Ben Sheets to Retire.

[OglivieHomePerm]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/10/ben-sheets-to-retire.html

 

Ben Sheets will retire after he pitches tomorrow, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports (on Twitter). Sheets, who joined the Braves midseason after missing the entire 2011 campaign, said he will never pitch again.

 

Sheets, 34, made eight starts for the Braves this summer after missing a year to recover from flexor tendon surgery. He posted a 3.54 ERA with 6.1 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 48 1/3 innings for Atlanta this year, re-establishing himself as a legitimate MLB starter.

 

The Brewers selected Sheets with the tenth overall pick in the 1999 draft and he spent most of his career in Milwaukee. He put together a number of strong seasons with the Brewers, including a memorable 2004 campaign. Sheets posted a 2.70 ERA with 264 strikeouts and just 32 walks in 237 innings that year, finishing eighth in the Cy Young balloting. In ten MLB seasons, Sheets has a 94-96 record, a 3.78 ERA and 1323 strikeouts in 1595 2/3 innings. He has earned more than $52MM as a professional, according to Baseball-Reference.

[RayKingsForemanGrill]

Maybe a dumb question:

 

If he's healthy enough to start, why wouldn't he be on their Wild Card/playoff roster?

[dlk9s]

Because he'd be the 6th starting pitcher.

[burnzy24]

I wish he would wait and sign a one day contract in order to retire as a Brewer. I'll never forget his 2 hit complete game on opening day 2007 against the Dodgers.

[pretendastronaut]

‏@Buster_ESPN

It's not surprising Sheets will retire. Even in the midst of his '12 success,he talked about how much he loved being home, coaching his son.

[TooLiveBrew]

Hat tip to you, Bennie. Great career. We'll never forget what a force of nature you were as a hitter.

[AZBrewCrew]

Gotta admit, heck of a comeback by Sheeter though. Cant fault a guy for wanting to put his family first though.

[endaround]

Can he replace Bill Schroeder now? Please?

[nate82]

Can he replace Bill Schroeder now? Please?

 

That would be awesome.

[JimH5]

On the Brewers All Time pitching leaderboard, he falls short of Ted Higuera on some stats, and ahead of him on others. For guys with lengthy stays with the team, I would think those two have to be considered as having had the best careers.

 

And for that, I have to give him credit.

 

Maybe my expectations for him were just too high--and he was surely burdened by playing on some bad teams--but I still think there could have been more. Though that's also certainly true of Higuera. If he had come along in today's era with pitch counts and a more gentle approach with younger players, I wonder how things would have worked out.

 

He made a good amount of money, represented the team and city well, didn't complain, made his way back from injury and now gets to spend his time with his family. Congrats to him on a good career and I hope he has a lot of happiness and satisfaction going forward.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Sheets had the misfortune of having his best years before the influx of homegrown Brewers became everyday big-leaguers. I'd argue that he was overused during the early part of his career, particularly 2003 and 2004 when he was the Brewers equivalent of what King Felix is in Seattle - he put up awesome numbers those years for terrible teams, who knows if limiting his workload during those down years could have lengthened his career.

 

I'll continue to have many fond memories of him, from his dominant 2004 to the summer of 2008 when he and CC dominated the NL for a few months before he broke down.

[Ennder]

I love Sheets. Wish he could have stayed healthy for us just a little longer because I honestly believe that was a world series team if he did and Sabathia didn't have to pitch so many extra innings late in the season. I think Gallardo passes him pretty soon on the Brewers all time list though.

[homer]

That 2004 season was ridiculous. 10K/9IP and 8.25 K/BB were a joke.

[hawing]

Can he replace Bill Schroeder now? Please?

 

That would be awesome.

Ooh, I'd be willing to try that. I've missed Ben's wry humor.

 

Thanks for playing, Ben, and best wishes in your retirement.

[gregmag]

How great that a guy who experienced that kind of injury frustration (as we all did, right along with him) can retire on a high note. Thanks for some great memories, Ben. Other than Teddy Higuera, the Brewers haven't ever had a starting pitcher do so well for so long. Have a very happy life.

[RightFieldCoder]

That 2004 season was ridiculous. 10K/9IP and 8.25 K/BB were a joke.

