Ben Sheets
Encyclopedia
Ben M. Sheets is an American baseball
starting pitcher
who is currently a free agent. He is a four-time All-Star, but has been hampered with injury problems throughout his career.
and went to college at Northeast Louisiana University (now the University of Louisiana at Monroe
) on a baseball scholarship. He once struck out twenty batters in a game against Louisiana Tech.
, he made his professional debut with the Ogden Raptors
of the Pioneer League. In August, against the Idaho Falls Chukars
, Sheets struck out eight batters while allowing just one hit through five innings. Later in the month, he was promoted to Class A Stockton
of the California League
. In his seven minor league starts that year, Sheets averaged a strikeout ratio of 10.09 batters per nine innings.
for the 2000 Summer Olympics
in Sydney
. He pitched 22 innings, struck out 11 batters, walked one, and gave up 11 hits during the tournament, and faced off against Cuban
ace Pedro Luis Lazo
in the gold medal game, giving up three singles and advancing just one runner to second base for the entire game. Sheets gave up no walks and struck out five in a 4–0 complete game shutout.
. He ended the season 11–10 with a 4.76 ERA
. In 2003, Sheets was troubled by bulging disc
s in his lower back. "My back has been hurt but you've got to go out there and perform," he said. Over the final two months of the season, Sheets pitched poorly and finished the year 11–13 with a 4.45 ERA.
. He became the 26th National League pitcher and the 35th pitcher in Major League history to accomplish the nine-strike/three-strikeout half-inning
.
During 2004, his fastball was being clocked regularly at 96 to 98 mi/h, primarily a result of improved health. That season he also struck out 18 batters in a May 16, 2004 game against the Atlanta Braves
, shattered the franchise-record of 14, set by Moose Haas
in 1978.
By the end of the season, Sheets established himself as a strikeout
threat, throwing 264, to finish second in the National League and third in the majors behind Randy Johnson
and Johan Santana
. After posting an ERA above 4.00 in his previous three seasons, Sheets compiled a dominant 2.70 ERA and 0.98 WHIP, which ranked Sheets fourth and third, respectively, among all starting pitchers. Most impressively, Sheets amassed only 32 walks, giving Sheets a strikeout-to-walk ratio of over 8:1, far and away the best in the major leagues. A mediocre 12–14 win-loss record during this outstanding season was primarily the result of poor run support. Sheets finished 8th in the Cy Young Award
voting.
However, since signing the contract, Sheets has struggled with health issues. A series of inner ear infections that caused dizziness and a loss of balance forced Sheets onto the disabled list for a period of time in the beginning of the 2005 season.
Sheets started the 2006 season on the disabled list but quickly came off it only to pitch three starts before going on the DL again with shoulder tendinitis. He returned to the starting rotation two weeks after the All-Star
break. Sheets pitched a 7-inning shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates
. In his second game back he would pitch nearly a complete game shutout but in the 9th, Sheets gave up a 2-run homer to Ken Griffey Jr of the Reds.
In 2007, Sheets started both his and the Brewers' season on a high note by throwing an Opening Day complete game, two-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers
. A strained hamstring in August forced him to miss the rest of the 2007 regular season.
Sheets started on Opening Day
2008 in a 4–3 win over the Cubs. He batted eighth in the lineup, the first Brewers starting pitcher to bat in a position other than ninth. He also gave up Kosuke Fukudome
's first major league hit in the bottom of the second. In his second start, Sheets threw only the second complete-game shutout of his career, beating the San Francisco Giants 7–0 in a five-hit, eight-strikeout performance.
On May 10, Sheets struck out St. Louis Cardinals' first baseman Albert Pujols on an 0–2 breaking ball in the first inning to reach 1,082 strikeouts, breaking Teddy Higuera’s club mark. Higuera pitched for Milwaukee from 1985–91 and 1993–94.
On July 9, Sheets had a season-high 11 strikeouts including the first 7 outs as strikeouts. By mid-July, he was 10–3 with a 2.85 ERA and was chosen as a starting pitcher for the National League in the 2008 All-Star Game. Pitching in his fourth All-Star Game, Sheets became the first Milwaukee Brewer pitcher to start an All-Star Game. It was also the first time that Sheets was in Yankee Stadium
. In his 2008 All-Star outing, he pitched two scoreless innings, giving up one hit, walking two, and striking out three.
