Gary Sheffield debuts on BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot
Gary Sheffield was born to play baseball, and he played it better – and better at a younger age – than almost anyone before or since.
Now, Sheffield waits for a call from Cooperstown.
Sheffield debuts on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America Hall of Fame ballot this fall, one of 34 players on the 2015 BBWAA ballot for the Class of 2015.
BBWAA members who have at least 10 years of tenure with the organization can vote in the election, and the results will be announced Jan. 6. Any candidate who receives at least 75 percent of all BBWAA votes cast will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2015. The Induction Ceremony will be held July 26 in Cooperstown.
Bio
Born Nov. 18, 1968 in Tampa, Fla., Sheffield followed his uncle – future big leaguer Dwight Gooden – through the amateur ranks. At 11 years old, Sheffield played for the Belmont Heights Little League team that won the U.S. South title and advanced to the Little League World Series.
After starring for Hillsborough High School, the Milwaukee Brewers took Sheffield with the sixth overall pick in the 1986 draft. After consecutive minor league seasons with at least 100 RBI in 1987 and 1988, Sheffield debuted in the majors at 19 years old on Sept. 3, 1988.
By 1990, Sheffield was the Brewers’ starting third baseman. But following an injury-filled 1991 season where he appeared only 50 games, Sheffield was traded to the Padres for three prospects.
In 1992, Sheffield had his breakout season – contending for the National League Triple Crown for most of the summer before finishing with a league-best .330 average, 33 home runs (two behind league-leader Fred McGriff) and 100 RBI (nine behind league-leader Darren Daulton). At 23 years old, Sheffield became the youngest batting champion since Tommy Davis in 1962.
His lightning-quick bat and exceptional batting eye made Sheffield one of the game’s best young players.
Midway through the 1993 season, however, the Padres – as part of a team-wide housecleaning – sent Sheffield to the expansion Florida Marlins for a package of players that included future all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman. Sheffield battled injuries for much of his first few years with the Marlins, then exploded in 1996 with 42 home runs, 120 RBI and a league-best .465 on-base percentage fueled by 142 walks.
“If you see us give Gary Sheffield a pitch to hit, it’s because we made a mistake,” said former Reds pitching coach Don Gullett.
In 1997, Sheffield again played through injuries but scored 86 runs in just 135 games as the Marlins regular right fielder as Florida won the World Series – with Sheffield hitting .292 with a homer, five RBI and eight walks in the seven-game victory over Cleveland.
In 1998, Sheffield was named to his fourth All-Star Game – en route to nine career All-Star selections – in a season when he was traded to the Dodgers in a deal that, temporarily, brought Mike Piazza to the Marlins. He found a home with the Dodgers, averaging 38 home runs and 103 RBI per season from 1999-2001.
Sheffield was traded to the Braves prior to the 2002 season, and he hit 64 home runs and drove in 216 runs over two seasons in Atlanta – finishing third in the NL Most Valuable Player voting in 2003.
“He can’t be any better,” said Braves manager Bobby Cox in 1997. “He’s as good as it gets now.”
Sheffield signed with the Yankees as a free agent prior to the 2004 season, and that year he hit .290 with 36 home runs and 121 RBI – finishing a career-best second in the AL MVP voting. From 2003-05 he won a Silver Slugger Award for his play in right field each season, giving him five total Silver Slugger Awards for his career.
Sheffield wrapped up his 22-year stint in the majors with stints with the Tigers and Mets, hitting his 500th career home run as a member of New York’s National League club in 2009.
“It was like holding a deep breath for 22 years and…exhaling and vindication at the same time,” Sheffield told the New York Post in 2009.
He batted .292 for his career with a .393 on-base percentage, 509 home runs, 1,676 RBI, 1,636 runs scored and 253 stolen bases.
