Eric Robert Milton was born August 4, 1975 in State College, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Bellefonte High School in 1993, where he played baseball and basketball. Milton attended the University of Maryland, where in 1996 he was a pre-season All-American. In 1996 threw a no-hitter for Falmouth in the Cape Cod League. Currently, he supports the American Diabetes Association and Garth Brooks’ Teammates For Kids Foundation.

Eric Milton is a starting pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds. He was a big-splash free-agent signing before the 2005 season and is now the second-highest paid player on the Reds, after Ken Griffey Jr.

Milton’s 2005 season was abysmal. He handed out home runs like complimentary breath mints. During the off-season he strengthened up his legs, which had apparently been weak all through 2005 and Tom Browning adjusted his rubber position, and he’s been looking much better in 2006.

Here’s stuff copied directly from his profile on Reds.com until I can get back in here to do this properly:

• Led the pitching staff with 34 starts, tying his career high
• produced 13 quality starts, including QS in each of his last 2 apps, in 3 of his last 4 apps and in 5 of his last 8 apps
• had his best month in August (5gs, 2-1, 4.40)
• led the Major Leagues with a club-record 40 home runs allowed
• became the first Reds pitcher to lead the National League and the majors in home runs allowed since Tom Browning did it in 1988, 1989 and 1991
• in his last 2 starts of the season posted a 1.93era (14ip, 3er)
• in his 34 starts the Reds went 14-19-1, including a tie game on 6/30 vs Hou, and scored 170 runs (5 r/g)
• twice was the victim of blown saves
• in the 10-9 loss on 5/2 vs StL was the victim of a blown save when the Cardinals scored 7 runs in the top of the ninth
• was StL’s biggest ninth-inning comeback ever and the Reds’ worst ninth inning since 1952
• twice threw a season-high 8.0 innings (5/23 vs Wsh, 8/ 27 at Pit)
• in his 5-3 victory vs the Nationals on 5/23 became the first Reds lefthander to throw at least 8.0 innings in a game since Lance Davis’ complete game in a 9-1 win on 7/16/01 vs Det
• in the 5-2 loss at Hou on 4/19 made his fourth career start on 3 days’ rest (4.1ip, 8h, 5er, 1bb, 2k, 3hr)
• in the 9-7 loss on 9/18 at Pit received no decision in the shortest start of his career (0.2ip, 6h, 6er, 2bb, 0k)
• on 9/2 at Atl allowed his 37th homer of the season (solo by Andruw Jones), a new club record previously held by Browning (36hr, 1988)
• as a batter hit his first 2 career home runs (5/8 vs LA off Jeff Weaver, 7/26 at LA off Odalis Perez)
• on 5/18 at NYM produced his fourth career 2-hit game, then on 5/23 vs Wsh had another 2-hit game
• became the first Reds pitcher with consecutive multi-hit games since Browning did it in April 1991.