Ben Sheets

Milwaukee Brewers — No. 15
Starting Pitcher
Born: July 18, 1978 (1978-07-18) (age 29)
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
Major League Baseball debut
April 5, 2001 for the Milwaukee Brewers
Selected MLB statistics (through July 30, 2007)
Win-Loss	71-73
Earned Run Average	3.79
Strikeouts	1032
Teams
Milwaukee Brewers (2001-present)

Ben M. Sheets (born July 18, 1978 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana) is a Major League Baseball pitcher who currently plays for the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team. Sheets throws a four-seam fastball clocked between 94-98 MPH, a big, sharp breaking curveball in the 80-83 MPH range, and a changeup. Sheets also has great command of his three pitches, as evidenced by the outstanding strikeout-walk ratios Sheets has posted over recent seasons. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 331 × 598 pixelsFull resolution (526 × 951 pixel, file size: 798 KB, MIME type: image/png) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher, often abbreviated as starter, is the pitcher who pitches the first pitch to the first batter of a game. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 95th day of the year (96th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... In Major League Baseball, a win (denoted W) is generally credited to the pitcher for the winning team who was in the game when they last took the lead. ... In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. ... Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Dunn strikes out swinging to Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz (not pictured). ... Major league affiliations National League (1998–present) Central Division (1998–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 4, 19, 34, 42, 44 Name Milwaukee Brewers (1970–present) Seattle Pilots (1969) Other nicknames True Blue Brew Crew, The Brew Crew, The Crew, Beermakers Ballpark Miller Park (2001–present) County Stadium (1970–2000) Sick... The following are the baseball events of the year 2001 throughout the world. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Capitol Building Baton Rouge is the capital of Louisiana, a state of the United States of America. ... Official language(s) de jure: none de facto: English & French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans [1] Area  Ranked 31st  - Total 51,885 sq mi (134,382 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 16  - Latitude 29°N to 33°N  - Longitude 89°W... MLB and Major Leagues redirect here. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Major league affiliations National League (1998–present) Central Division (1998–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 4, 19, 34, 42, 44 Name Milwaukee Brewers (1970–present) Seattle Pilots (1969) Other nicknames True Blue Brew Crew, The Brew Crew, The Crew, Beermakers Ballpark Miller Park (2001–present) County Stadium (1970–2000) Sick... This article is about the sport. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Command has multiple meanings: An order. ... The typical motion of a pitcher In baseball, a pitch is the act of throwing a baseball toward home plate to start a play. ... Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Dunn strikes out swinging to Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz (not pictured). ... Walking is the main form of animal locomotion on land, distinguished from running and crawling. ...

Prep and college

Sheets graduated from St. Amant High School and went to college at Northeast Louisiana University (now the University of Louisiana at Monroe) on a baseball scholarship. He once struck out 20 batters in a game against Louisiana Tech. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... College (Latin collegium) is a term most often used today to denote an educational institution. ... University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) is a university located in Monroe, Louisiana, USA, a part of the University of Louisiana System. ... Barry Bonds batting Photo:Agência Brasil In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for ones team. ... Louisiana Tech University, located in Ruston, Louisiana, is a full fledged public university with an average 12,000 - 14,000 students each year. ...

Minor leagues

Drafted by the Brewers in the first round (10th overall) of the 1999 draft, he made his professional debut with the Ogden Raptors of the Pioneer League. On August 2 against the Idaho Falls Chukars, Sheets struck out eight batters while allowing just one hit through five innings. He didn't stay very long in Rookie ball, being promoted to Class A Stockton of the California League on August 9. In his seven minor league starts that year, Sheets averaged a strikeout ratio of 10.09 batters per nine innings. This article is about the year. ... The Ogden Raptors are a minor league baseball team in the Pioneer League. ... The Pioneer League is a minor league baseball league which currently operates in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. ... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Idaho Falls Chukars are a minor league affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. ... Class A can refer to: Class A war criminal - see war crime. ... The Stockton Ports are a minor league baseball team in Stockton, California, USA. They are a high-A class team in the California League, and became a farm team of the Oakland Athletics in 2005. ... The California League is a minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. ... is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Baseball at the Summer Olympics had its official debut at the 1992 Summer Olympics and has been contested in 4 Olympiads. ... The 2000 Summer Olympics or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were the Summer Olympic Games held in 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. ... Baseball had its third appearance as an official medal sport at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. ...

Olympics

In 2000, Sheets was on the United States national team 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 hits—all singles—with two by Omar Linares, advancing just one runner to second base for the entire game. Sheets gave up no walks, struck out five, and 16 of 27 outs were ground ball outs, in a 4-0 complete game shutout. Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... USA Baseball was founded in 1978 and is the governing body for amateur baseball in the United States of America. ... Baseball had its third appearance as an official medal sport at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. ... The Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour Sydney (pronounced ) is the most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 4. ... Pedro Luis Lazo was born on April 15, 1973. ... Omar Linares Izquierdo (born October 23, 1967 in Pinar del Río, Cuba) is a former Cuban baseball player. ...

