Ben Howard

Full name Benjamin Richard Howard...Married, wife's name is Teryn...Resides in Jackson, TN...Graduated from Jackson (Tenn.) Central Merry High School in 1997 before being selected by SD in the 2nd round of the draft.

2003

Combined to pitch in 28 games, all starts, with AAA Portland and the San Diego Padres...Made 22 starts for Portland, posting a 7-9 record with a 4.55 ERA in 130.2 innings...Saw six Major League starts with San Diego and went 1-3 with a 3.63 ERA in 34.2 frames...Recalled by the Padres from AAA on 8/26...Earned his first Major League win on 9/2 vs. Arizona, allowing one run on six hits over 6.0 innings... Allowed one run or less in three of his six starts and fanned a season-high and career-high tying five batters twice, both times against the Los Angeles Dodgers: 9/14 at Dodger Stadium and 9/24 at SD... Tossed a career-best 7.0 innings on 9/24 vs. Los Angeles... Following 2003, was rated as the Padres' fifth-best prospect according to Baseball America.

2005

Spent the season pitching mainly in relief in AAA Albuquerque (Florida Marlins) where he led the team in appearances (54), which were tied for 6th in the Pacific Coast League...Recorded an ERA of 3.99 (70.0IP, 69H, 31ER, 78K) in relief and had an ERA of 7.90 (13.2IP, 16H, 12ER, 9K) as a starter...Best month was May when he went 1-0-1 with a 2.30 ERA in 11 outings (15.2IP, 10H, 4ER, 18K)...RH hitters hit .244 (53-217) off him....Had string of 15.1 consecutive innings w/o allowing an earned run over 8 appearances, June 12-30 (17K)...Had a 9.1 scoreless inning streak from August 7-21...Had a road ERA of 3.89 (37.0IP, 27H, 16ER, 40K).

2004

Split his first season in the Florida organization between AAA Albuquerque and the Marlins after being acquired from San Diego in exchange for RHP Blaine Neal, 4/3...Made 31 relief outings with Florida...At AAA, went 3-0 with one save and a 3.67 ERA, allowing a .225 BA in 34.1IP...Began the year with the AAA Isotopes and went 3-0 with a 3.41 ERA over 17 games...Recalled from Albuquerque to join the Marlins on 5/31...Made his first Florida outing on 6/1 vs. Cincinnati and pitched 0.1 inning, fanning Felipe Lopez to end the eighth inning in a 7-6, 10-inning Reds win...Tossed 1.2IP scoreless innings on 6/9 @CLE (3K)...Allowed runs in six of his next nine outings, from 6/2-26, allowing 10 runs (10 ER) on 14 hits in 11.2 innings, a 7.71 ERA with a .298 BAA...Lowered his season ERA from 7.50 to 5.28 over his next 14 outings, from 6/29-8/4...Extended his career-long losing streak to four games with a loss on 6/2 vs. the Reds...Ended the slide with his first victory as a Marlin on 6/20 at New York (NL), when he allowed a run on two hits (1 IBB, SO) in 2.2 innings...Was his first victory since 9/2/03 vs. Arizona, while with the SD...Was optioned back to AAA on 8/11 and was recalled back to Florida on 9/1...Tossed a season-high 3.0 innings twice: 7/1 at Atlanta (2 R on 4 H) and 9/24 at Atlanta (0 H).

2002

Made three appearances (two starts) for the Padres in his first Major League season...Was recalled by the Padres on 4/26 when RHP Kevin Jarvis was placed on the DL...Was the first Padre to be called up directly from AA, without any AAA experience, since Adam Eaton in 2000...Saw his Major League debut in a starting role in an 4/28 DH at Pittsburgh...Collected a no-decision, as he allowed one run on four hits in 5.0 innings...Was optioned back to AA Mobile on 5/8...Made 17 appearances (13 starts) with AA Mobile and AAA Portland in 2002, combining for a 3-5 record..

2000

Went 5-11 with a 6.73 ERA in 2 games (19 starts) at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga...walked 111 to lead his league for the 4th consecutive season...ranked 2nd on the Quakes staff with 150 strikeouts and 3rd with 107.1 innings pitched...started 18 of his first 20 appearances before making 11 of his last 12 appearances out of the bullpen...posted a 4-9 record and a 6.91 ERA (63 ER/82.0 IP) in his 19 starts and a 1-2 record with a 4.62 ERA (13 ER/25.1 IP) in 13 relief appearances...tossed 6.0 innings of 2-hit shutout ball in a 12-3 win April 27 at Lancaster...struck out 10 in a 2-0 win May 8 vs. Mudville...fanned 7 of 10 batters between the 3rd and 5th innings, including 4 in a row at one point...yielded a pair of hits and 2 walks over 5.1 innings for the win...fanned 10 of 18 batters in his July 6 start vs. San Jose...allowed 3 runs and 3 hits over 5.1 innings in the no-decision...held right-handed batters to a .207 (53-for-256) average.

2001

Ranked as the No. 8 prospect in the California League in 2001 after combining for a 10-2 record with a 2.73 ERA in stops with Lake Elsinore and Mobile, striking out 136 batters in 131.2 innings...Held opponents to a .215 batting average...Ranked 4th among Padres minor leaguers in ERA, was T2nd in wins and finished 5th in strikeouts, posting career bests in wins and ERA...Was the starting pitcher for the annual California League-Carolina League All-Star Game...Set a Lake Elsinore club record and set a club record with a league-high 16 strikeouts in 7.1 innings on 6/24 vs. Visalia... Fanned the game's first eight hitters and 11 of the first 12... Made his BayBears and AA debut on 7/21 vs. Jacksonville.

1999

Finished 6-10 with a 4.73 ERA in 28 starts, tied for most in the Midwest League, at Single-A Fort Wayne...limited opponents to a .226 batting average, 5th-lowest in the MWL...led the league with 110 walks, and was tied for 3rd with 17 home runs allowed...led the Wizards with 131 strikeouts and 144.2 innings pitched, and he tied for 2nd on the staff with 6 wins...carried a no-hitter into the 7th April 20 vs. Kane County...allowed only 2 hits through 7.0 scoreless innings in a no-decision June 20 at West Michigan.

1998

Made 15 starts for Rookie-level Idaho Falls...struck out 79 in 68.2 innings, an average of 19.4 K's per 9 innings, 2nd-best in the Pioneer League...also rated among league leaders in starts (tied for 2nd with 15) and strikeouts (3rd with 79)...was the organization's No. 15 prospect heading into 1998 according to Baseball America.

1997

Made 13 appearances (12 starts) in his professional debut with Peoria of the Arizona Rookie League...struck out 59 in 54.1 innings, but walked a league-high 63, an average of 9.8 strikeouts and 10.4 walks per 9 innings...did not allow an earned run over 2 outings (10.0 IP) August 18-23.