Jeff Sparks
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1999-2000)
Jeff Sparks was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1999 to 2000 for the Tampa Bay Rays, a span of 2 seasons. Across 23 career appearances, he went 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA and 41 strikeouts.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
- Position
- Pitcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'3" / 210 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1999-09-12
- Last Game
- 2000-05-17
Full name: James Jeffrey Sparks
Season-by-Season Pitching
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Lg ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | TBA | AL | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10.0 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 17 | 5.40 | 4.71 (-15%) | -56.4 |
| 2000 | TBA | AL | 0 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20.1 | 13 | 8 | 18 | 24 | 3.54 | 4.77 (+26%) | -118.7 |
| Career · 2 seasons | 0 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 30.1 | 19 | 14 | 30 | 41 | 4.15 | — | -175 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | TBA | AL | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 2000 | TBA | AL | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 2 seasons | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (46 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Away | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 10 | 13.2 | 11 | 5 | 13 | 22 | 3.29 |
| Away | 13 | 16.2 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 19 | 4.86 |
Last 10 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-05-17 | TBR | TEX | — | 0.0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000-05-13 | TBR | TOR | — | 1.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 2000-05-07 | TBR | BOS | — | 1.1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 2000-05-05 | TBR | BOS | — | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2000-05-03 | TBR | TEX | — | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 2000-04-29 | TBR | LAA | L | 2.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2000-04-28 | TBR | LAA | — | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000-04-26 | TBR | KCR | — | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2000-04-23 | TBR | LAA | — | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2000-04-20 | TBR | BAL | — | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 23 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Mary's University | San Antonio | TX | 1995 |
Jeff Sparks: the record in brief
Jeff Sparks played a first major league game on September 12, 1999 and a last one on May 17, 2000. The team column never changes: it is the Tampa Bay Devil Rays from 1999 to 2000. Sparks is listed as a pitcher at 210 pounds on a 6-foot-3 frame. Sparks threw and hit right-handed, per the bio block. The recorded birth is April 4, 1972, in Houston, TX, USA. Jeff Sparks was the playing name; the full given name is James Jeffrey.
Across 23 games (0 starts), Sparks recorded 0 wins against 1 loss with a 4.15 ERA. Sparks had 41 strikeouts. The leagues Sparks pitched in allowed 4.74 earned runs per nine over those seasons, so the career ERA was 12.4% better than average. In 2000, one of the busiest seasons, Sparks posted a 3.54 ERA; the league figure that year was 4.77.
Sparks appears at one position only: pitcher, in 23 games. The fielding table credits Sparks with 1 putouts, 0 assists and 0 errors on the mound.
Before the majors, Sparks played college baseball at St. Mary's University (1995). Retrosheet box scores cover 46 of Sparks's games, and the full game log is linked from the splits section.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jeff Sparks
- What years did Jeff Sparks play?
- Jeff Sparks played in Major League Baseball from 1999 to 2000.
- Was Jeff Sparks a pitcher?
- Yes. Jeff Sparks pitched in the major leagues, recording 0 wins and 41 strikeouts.
- What teams did Jeff Sparks play for?
- Jeff Sparks played for one team, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1999–2000).
- What were Jeff Sparks's career stats?
- In 23 games, Jeff Sparks went 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA, 41 strikeouts, 30.1 innings pitched, and 1 saves.
- What position did Jeff Sparks play?
- Jeff Sparks played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Jeff Sparks and how much did he weigh?
- Jeff Sparks was listed at 6 feet 3 inches and 210 pounds.
- What was Jeff Sparks's career ERA?
- Jeff Sparks finished with a 4.15 career ERA, going 0-1 with 41 strikeouts.
- How many strikeouts did Jeff Sparks have?
- Jeff Sparks recorded 41 career strikeouts.
- Is Jeff Sparks in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Jeff Sparks has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.