Eric Stults

Infobox MLB player


width = 150
name=Eric Stults
position=Pitcher
team=Los Angeles Dodgers
number=50
bats=Left
throws=Left
birthdate=birth date and age|1979|12|9
birthplace=city-state|Plymouth|Indiana
debutdate=September 5
debutyear=2006
debutteam=Los Angeles Dodgers
statyear=September 4, 2008
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=4-6
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=4.78
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=60
teams=
*Los Angeles Dodgers (by|2006-present)

Eric William Stults (born December 9, 1979 in Plymouth, Indiana) is a pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Stults played in college for NAIA Bethel College (Indiana). Stults pitched and played center field for Bethel, which won the by|2002 National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association Division I championship, posting a 10-1 record that season and also played basketball at Bethel.

He and his wife Stephanie have a daughter, Madeline, and a son, Luke. [ [http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/team/player_career.jsp?player_id=445590 The Official Site of The Los Angeles Dodgers: Team: Player Information : Biography and Career Highlights ] ]

Professional career

Stults was selected by the Dodgers in the 15th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft.

In by|2002, he pitched for the Vero Beach Dodgers and had a record of 3-1 with an ERA of 3.00 in 13 appearances (6 starts). In by|2003, he was 3-4 with a 4.97 ERA in 7 starts for the Jacksonville Suns. In by|2004, he pitched for the Columbus Catfish of the South Atlantic League and had a record of 1-2, ERA of 2.49 in 12 appearances. He also pitched in 7 games for Vero Beach that year. In by|2005, he alternated between Jacksonville and the Las Vegas 51s, he was 4-3, 3.31 in 12 starts for Jacksonville and 3-7, 6.58 in 14 starts for Las Vegas. In by|2006, with Las Vegas he was 10-11 with a 4.23 ERA in 26 starts.

Stults made his Major League Baseball debut with the Dodgers on September 5, mlby|2006, against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He pitched three innings and gave up three earned runs. He earned his first Major League victory on September 10 at Shea Stadium as he held the New York Mets to just one run and two hits over 6.0 innings and 86 pitches, walking two and struck out three in the Dodgers' 9-1 win.

In by|2007, he returned to the starting rotation with the Las Vegas 51s. He was called up by the Dodgers to start the game against the Colorado Rockies on August 17 and struck out 9 batters en route to his first victory in 2007 after having thrown 7 innings and giving up only 2 runs, 2 hits, and a walk.

After an inconsistent stay in the majors in 2007, Stults was a long shot to make the Dodgers in spring training mlby|2008 and was sent to Triple-A Las Vegas. He was called up and made his first start with the Dodgers on June 19, 2008, replacing injured Dodger ace Brad Penny in the starting rotation after Penny was placed on the disabled list.

On June 25, 2008, Stults pitched his first ever Major League shutout, as well as complete game - as the Dodgers blanked the visiting Chicago White Sox 5-0.

References

External links

*Baseballstats |mlb=445590 |espn=28591 |br=s/stulter01 |fangraphs=8011 |cube=S/Eric-Stults
* [http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Eric%20Stults&pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=445590 Minor League Stats]