Shane Dennis

From BR Bullpen

Shane Leroy Dennis

  • Bats Right, Throws Left
  • Height 6' 3", Weight 200 lbs.

BR register page

Biographical Information[edit]

Shane Dennis played in the minor leagues and in Nippon Pro Baseball. His father Don Dennis was a Major League pitcher.

Dennis joined Wichita State in 1991, going to the 1991 College World Series title game as a freshman. He was 13-2 with a 3.12 ERA as a sophomore, joining teammate Kennie Steenstra and others in tying for 8th in NCAA Division I in wins; Wichita State went to the 1992 College World Series. His junior year, he fell to 2-6, 7.98 but his team made the 1993 College World Series finale. The Toronto Blue Jays still selected him in the 16th round of the 1993 amateur draft, one round before Mike Johnson, but he returned to college. He rebounded and then some to 9-2, 1.35 with a WHIP under 1.00 as a senior. He beat out Brad Hames by 1.06 for the Missouri Valley Conference ERA title and was named its Pitcher of the Year. His ERA was still second-best in Wichita State history through 2011, when he made the school Hall of Fame. He was picked as a first-team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association (joining Danny Graves, Gary Rath, Scott Rivette and Paul Wilson as the pitchers) and by Collegiate Baseball (alongside Matt Beaumont, R.A. Dickey, Graves, Brett Merrick and Rivette). Baseball America named him third-team.

He was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 7th round of the 1994 Amateur Draft, the second southpaw they picked that year, after Heath Murray. He went 1-7 with a 4.07 ERA for the Spokane Indians in 1994. He tied Mike Saipe and two others for the Northwest League in losses. He also pitched 3 games with a solid 1.06 ERA for the Springfield Sultans that season. Dennis then had a 8-2 record with a 2.51 ERA for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in 1995, and he also went 3-9 with a 3.87 ERA for the Clinton LumberKings. Among Padres farmhands, only Murray and Rob Mattson had more wins while he tied for 6th in losses; his 157 K led the system, 5 ahead of Murray. He was 4-2 with a 3.20 ERA in 1996 for the Quakes, and he had a 9-1 record with a 2.57 ERA for the Memphis Chicks. He led the AA Southern League in ERA, .14 ahead of Pitcher of the Year Curt Lyons. Among San Diego's minor leaguers, he tied Murray and Mattson for second in wins, 3 behind Brandon Kolb. He again led their farmhands in strikeouts, his 185 being one more than Matt Clement. The Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan signed him in 1997, but Dennis had a 5.45 ERA in 14 appearances. He didn't reach the top team in 1998, and the Marines released him. Dennis returned to the Padres system in 1999, and he was 3-10 with a 5.59 ERA for the AAA Las Vegas Stars. He tied Jason Grilli and others for 8th in the 1999 PCL in losses and tied Brian Doughty and Ben Howard for 4th among San Diego's minor leaguers. He then retired.

Overall, Dennis was 29-31 with a 3.57 ERA, struck out 536 and pitched 549 1/3 innings in 4 seasons in the minor leagues.

Sources[edit]

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