Majors

By 2001, Sheets had been promoted to the Brewers' starting rotation and went 11-10 that season with a 4.76 ERA. By 2004, Sheets began establishing himself as a strikeout threat, throwing 264 to finish third in the category in the majors behind Randy Johnson and Johan Santana. After posting an ERA above 4.00 in Sheets' previous three seasons, Sheets compiled a dominant 2.70 ERA and 0.98 WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched), which ranked Sheets fourth and third, respectively, among all starting pitchers in the Major Leagues. 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. That season, Sheets finished 8th in the Cy Young award voting. Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Dunn strikes out swinging to Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz (not pictured). ... For other persons named Randy Johnson, see Randy Johnson (disambiguation). ... Johan Alexander Santana Araque (born March 13, 1979) is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher who plays for the Minnesota Twins. ...

During 2004, his fastball was being clocked regularly at 96 to 98 miles per hour, primarily a result of improved health. In 2003, Sheets had been troubled by bulging discs in his lower back, but these problems subsided in 2004. That season he also struck out 18 batters in a May 16, 2004 game against the Atlanta Braves. On June 13, 2004, Sheets struck out three batters on nine pitches in the third inning of a 5-4 loss to the Houston Astros. Sheets became the 26th National League pitcher and the 35th pitcher in Major League history to accomplish the nine-strike/three-strikeout half-inning. May 16, 2004 Voters in the Dominican Republic go to the polls to elect a new president; with 79% of the vote counted, former president Leonel Fernández is declared the winner. ... Major league affiliations National League (1876–present) East Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 21, 35, 41, 42, 44 Name Atlanta Braves (1966–present) Milwaukee Braves (1953-1965) Boston Braves (1941-1952) Boston Bees (1936-1940) Boston Braves (1912-1935) Boston Rustlers (1911) Boston Doves (1907-1910) Boston... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In Major League Baseball, 37 pitchers have thrown a nine-pitch, three-strikeout half-inning a total of 40 times. ...

Sheets has since struggled with health issues. A series of inner ear infections that caused dizziness and a loss of balance forced Sheets onto the disabled list (DL) for a period of time in the beginning of the 2005 season. Sheets started the 2006 season on the DL but quickly came off it only to pitch 3 starts before going on the DL again with shoulder tendinitis. Sheets 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 from the DL 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 baseball, the disabled list (a. ... Tendonitis (also tenonitis or tendinitis) is an inflammation of a tendon. ... Ken Griffey, Jr. ...

On April 2nd, 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.[1]. Sheets has gone back on the DL in 2007 however. After his stint on the DL he has come back strong. He won his first start against the Cubs. Then his next start against the Houston Astros he should have been in line for the win after facing Roy Olswalt, but the bullpen let that win go. So after returning from the DL Sheets is 1-0 with a No Decision. April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 273 days remaining. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Major league affiliations National League (1890–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 2, 4, 19, 20, 24, 32, 39, 42, 53 Name Los Angeles Dodgers (1958–present) Brooklyn Dodgers (1932-1957) Brooklyn Robins (1914-1931) Brooklyn Dodgers (1911-1912) Brooklyn Superbas (1899-1910), (1913) Brooklyn Grooms...

Highlights

• Sheets is a three time All-Star. He was an all star in 2001, 2004, and 2007. His total All-Star numbers are: 2.1 innings pitched, 2 hits, 0 runs, 1 strikeout, 0 walks.

Trivia

• He is the cousin of former major-leaguer Andy Sheets

• Sheets has also expressed interest in fantasy baseball. Sheets commented during the early part of the 2005 season, "Next year in the fantasy drafts, I'm going to go in the last round...Fantasy owners frickin' hate me right now. That's all I hear about. 'You're on my Fantasy team, you're killing me!'"^[2]

• Sheets owns a stake in the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League.

• Sheets is a seasoned professional player of both RBI Baseball on Nintendo and the arcade version of Big Buck Hunter. He once threw two no hitters in one day in RBI and scored a "triple buck bonus" that very same night.

Andrew Mark Sheets (born November 19, 1971 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana) is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for the Seattle Mariners (1996–97), San Diego Padres (1998), Anaheim Angels (1999), Boston Red Sox (2000) and Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2001–02). ... The Milwaukee Admirals are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. ... The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America, that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League (NHL). ...

See also

• List of pitchers who have struck out 18 or more batters in a nine-inning baseball game

Listed below are the pitchers who have struck out 18 or more batters in a nine-inning game, with teams, dates and opponents (# - rookie): // 20 Kerry Wood (#), Chicago Cubs (NL), May 6, 1998, vs. ...

External links

• Ben Sheets at ESPN.com
• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
• [3] - a description of Sheets' improvement between 2003 and 2004