Sheets finished the season with 13–9 with a 3.09 ERA in 31 starts and 198 1/3 innings pitched. He went to 3–0 on only 2% of all batters he faced in the season, the lowest percentage in the majors. He also threw curveballs 33% of the time, more than any other starter in the major leagues. At the end of the season he incurred a tear in his right elbow and did not pitch in the playoffs.
, meaning that if a team signed him before the Rule 4 draft, they would forfeit a draft pick to the Brewers. During the off-season, the New York Mets
and the Texas Rangers
expressed interest in signing Sheets. He had elbow surgery to repair the torn flexor tendon, and the Milwaukee Brewers
were faced with the possibility of having to pick up the cost. After having elbow surgery he began rehabbing the elbow at TMI Sports Medicine in Arlington, Texas. The clinic is owned and operated by the Texas Rangers team doctor. While Sheets was not technically connected to the Texas Rangers, they did show interest in the offseason.
On July 29, 2010, the Athletics announced Sheets would miss the remainder of the season due to a torn flexor in his right elbow. His season ended going 4-9 in 20 starts.
. During the 2004 season, Sheets resided in St. Amant, Louisiana. In 2008, he was living in Highland Park, Texas
. He and his wife Julie have two sons, Seaver (named after Tom Seaver
) and Miller. Sheets is also part owner of the American Hockey League
's Milwaukee Admirals
. He enjoys Cajun food
, including jambalaya
and crawfish etouffee
. Andy Sheets
, the former Major League infielder, is a distant cousin.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
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....
who is currently a free agent. He is a four-time All-Star, but has been hampered with injury problems throughout his career.
Prep and college
Sheets graduated from St. Amant High SchoolSt. Amant High School
St. Amant High School is a high school located in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is within the Ascension Parish School Board.As of the 2008-2009 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,641 students and 98.0 classroom teachers , for a student-teacher ratio of 16.7.The school...
and went to college at Northeast Louisiana University (now the University of Louisiana at Monroe
University of Louisiana at Monroe
The University of Louisiana at Monroe is a coeducational public university in Monroe, Louisiana and part of the University of Louisiana System.-History:...
) on a baseball scholarship. He once struck out twenty batters in a game against Louisiana Tech.
Minor leagues
Drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the first round (10th overall) of the 1999 draft1999 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1999...
, he made his professional debut with the Ogden Raptors
Ogden Raptors
The Ogden Raptors are a minor league baseball team in the Pioneer League based in Ogden, Utah, United States. The club plays at Lindquist Field, whose view beyond the outfield fence was named the best in professional baseball by a staff writer for Grand Slam Enterprises, INC.The Raptors are one of...
of the Pioneer League. In August, against the Idaho Falls Chukars
Idaho Falls Chukars
The Idaho Falls Chukars are a minor league baseball affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. They play in Idaho Falls, Idaho, at Melaleuca Field which holds 3,400 fans. The dimensions of the ball park are 340'left, 400'center, 350'right. The playing surface is Natural Grass...
, Sheets struck out eight batters while allowing just one hit through five innings. Later in the month, he was promoted to Class A Stockton
Stockton Ports
The Stockton Ports are a baseball team in Stockton, California. The Ports play in the Northern Division of the Class A – Advanced California League and are a Minor League affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. Their home field is Banner Island Ballpark which seats over 5,000 people and opened in...
of the California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
. In his seven minor league starts that year, Sheets averaged a strikeout ratio of 10.09 batters per nine innings.
2000 Olympics
In 2000, Sheets was on the United States national teamUSA Baseball
USA Baseball was founded in , and is the governing body for amateur baseball in the United States of America. It is a member of the United States Olympic Committee and organizes the United States national baseball team...
for the 2000 Summer Olympics
Baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics was the third time an Olympic baseball tournament had been held as a full medal sport, and the ninth time it had been part of the Summer Olympic Games in any capacity. It was held in Sydney, Australia from 17 September through to the bronze and gold medal games...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. He pitched 22 innings, struck out 11 batters, walked one, and gave up 11 hits during the tournament, and faced off against Cuban
Cuba national baseball team
The Cuba national baseball team is the national team of Cuba. The team is made up of amateur players from the Cuban national baseball system, as there are no professional sports leagues in Cuba...
ace Pedro Luis Lazo
Pedro Luis Lazo
Pedro Luis Lazo Iglesias is a top pitcher in Cuban baseball. He is used predominantly as a reliever in international competition, although he is a starter in the Cuban National Series, where he plays for Pinar del Río...
in the gold medal game, giving up three singles and advancing just one runner to second base for the entire game. Sheets gave up no walks and struck out five in a 4–0 complete game shutout.
