draft pick of the Mets in 1982 and pitched in 723 games in his Major League career, posting a 70-70 record with 159 saves and a 3.30 ERA. In 1986, he was a member of the Mets'World Championship team and posted a 14-9 record with 22 saves in 75 games out of the bullpen.

 

Personal
McDowell graduated from Cincinnati's Colerain High School in 1979 and played for Bowling Green State University. He was inducted into BGSU's athletic Hall of Fame in 1988. He has made television appearances on "Seinfeld", "America's Funniest People" and MTV. McDowell and his wife Gloria reside in Marietta, Ga., with their daughters, Amanda and Rachel. Roger also has a son, Logan.