The joke was finishing only 8th in Cy Young that year.

 

Congrats Sheets. As someone who became a ticket holder in '01, you will always remain my favorite Brewers pitcher of all time.

[bensheeps]

Will always be one of my all-time favorites for his pitching and more importantly for his "baaaa" to my young son when Sam mis-pronounced his last name.

 

And thus a screen name was born.

[torts]

almost bought tickets to tonights game to watch him pitch one last time, to find out itwasnt tonight, but today, and I work.

[JohnBriggs12]

On the Brewers All Time pitching leaderboard, he falls short of Ted Higuera on some stats, and ahead of him on others. For guys with lengthy stays with the team, I would think those two have to be considered as having had the best careers.

 

And for that, I have to give him credit.

 

Maybe my expectations for him were just too high--and he was surely burdened by playing on some bad teams--but I still think there could have been more. Though that's also certainly true of Higuera. If he had come along in today's era with pitch counts and a more gentle approach with younger players, I wonder how things would have worked out.

 

He made a good amount of money, represented the team and city well, didn't complain, made his way back from injury and now gets to spend his time with his family. Congrats to him on a good career and I hope he has a lot of happiness and satisfaction going forward.

 

 

I'd put Jim Slaton ahead of Sheets. Slaton won 117 games and had 69 complete games as a Brewer, much of that time while the team was still basically an expansion team and his ERA of 3.86 was accomplished in the AL East of the 70's that had powerhouse Boston, Yankees and Orioles and the designated hitter. Not only that, as a FA, Slaton chose to return to the Brewers after one year in Detroit.

[Patrick425]

On the Brewers All Time pitching leaderboard, he falls short of Ted Higuera on some stats, and ahead of him on others. For guys with lengthy stays with the team, I would think those two have to be considered as having had the best careers.

 

And for that, I have to give him credit.

 

Maybe my expectations for him were just too high--and he was surely burdened by playing on some bad teams--but I still think there could have been more. Though that's also certainly true of Higuera. If he had come along in today's era with pitch counts and a more gentle approach with younger players, I wonder how things would have worked out.

 

He made a good amount of money, represented the team and city well, didn't complain, made his way back from injury and now gets to spend his time with his family. Congrats to him on a good career and I hope he has a lot of happiness and satisfaction going forward.

 

 

I'd put Jim Slaton ahead of Sheets. Slaton won 117 games and had 69 complete games as a Brewer, much of that time while the team was still basically an expansion team and his ERA of 3.86 was accomplished in the AL East of the 70's that had powerhouse Boston, Yankees and Orioles and the designated hitter. Not only that, as a FA, Slaton chose to return to the Brewers after one year in Detroit.

 

Let's not forget Mike Caldwell.

[Thurston Fluff]

He made a good amount of money, represented the team and city well, didn't complain, made his way back from injury and now gets to spend his time with his family. Congrats to him on a good career and I hope he has a lot of happiness and satisfaction going forward.

 

I was going to post my own thoughts on his career but when I read this I couldn't think of a better way to sum up my feelings. Thanks for doing the heavy lifting JimH5.

[PrinceEatMeat]

I'll always be grateful to Ben for his time here, and for essentially ruining his arm and throwing his career away helping the Brewers make the playoffs in '08. Literally stayed out there until his arm blew out. The guy was a gamer. It's really a shame that he had so many injuries. Could've been one of the best. Still had a good career. Hope he still has a future in baseball in some manner. He seems to be happy in life, which is most important. He's just happy being back home with his family and coaching his son's team. Nothing wrong with that.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Sheets only went 1 inning, but he struck out 2, including the last batter he faced. Fitting way to go out for Benny.

[Bombers]

Because he'd be the 6th starting pitcher.

Well then make him a relief pitcher? I don't see how him not being on their post season 25 man = a good thing. He can help the Braves. And plus I would root for Chipper and Bennie to win it all.

[gobrew23]

Sheets only went 1 inning, but he struck out 2, including the last batter he faced. Fitting way to go out for Benny.

 

Sheets last pitch was an 0-2, 95 mph fastball on the outer-half to strike out McCutchen. Awesome.