2001–03
By 2001, the 5'10 Sheets had been promoted to the Brewers' starting rotation. His first two starts resulted in losses, but he won his next four, while pitching to a 1.73 ERA. On May 29, in his ninth career start, he pitched his first shutout, giving up 5 hits against the St. Louis CardinalsSt. 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...
. He ended the season 11–10 with a 4.76 ERA
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...
. In 2003, Sheets was troubled by bulging disc
Spinal disc herniation
A spinal disc herniation , informally and misleadingly called a "slipped disc", is a medical condition affecting the spine due to trauma, lifting injuries, or idiopathic, in which a tear in the outer, fibrous ring of an intervertebral disc allows the soft, central portion A spinal disc herniation...
s in his lower back. "My back has been hurt but you've got to go out there and perform," he said. Over the final two months of the season, Sheets pitched poorly and finished the year 11–13 with a 4.45 ERA.
2004
In 2004, Sheets' trouble with a bulging disc subsided. On June 13, 2004, Sheets struck out three batters on nine pitches in the third inning of a 5–4 loss to the Houston AstrosHouston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. He became the 26th National League pitcher and the 35th pitcher in Major League history to accomplish the nine-strike/three-strikeout half-inning
Pitchers who struck out three batters on nine pitches
In Major League Baseball, 43 pitchers have thrown a nine-pitch, three-strikeout half-inning, throwing nothing but strikes...
.
During 2004, his fastball was being clocked regularly at 96 to 98 mi/h, primarily a result of improved health. That season he also struck out 18 batters in a May 16, 2004 game against 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....
, shattered the franchise-record of 14, set by Moose Haas
Moose Haas
Bryan Edmund "Moose" Haas , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1976-1987. He appeared in the 1982 World Series as a member of the Brewers....
in 1978.
By the end of the season, Sheets established himself as 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, throwing 264, to finish second in the National League and third in the majors behind Randy Johnson
Randy Johnson
Randall David Johnson , nicknamed "The Big Unit", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 22-year career, he pitched for six different teams....
and Johan Santana
Johan Santana
Johan Alexander Santana Araque is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher who is currently playing for the New York Mets. He is a native of Venezuela....
. After posting an ERA above 4.00 in his previous three seasons, Sheets compiled a dominant 2.70 ERA and 0.98 WHIP, which ranked Sheets fourth and third, respectively, among all starting pitchers. Most impressively, Sheets amassed only 32 walks, giving Sheets a strikeout-to-walk ratio of over 8:1, far and away the best in the major leagues. A mediocre 12–14 win-loss record during this outstanding season was primarily the result of poor run support. Sheets finished 8th in the Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
voting.
2005–07
In response to his success in 2004, the Brewers awarded Sheets with a four-year, $38.5 million extension. At that time, it was the largest contract in Brewers history.However, since signing the contract, Sheets has struggled with health issues. A series of inner ear infections that caused dizziness and a loss of balance forced Sheets onto the disabled list for a period of time in the beginning of the 2005 season.
Sheets started the 2006 season on the disabled list but quickly came off it only to pitch three starts before going on the DL again with shoulder tendinitis. He returned to the starting rotation two weeks after the All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
break. Sheets pitched a 7-inning shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. In his second game back he would pitch nearly a complete game shutout but in the 9th, Sheets gave up a 2-run homer to Ken Griffey Jr of the Reds.
In 2007, Sheets started both his and the Brewers' season on a high note by throwing an Opening Day complete game, two-hitter against 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...
. A strained hamstring in August forced him to miss the rest of the 2007 regular season.
2008
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
2008 in a 4–3 win over the Cubs. He batted eighth in the lineup, the first Brewers starting pitcher to bat in a position other than ninth. He also gave up Kosuke Fukudome
Kosuke Fukudome
is a Japanese professional baseball outfielder.Prior to arriving in the United States, Fukudome played nine seasons for the Chunichi Dragons of the Japanese Central League...
