Ben Howard (baseball)


Benjamin Richard Howard is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.

Major league career

Howard spent the and seasons with the San Diego Padres and the season with the Florida Marlins.
In 2002, while at spring training with the Padres, Howard was a passenger in a vehicle being driven by teammate Mike Darr when the vehicle was involved in a single-vehicle crash. Darr and another passenger, friend Duane Johnson, were killed. Howard suffered minor injuries.
Howard split the season between the Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Buffalo Bisons, the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. He was granted free agency by the Indians' on July 16, 2006. Howard spent all the season playing for the Iowa Cubs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Howard signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox in January. After being released in late March, he was signed to a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers and was assigned to their Triple-A Nashville Sounds. Howard was released on August 12, 2008, while playing for Double-A Huntsville.