Kris Benson
Kris Benson | |||||||||||||||
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Pitcher | |||||||||||||||
Born: Superior, Wisconsin, U.S. | November 7, 1974|||||||||||||||
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |||||||||||||||
MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
April 9, 1999, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||||||||||||||
Last MLB appearance | |||||||||||||||
April 28, 2010, for the Arizona Diamondbacks | |||||||||||||||
MLB statistics | |||||||||||||||
Win–loss record | 70–75 | ||||||||||||||
Earned run average | 4.42 | ||||||||||||||
Strikeouts | 806 | ||||||||||||||
Teams | |||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Kristin James Benson (born November 7, 1974) is an American former Major League Baseball starting pitcher who played for several teams between 1999 and 2010.
A highly touted prospect, Benson was drafted
High school
Benson was born in
College
Benson attended
Following this strong regular season, Benson led the Tigers to the NCAA postseason. Though he pitched only one game in the Atlantic regional playoffs, the Tigers' ace earned all-tournament recognition with an outing in which he allowed only one hit, struck out eight, and walked but one batter.[4] The victorious Tigers, starring Benson, Koch, outfielder and Regional MVP Jerome Robinson, and all-tournament outfielder Gary Burnham, entered the 1996 College World Series on a three-year streak of number-one regional seeds.[4] The presence of Benson, the expected number one selection in the 1996 MLB amateur draft[3] (held that year on the same week as the CWS) helped draw additional attention to the spring series, transforming it into what one then-Clemson sports information official remembered as the "Media World Series."[5] (Benson was, in fact, drafted by the Pirates during the team's trip to Omaha.[6]) Despite his stellar regular season, Benson subsequently dropped two postseason decisions as the Tigers stumbled to a 2-2 CWS record. Nonetheless, the team's two victories ended an eight-game CWS losing streak for Clemson and included a win over top-ranked Alabama.[7]
Subsequently, Benson was named College Baseball's Player of the Year, only the second (after fellow future major leaguer and Olympian Ben McDonald) to be so honored on the strength of his pitching alone.[3] As a Tiger, he won the Baseball America Player of the Year, and ACC Player of the Year. The pitcher also became only the second baseball player and first Clemson athlete in any sport to be named the ACC Male Athlete of the Year.[8] Other awards for his collegiate career include the Rotary Smith Award and ABCA Player of the Year, and recognition as unanimous consensus first-team All-American.[citation needed] He was also the recipient of the Dick Howser Trophy for his "performance, character, leadership, and courage".[9] He has also been inducted into the Clemson Hall of Fame in 2005 and the South Carolina Amateur Hall of Fame. In 2003, he was named to the ACC's 50-Year Anniversary baseball team.[8] A marketing student, Benson left Clemson prior to receiving his degree.[10]
Olympics
In the 1996 Olympics, Benson had 17 strikeouts in as many innings and a 2–1 record, but with a 5.82 ERA.[citation needed] Benson beat Nicaragua to open up the games and then Japan, but it was his single loss (11–2 to eventual silver medalist Japan) which proved costly. Benson lasted only four innings and surrendered five runs, and the bullpen gave up another six, en route to an 11–2 bludgeoning that kept the Americans from advancing to the gold medal game.[11] (Ultimately, the U.S. settled for a bronze medal in the sport it had invented, though this represented an improvement over the squad's failure to medal in 1992.)
Professional baseball
Benson was the
On July 30, 2004, The Pirates traded him and
On January 21, 2006, Benson was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for pitchers Jorge Julio and John Maine. Some speculated that the pitcher had been ushered out of town partly as an excuse for the Mets to part ways with his wife, outspoken model Anna Benson, who had "perturbed team officials with her risqué wardrobe and provocative comments."[13][14] Kris Benson also felt that the Mets had traded him because of his wife,[15] a position disputed by Mets management.[16] The newly minted Oriole beat the Mets that season in interleague play. During the game, he hit his first professional home run off All-Star and Cy Young Award-winner Pedro Martínez.
Benson missed the entire 2007 season with a torn rotator cuff.[17] Steve Trachsel replaced Benson in their starting rotation before being traded to the Chicago Cubs for minor league players. On November 1, 2007, the Orioles declined to pick up his $7.5 million option and instead paid a $500,000 buyout.
On February 13, 2008, the Philadelphia Phillies signed Benson to a minor league deal.[18] On June 29, 2008, after two years away from competitive baseball, Benson made his Triple-A debut for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, throwing 73 pitches.[19] He played 11 games for the IronPigs, but was 1–4 with a 5.52 ERA. However, after two rough initial outings, he went 1–2 with a 3.80 ERA over his remaining 9 starts. He was released on August 30, 2008.
