Ben Howard
| IP | 83 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 5.205 |
| WHIP | 1.578 |
| BB/9 | 5.422 |
| SO/9 | 7.265 |
- Full name Benjamin Richard Howard
- Born 01/15/1979 in Danville, IL
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Jackson Central Merry
- Debut 04/28/2002
- Drafted in the 2nd round (78th overall) by the San Diego Padres in 1997.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Howard was the lone survivor of a February 2002 car crash that killed Padres outfielder Mike Darr and another passenger. He missed a month in 2003 after arthroscopic surgery on his left knee before pitching creditably after a late-August callup. Before he hurt his elbow in June 2002, Howard could touch 99 mph with his fastball. He now sits in the low 90s and tops out around 95. His slider has improved, and his changeup looked better than ever in the majors. He trusted it more under the guidance of pitching coach Darren Balsley, who turned his career around when they were in the minors together. Howard has trouble repeating his delivery, so his command fluctuates. He has dialed down his velocity to throw more strikes, but gives up too many walks and homers when he's off. In the minors, he threw his changeup too hard and didn't use it enough. Howard could make the Padres out of spring training as either a starter or middle reliever. If he regains his power fastball and never masters the changeup, he eventually could become a closer. -
After improving more than any player in the system in 2001, Howard endured a trying year in 2002. He was the sole survivor of the Feb. 15 car crash that killed Padres outfielder Mike Darr and former Phillies minor leaguer Duane Johnson. Howard made his big league debut 10 weeks later but was rocked in three outings. Demoted to Triple-A, he strained his elbow and tried to pitch through it with little success. Howard is a pure power pitcher. When he's right, he throws in the mid-90s and has been clocked as high as 99. He complements his heat with a hard slider, and his changeup can be a plus pitch at times. Howard put too much pressure on himself when he got to the majors and tried to overthrow. He lost his release point and his command deserted him--though not to the point where he led his minor league in walks in each of his first four pro seasons. He needs more consistency with his changeup. The best thing for Howard would be to begin 2003 with less stress in Triple-A. His ceiling remains as high as any pitcher in the organization. -
Despite a lightning arm, Howard went 16-30, 5.90 in his first four seasons, leading his league in walks each year. After Padres minor league pitching coach Darren Balsley worked with him following the 2000 season, Howard arrived in spring training with a lower arm slot and was an entirely different pitcher. Howard's fastball is the best in the system. Consistently arriving in the mid-90s and peaking at 99 mph, it always had been unhittable but now he throws it for strikes. His hard slider gives him a second plus pitch, and he has made strides with his changeup. Howard cut his walk rate by nearly two-thirds in 2001, though it climbed to 4.5 per nine innings once he reached Double-A. If he can maintain his control, he shouldn't have any problems. His changeup still needs refinement. Balsley worked with Howard at high Class A Lake Elsinore last year, and they'll be reunited in Double-A to start 2002. Tankersley, Peavy and Howard overmatched the Cal League last year and could be together in the San Diego rotation by the end of 2003.
Minor League Top Prospects
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What a difference a year has made for Howard. Most of the credit goes to Storm pitching coach Darren Balsley, who helped Howard find a new arm angle that provided dramatically increased accuracy. For the first time in his pro career, Howard didn't allow more than a walk per inning pitched. In 2000, he walked 111 in 107 Cal League innings while compiling a 6.37 ERA. This season, he cut his ERA by more than half and his walks by more than two-thirds, and continued his success in Double-A. "Last year's a totally different story," Lake Elsinore manager Craig Colbert said. "He has an overpowering fastball and a good slider."
