McDowell was a key component in the 1986 World Series champion New York Mets and was the winning pitcher in the deciding Game 7.

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.

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 averaged more than two innings pitched per appearance in his rookie season and even logged the only two games started of his career.

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.

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 Mets won 100 games and were pitted against Orosco and the Dodgers in the 1988 National League Championship 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.

Neither minor leaguer accomplished much in Philadelphia but the Phillies shocked the National League by winning the pennant two years later.

Similar to 1990, however, he was less impressive in the first full season after a trade and his ERA ballooned to over four in 1992, leading the league in relief losses and lowest save percentage.

The Dodgers rose from last in 1992 to .500 in 1993 to first place in 1994 when the 1994 Major League Baseball strike prematurely ended the season.

He was granted free agency after the season and was signed by the Texas Rangers shortly before the strike ended in April 1995.

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 firecrackers 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.

[4] McDowell was hired as the pitching coach of the Dodgers' single-A minor league South Georgia Waves for 2002 and 2003.