On February 21,
On March 15,
Before his injury Kris threw regularly in the 93-96 mph range, and, he said, “I think I maxed out at 98. After surgery, I topped out at 90.” [23]
Benson retired on January 10, 2011.[24] He finished his 10-year career with a 70–75 record in 200 starts (206 appearances) and 61 no-decisions.
Personal life
Benson lived in Superior, WI until age 6, before he moved with his family to Milledgeville, GA. In 1988, Benson then moved to Kennesaw, GA. He has two younger sisters and one younger brother.
In 1998, while playing with the
Benson, who earned over $38 million during his playing career,
The son of a school teacher and college dean,[25] Benson had been described as studious and methodical in his approach to pitching,[33] personally reserved,[25] and, in comparison to his ex-wife, strait-laced and stoic.[34]
References
- ^ Ross, Lillian. (January 7, 2009) The Home Team: Thy Pitcher’s Wife. The New Yorker. Retrieved on 2011-03-12.
- ^ "Major League Baseball Players From the Cape Cod League" (PDF). capecodbaseball.org. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
- ^ a b c "CLEMSON'S BENSON NAMED COLLEGE PLAYER OF YEAR". Chicago Tribune. May 31, 1996.
- ^ a b "Clemson University Official Athletic Site - Baseball". Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
- ^ "Kris Benson And Billy Koch Were The Media's Center Of Attention In 1996 CWS - The Official Athletic Site of the Atlantic Coast Conference". Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
- ^ 1996 College World Series Memories - CLEMSON UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
- ^ "1996 College World Series Memories - CLEMSON UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE". clemsontigers.cstv.com. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011.
- ^ a b Player Bio: Kris Benson - Clemson University Official Athletic Site
- ^ NCBWA > Awards > Dick Howser Trophy Archived November 26, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Sportswriters.net. Retrieved on March 12, 2011.
- ^ a b "Pirates Give Benson Hefty Signing Bonus (Published 1996)". The New York Times. August 12, 1996.
- ^ Official Olympic Report, 1996 Atlanta (Vol. 3): pp. 116–125.
- ^ "Kris Benson". Baseball-Reference.Com. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
- ^ a b "BASEBALL; Anna Benson Calls Off The Divorce". The New York Times. April 5, 2006 – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ Chass, Murray (January 23, 2006). "A Wife Trade by Any Other Name". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ "Changeup of heart: Anna Benson wants Kris back". ESPN.com. April 4, 2006.
- ^ Shpigel, Ben (January 22, 2006). "Benson Sent to Baltimore for 2 Pitchers". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ MLB News, Videos, Scores, Standings, Stats, Teams, Players – FOX Sports on MSN Archived February 14, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. Msn.foxsports.com. Retrieved on March 12, 2011.
- ^ Mandel, Ken (February 13, 2008). "Benson agrees to Minor League deal; Veteran right-hander hoping to be ready for Opening Day". MLB.com. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
- ^ Topic Galleries Archived June 30, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. mcall.com. Retrieved on March 12, 2011.
- ^ "Rangers sign Benson to minor league contract". ESPN.com. February 21, 2009.
- ^ The Rangers outrighted pitcher Kris Benson to Triple-A Oklahoma
- ^ Benson inked to Minor League deal | dbacks.com: News. Arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com (March 15, 2010). Retrieved on 2011-03-12.
- ^ Clemson University (subscription required)
- ^ Former No. 1 overall pick Kris Benson retires | HardballTalk. Hardballtalk.nbcsports.com. Retrieved on March 12, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e Jenkins, Lee (February 27, 2005). "Opposites Attract Attention". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ "Baseball Wife Anna Benson Files for Divorce". Fox News. March 31, 2006.
- ^ Calcaterra, Craig (July 19, 2012). "End of a fairytale: Kris and Anna Benson are getting divorced". NBC Sports. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
- ^ Garner, Marcus (November 5, 2013). "Anna Benson pleads guilty in attack on estranged husband and ex-big league pitcher Kris Benson". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
- ^ "Yesterday, I officially swept her off her feet!". Facebook. May 6, 2022. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
- ^ "Kris Benson Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Anna Benson Interview - Wife of New York Met's Pitcher Kris Benson". Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
- ^ "Anna and the Mets: Benson Excited About N.Y." Archived from the original on April 3, 2012. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
- ^ "Kris Benson Baseball Stats | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com.
- ^ Jenkins, Lee (June 18, 2006). "In Return Engagement, Bensons Steal the Show". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- Kris Benson at Baseball Almanac
- Official Website