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Gary Sheffield

Detroit Tigers — No. 3
Right field
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
Major League Baseball debut
September 3, 1988 for the Milwaukee Brewers
Selected MLB statistics (through 2006)
On-base percentage	.398
Slugging Percentage	.525
OPS	.923
Runs	1,433
Total Bases	4,221
Home runs	455
Former teams
Milwaukee Brewers (1988-1991) San Diego Padres (1992-1993) Florida Marlins (1993-1998) Los Angeles Dodgers (1998-2001) Atlanta Braves (2002-2003) New York Yankees (2004-2006) Detroit Tigers (2007-Present)

Gary Antonian Sheffield (born November 18, 1968 in Tampa, Florida) is a Major League Baseball designated hitter and outfielder for the Detroit Tigers.

Sheffield has primarily played right field, though he has also played left field, third base, shortstop, and a handful of games at first base. He previously played for the Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, and New York Yankees. He bats and throws right handed.

He was born in Tampa, Florida, where he played on the same high school team as his uncle, Dwight Gooden. Sheffield was originally drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers as a shortstop.

Through 2006, Sheffield was 6th among all active players in walks (1,293), 7th in hit-by-pitches (119), 8th in runs (1,433), hits (2,390), and RBIs (1,501), and 9th in home runs (455).

Contents 1 Highlights 2 Controversy over quotes 3 Steroid allegations 4 Trivia 5 See also 6 External links

• 9-time All-Star (1992-93, 1996, 1998-2000, 2003-05)
• 4-time Silver Slugger Award (1992, 1996, 2003-04)
• Led National League in batting average (.330) and total bases (323) in 1992
• Member of the 1997 World Series Champions Florida Marlins
• Led National League in on-base percentage (.465) and OPS (1.090) in 1996
• Los Angeles Dodgers career leader in on-base percentage (.424), slugging percentage (.573), OPS (.998) and at-bats per home run (14.5)
• Holds Los Angeles Dodgers single-season record for at-bats per home run (11.7 in 2000)
• His Tampa team finished second in the 1980 Little League World Series
• First player to represent 5 different teams in the All-Star game during career

Sheffield has often put himself in controversial situations with his mouth.

He's been very verbal about his need for sufficient financial compensation and respect, demanding better pay when he was with the Dodgers, and refusing to play in the inaugural World Baseball Classic, saying "[his] season is when [he's] getting paid."[1] Such quotes have prompted fans and sportswriters to label Sheffield as "another greedy athlete."

• Sheffield has recently been linked in media reports with the controversial Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative, and admitted to having used a BALCO product that contained a steroid. However, he claimed that at the time he used the product, he did not know that it contained steroids. [2]

• Played in the 1980 Little League World Series representing Tampa Bay along with former Major Leaguer Derek Bell.

• On April 14, 2005 a Red Sox fan leaned over the railing at Fenway Park and swiped at Sheffield as he was going to field a ball hit by Jason Varitek. After he was hit, Sheffield threw the ball back into the infield, shoved the fan and got into a verbal altercation with the fan. The fan was ejected and his 2005 season tickets were revoked while Sheffield was fined for the incident. Charges were dismissed against both the fan and Sheffield.

• Tim Carter of the football team Cleveland Browns is Sheffield's cousin.

• Is the nephew of former Mets pitcher Dwight Gooden.

• Top 500 home run hitters of all time

• ESPN - profile and daily updates
• Baseball Reference - career statistics and analysis
• At Sports Illustrated:
  • Sheffield Quotes [3]
  • Sheffield Speaks out on Yankee Leadership [4]

Preceded by Brett Butler	National League Player of the Month August, 1992	Succeeded by Barry Bonds
Preceded by Terry Pendleton	National League Batting Champion 1992	Succeeded by Andrés Galarraga
Preceded by Terry Pendleton	NL Comeback Player of the Year 1992	Succeeded by Andrés Galarraga