Steve Sparks

Infobox MLB retired
name=Steve Sparks
position=Pitcher
birthdate=birth date and age|1965|07|02
Tulsa, Oklahoma
bats=Right
throws=Right
debutdate=April 28
debutyear=by|1995
debutteam=Milwaukee Brewers
finaldate=September 26
finalyear=by|2004
finalteam=Arizona Diamondbacks
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=59-76
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=4.88
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=658
teams=
*Milwaukee Brewers (by|1995-by|1997)
*Anaheim Angels (by|1998-by|1999)
*Detroit Tigers (by|2000-by|2003)
*Oakland Athletics (by|2003)
*Arizona Diamondbacks (by|2004)
highlights=

Steven William Sparks (born July 2, 1965 in Tulsa, Oklahoma) is a former knuckleball-throwing right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher, who graduated from Holland Hall High School, then attended Sam Houston State University in 1987.

Sparks started his Major League career with the Milwaukee Brewers in by|1995. He signed as a free agent with the Anaheim Angels in by|1998 and was a free agent again in by|2000. He signed briefly with the Philadelphia Phillies, but was released in spring training. Sparks started the 2000 season with the Detroit Tigers and had a career-high 14 wins for them in by|2001. After starting the by|2003 season with the Tigers, he briefly played for the Oakland Athletics and ended the season with the Toronto Blue Jays, before moving to the Arizona Diamondbacks for the by|2004 season. He was signed by the San Diego Padres to a minor-league contract before the by|2005 season. After the by|2005 season, he was signed by the Houston Astros to a minor league contract, but after being cut, he retired at age 40.

Sparks now lives in Houston and occasionally appears on pre-game and post-game shows for Houston Astros games as an analyst.

Sparks actually had a chance to make the major league club in by|1994, but dislocated his shoulder by attempting to rip a phone book in half as a motivational technique. [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/S/Sparks_Steve.stm]

References