Milwaukee Brewers: Most Successful Players To Be In The Futures Game

Ben Sheets (2000)

Sheets represented the Milwaukee Brewers in the second year the Futures game existed.  He turned out to be a solid arm in the rotation for eight straight seasons.  A pitcher who could be counted on to throw strikes, and keep his team in the game.  He did that despite a losing record on his career.

The professional career of Sheets started when he was drafted in the tenth overall in the 1999 draft.  It was the following year that the highly touted prospect participated in the new event.  Similar to the path of Ryan Braun, Sheets made his debut the year after playing in the in the Futures game.

He was a four time All-Star.  All of them during the eight years he was in Milwaukee.  His career ERA for the Brewers is 3.72.  Keep in mind that his was never able to get that number under 4.00 until his fourth season.  But that season was a breakout year where he finished eighth in Cy Young voting.  Sheets finished 12-14 that year with a 2.70 ERA and 264 strikeouts.  Made more impressive by his 32 walks that year.

It can be argued that his most successful year was final season as a part of the Milwaukee Brewers.  The 29 year old righty tossed three shutouts on the way to a 13-9 record and a 3.09 ERA.  This was the final year he got selected to the All-Star game.

While Sheets had a very solid career toeing the rubber in Milwaukee, he does not have the numbers to push him into the Hall of Fame.  But fans will remember him as a consistent pitcher.  He walked very few, and at the peak of his career averaged 10 K/9.  He was certainly a fun pitcher to watch for nearly a decade in a Milwaukee Brewers uniform.