Andy Benes

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Andy Benes
Andy Benes (crop).jpg
Pitcher
Born: (1967-08-20) August 20, 1967 (age 56)
Evansville, Indiana, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
August 11, 1989, for the San Diego Padres
Last MLB appearance
September 29, 2002, for the St. Louis Cardinals
Baseball
Representing Flag of the United States.svg United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1988 Seoul Team
Baseball World Cup
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1988 Rome Team

Andrew Charles Benes (born August 20, 1967) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), most prominently as a member of the San Diego Padres. With the Padres, he was named to the National League All-Star team in 1993 and led the league in strikeouts in 1994. He also played for the Seattle Mariners, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Arizona Diamondbacks. His brother Alan Benes also pitched in the major leagues, and was his teammate in 1996–97 and 2000–01.

Contents

Career

Benes was born in Evansville, Indiana, where he attended Evansville Lutheran School and Evansville Central High School along with his brother Alan. He was the first player selected in the 1988 Major League Baseball draft after playing college baseball at the University of Evansville. [1] Benes pitched well enough in his first year to make it to the majors and be named National League Rookie Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News. [1]

Benes was an All-Star in 1993 [1] during a 15–15 season with the Padres, and led the Majors in losses with 14 and in strikeouts with 189 the next season. Benes finished third in the Cy Young Award balloting in 1996 after an 18–10, 3.83 earned run average season. After the 1997 season, Benes agreed to sign a 5-year, $30 million contract to return to the Cardinals. Unfortunately, the contract was signed after the deadline for players to re-sign with their 1997 teams. Benes would then have to wait until May 1 to re-sign. [2] Instead, Benes became one of the first players in Diamondbacks history when he signed as a free agent prior to the 1998 season and threw the first pitch in the history of the franchise. [1]

Benes was primarily a starting pitcher but on May 29, 1996, he picked up his only major league save. He recorded the final out of a 6–5 Cardinals victory over the Rockies to close out the game for the Cardinals. [3]

In a 2004 column for The Sporting News , pitcher Todd Jones wrote that Benes had a habit of gritting his teeth when preparing to throw a slider, a tell that some hitters exploited. [4]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 David Pietrusza (2000). Baseball : the biographical encyclopedia . Kingston, New York: Total/Sports Illustrated. p.  80. ISBN   1-892129-34-5.
  2. ↑ "PLUS: BASEBALL -- ARIZONA; Benes Agrees To 3-Year Contract". The New York Times. February 4, 1998.
  3. ↑ "Colorado Rockies at St. Louis Cardinals Box Score, May 29, 1996".
  4. ↑ "No spying in baseball? Then you aren't paying attention", Todd Jones, The Sporting News , published August 23, 2004, accessed April 23, 2006.
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