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Gary Antonian Sheffield (born November 18, 1968 in Tampa, Florida) is a professional baseball player. Originally drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers, Sheffield has played for the San Diego Padres, Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Atlanta Braves, and now plays for the New York Yankees. He has posted Hall of Fame type numbers wherever he has played. Sheffield is one of the most feared right handed hitters in all of baseball. Gary Sheffield broke out in 1990 with the Milwaukee Brewers, hitting .294 with 67 RBIs. He also had a team high 25 steals. He was limited to only 50 games the next year because of lingering wrist and shoulder problems.
Then Gary Sheffield signed with the San Diego Padres. Gary came back strong in 1992 making a run to become the first N.L Triple Crown winner since Joe Medwick in 1937. Sheffield had thirty three homeruns and 100 RBIS. He had a .385 on base percentage and hit .330. Gary also won the The Sporting News Player of the year, and Comeback Player of the Year.
Gary started the 1993 season but then was traded to the Floride Marlins on June 24th. Gary made history when he was voted onto the N.L All-Star Team, making him the first player from a 1st year expansion team to start and all-star game. Gary had an average season hitting in only 73 runs and stealing 17 bags. His on base percentage was still in the mid to high 300s.
In only 87 games Sheffield hit twenty seven home runs breaking the Marlin's club record in the 1994 strike shortened season. His shoulder bothered him again, he spent two stints on the DL, because of a bruised rotator cuff and an irritated labrum in his left shoulder. He had a career high .584 slugging percentage, which ranked ninth in the league. Injury plauged Gary again in the 1995 season with the Marlins. A torn ligament in his left thumb allowed him to only play in 63 games. Still he ranked third on the team with nineteen stolen bases and third with 55 walks. Gary Sheffield had then career best numbers in 1996 with the Marlins. He had Triple Crown stats with 42 homers, 120 RBI, 118 runs, 163 hits, 142 walks and 161 games. This was his first full year without going on the disabled list. Gary broke ten of the Marlin's club records. Sheffield was selected to his third All-Star game. Gary was in the top ten in nine offensive catorgies in the National League. In 1997 Gary led the World Champion Marlins with a .424 on base percentage and 121 walks. Sheffield wasn't only a great hitter but a deft fielder. He had 14 outfield assists which ranked third in the league. Gary also had 21 home runs and 71 RBIs. He collected his 1000 career hit off Alan Benes.
In 1998 he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gary played in a combined 130 games with Florida and the Dodgers. Sheffield batted .302 with 22 home runs, and 85 RBIs despite missing the last 25 games. He also swiped twenty bags, making this the first time he had reached the 20/20 plateau. Sheffield struck out only once for every 11.9 at bats. Gary's season ended prematurely with a severely sprained left ankle on August 30th, making him miss the last twenty five games. In 1999 Gary Sheffield had his first full season with the Dodgers batting .304 with 34 home runs and 101 RBIs. Again Gary was selected to the All-Star team, first Dodger to play in back to back All-Star Games since Dusty Baker. He had a team high 101 walks, and a .407 on base percentage. On August 22, Sheffield hit his career sixth grand slam off reliever Steve Montgomery. He finished the season strong hitting homeruns in four of his last six games. The two thousand season was one of Gary's best offensive seasons ever. He became the first Dodger to hit .300, drive in 30 HR, 100 RBIs, 100 runs, and 100 BB in two seasons. Sheffield set a Dodger record by hitting his 41st homerun surpassing Mike Piazza. Gary safely reached base in 123 of 141 games. Gary finished with a .438 on base percentage ranked third in the N.L. He had the second best home run hitting ratio, a homerun every 11.7 at bats. For one month form June 10 to July 13, Gary was hitting .500. This was a marvelous feat, that not many could accomplish in baseball. Sheffield is the nephew of former Mets and Yankees pitcher Dwight Gooden.
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