's first major league hit in the bottom of the second. In his second start, Sheets threw only the second complete-game shutout of his career, beating the San Francisco Giants 7–0 in a five-hit, eight-strikeout performance.
On May 10, Sheets struck out St. Louis Cardinals' first baseman Albert Pujols on an 0–2 breaking ball in the first inning to reach 1,082 strikeouts, breaking Teddy Higuera’s club mark. Higuera pitched for Milwaukee from 1985–91 and 1993–94.
On July 9, Sheets had a season-high 11 strikeouts including the first 7 outs as strikeouts. By mid-July, he was 10–3 with a 2.85 ERA and was chosen as a starting pitcher for the National League in the 2008 All-Star Game. Pitching in his fourth All-Star Game, Sheets became the first Milwaukee Brewer pitcher to start an All-Star Game. It was also the first time that Sheets was in Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
. In his 2008 All-Star outing, he pitched two scoreless innings, giving up one hit, walking two, and striking out three.
Sheets finished the season with 13–9 with a 3.09 ERA in 31 starts and 198 1/3 innings pitched. He went to 3–0 on only 2% of all batters he faced in the season, the lowest percentage in the majors. He also threw curveballs 33% of the time, more than any other starter in the major leagues. At the end of the season he incurred a tear in his right elbow and did not pitch in the playoffs.
2009
In October 2008, Sheets filed for free agency. Most teams were put off by Sheets due to his propensity for injuries. In addition, Sheets was a "type-A" free agentFree 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....
, meaning that if a team signed him before the Rule 4 draft, they would forfeit a draft pick to the Brewers. During the off-season, 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...
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...
expressed interest in signing Sheets. He had elbow surgery to repair the torn flexor tendon, and the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
were faced with the possibility of having to pick up the cost. After having elbow surgery he began rehabbing the elbow at TMI Sports Medicine in Arlington, Texas. The clinic is owned and operated by the Texas Rangers team doctor. While Sheets was not technically connected to the Texas Rangers, they did show interest in the offseason.
2010
On January 26, 2010, Sheets agreed to a one year, $10 million with an additional $2 million in incentives, contract with the Oakland Athletics. Sheets got the Opening Day start, going 5 innings allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits while striking out 3 and walking 4, receiving a 'no-decision'. The Athletics lost the game in the bottom of the 9th.On July 29, 2010, the Athletics announced Sheets would miss the remainder of the season due to a torn flexor in his right elbow. His season ended going 4-9 in 20 starts.
Personal
Sheets was born on July 18, 1978 in Baton Rouge, LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. During the 2004 season, Sheets resided in St. Amant, Louisiana. In 2008, he was living in Highland Park, Texas
Highland Park, Texas
Highland Park is a town in central Dallas County, Texas, United States. The population was 8,842 at the 2000 census. Located between the Dallas North Tollway and U.S. Route 75 , four miles north of downtown Dallas....
. He and his wife Julie have two sons, Seaver (named after Tom Seaver
Tom Seaver
George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...
) and Miller. Sheets is also part owner of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
's Milwaukee Admirals
Milwaukee Admirals
The Milwaukee Admirals are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA at the Bradley Center.-History:...
. He enjoys Cajun food
Cajun cuisine
Cajun cuisine is the style of cooking named for the French-speaking Acadian or "Cajun" immigrants deported by the British from Acadia in Canada to the Acadiana region of Louisiana, USA. It is what could be called a rustic cuisine — locally available ingredients predominate, and preparation...
, including jambalaya
Jambalaya
Jambalaya is a Louisiana Creole dish of Spanish and French influence. -Jambalaya varieties:Jambalaya is traditionally made in three parts, with meats and vegetables, and is completed by adding stock and rice. It is also a close cousin to the saffron colored paella found in Spanish culture...
and crawfish etouffee
Crayfish
Crayfish, crawfish, or crawdads – members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea – are freshwater crustaceans resembling small lobsters, to which they are related...
. Andy Sheets
Andy Sheets
Andrew Mark Sheets is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for the Seattle Mariners , San Diego Padres , Anaheim Angels , Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Devil Rays . He played first base for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp , and Hanshin Tigers , of the Nippon Professional Baseball league....
, the former Major League infielder, is a distant cousin.
See also
- List of pitchers who have struck out 18 or more batters in a nine-inning baseball game
- List of Major League Baseball pitchers who have struck out three batters on nine pitches