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Andy Benes

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Andy Benes
Pitcher
Born: (1967-08-20) August 20, 1967 (age 57)
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
MLB statistics
Win–loss record155–139
Earned run average3.97
Strikeouts2,000
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Baseball
Representing  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1988 Seoul Team
Baseball World Cup
Silver medal – second place 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, who selected Benes as the first overall pick in the 1988 MLB draft. With the Padres, he was named to the National League (NL) All-Star team in 1993 and led the league in strikeouts in 1994. He also played for the Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Career

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Benes was born in Evansville, Indiana, where he attended Evansville Lutheran School and Evansville Central High School, as did his brother Alan Benes.

He played college baseball in his hometown for the University of Evansville Purple Aces.[1] He also played college football and basketball at Evanston before focusing solely on baseball in 1987. In 1988, he was named Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and an All-American by Baseball America and the ABCA.[2] He had a 16–3 record with 188 strikeouts, including 21 strikeouts in a game against UNC-Wilmington.[3]

He was the first player selected in the 1988 Major League Baseball draft by the Padres. Before signing with the Padres, Benes pitched for the United States in the 1988 Summer Olympics. He pitched 6+2⁄3 innings, allowed two runs and struck out and walked four batters in a 12–2 win over Australia that clinched the Americans' advance to the medal round.[4] The Americans eventually won their first baseball Olympic gold medal. He also played in the 1988 Baseball World Cup, where the U.S. lost to Cuba in the title game.[3]

Benes signed a contract with the Padres that included a $230,000 signing bonus.[3] He made 21 starts in Minor League Baseball (MiLB), 16 for the Double-A Wichita Wranglers and five with the Las Vegas Stars,[5] before making his MLB debut on August 11. After losing his first two games, he earned his first win over the Philadelphia Phillies on August 23. He finished the season with a 6–3 record.[6][3] He was named The Sporting News National League Rookie Pitcher of the Year.[1]

Benes was an All-Star in 1993[1] during a 15–15 season with the Padres and led MLB with 189 strikeouts and 14 losses the next season.

On July 31, 1995, Benes was traded with a player to be named later (Greg Keagle) to the Mariners for Marc Newfield and Ron Villone.[7] He went 7–2 with the Mariners, albeit with a high 5.82 ERA. Both he and the franchise made their first appearance in the MLB postseason in 1995.[8] Benes pitched poorly in the playoffs, going 0–1 and allowing 13 runs in 14 innings.[9] After the season, Benes became a free agent.[3]

Benes signed with the Cardinals before the 1996 season. He finished third in the Cy Young Award balloting in 1996, after an 18–10, 3.83 earned run average season.[10] 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 Colorado Rockies to close out the game for the Cardinals.[11]

After the 1997 season, Benes agreed to a five-year, $30 million contract to return to the Cardinals. Unfortunately, the contract was signed 90 minutes after a deadline to re-sign players.[12][13]

Instead, Benes became one of the first players in Diamondbacks history when he signed a three-year, $18 million contract prior to the team's inaugural 1998 season.[12][14] He threw the first pitch, a ball,[15] and earned the first loss in Diamondbacks history, as the team fell on Opening Day to the Rockies.[1][16] He led the team with 14 wins, 34 starts, and 164 strikeouts in its first season.[17]

Benes returned to the Cardinals in 2000. He ended his career with 2,000 strikeouts, which is in the top 100 in MLB history.[18] His final regular season MLB pitch struck out Ryan Christenson on September 29, 2002.[19] He ended his career in the NL Championship Series, earning a loss in Game 4 to the San Francisco Giants.[9]

Relief pitcher Todd Jones wrote in The Sporting News in 2004 that Benes had a habit of gritting his teeth when preparing to throw a slider, a tell that hitters could exploit.[20]

Honors

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Benes was inducted into the Purple Aces Hall of Fame in 1994,[21] the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2020,[22] and the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame in 2023.[23] The University of Evansville retired his number in 2010.[3][21] He received the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.[24]

He received the Padres Clyde McCullough Pitcher of the Year Award in 1991 and 1993 and was named the NL Player of the Week for the week of August 1, 1993.[25]

Personal Life

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Benes and his younger brother Alan Benes were teammates on the Cardinals in 1996–97 and 2000–01. Another younger brother Adam Benes was drafted by the Cardinals in 1995 and pitched in the minors until 2000.[3][26]

Benes and his wife Jennifer married in 1987. They have seven children and live near St. Louis.[22] Their first child Drew Benes was drafted by the Cardinals in 2010 and pitched in the Cardinals organization from 2010 to 2012.[27] Their fourth child Shane Benes played for the State College Spikes in the Cardinals system in 2019.[28] Benes is a Christian.[29][23][14]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d David Pietrusza (2000). Baseball : the biographical encyclopedia. Kingston, New York: Total/Sports Illustrated. p. 80. ISBN 1-892129-34-5.
  2. ^ "Andy Benes (2023) - Hall of Fame". mvc-sports.com. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Cohen, Alan (May 1, 2019). "Andy Benes – Society for American Baseball Research". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  4. ^ Higgins, Ron (September 21, 1988). "Andy Benes - Sept. 21, 1988". The York Dispatch. Scripps Howard News Service. p. 36. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  5. ^ "Andy Benes Minor Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  6. ^ "Andy Benes 1989 Pitching Game Logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  7. ^ "Andy Benes Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  8. ^ "1995 Seattle Mariners Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Andy Benes Postseason Pitching Game Logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  10. ^ "1996 Awards Voting". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  11. ^ "Colorado Rockies at St. Louis Cardinals Box Score, May 29, 1996".
  12. ^ a b "PLUS: BASEBALL -- ARIZONA; Benes Agrees To 3-Year Contract". The New York Times. February 4, 1998.
  13. ^ "Diamondbacks Land Benes for Three Years, $18 Million". Los Angeles Times. February 4, 1998. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Benes Renews His Feud With Cardinal Coach -- Marks His Return To St. Louis With Heated Verbal Exchange". The Seattle Times. Seattle Times News Services. April 16, 1998. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  15. ^ "D-backs' first game | 03/31/1998". MLB.com. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  16. ^ "Colorado Rockies vs Arizona Diamondbacks Box Score: March 31, 1998". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  17. ^ "1998 Arizona Diamondbacks Pitching Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  18. ^ "Career Leaders & Records for Strikeouts". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  19. ^ "Milwaukee Brewers vs St. Louis Cardinals Box Score: September 29, 2002". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  20. ^ Jones, Todd (August 23, 2004). "No spying in baseball? Then you aren't paying attention". web.archive.org. Archived from the original on July 18, 2006. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  21. ^ a b "Andy Benes | Purple Aces Hall of Fame". Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  22. ^ a b "Andy Benes – Missouri Sports Hall of Fame". Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  23. ^ a b "Andy Benes named to MVC Hall of Fame Class of 2023". University of Evansville Athletics. June 28, 2024. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  24. ^ Engelhardt, Gordon (July 30, 2016). "Benes humbled by SIAC Lifetime Achievement Award". The Courier and Press. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  25. ^ "Andy Benes Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  26. ^ "Adam Benes Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News". MiLB.com. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  27. ^ "Drew Benes Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News". MiLB.com. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  28. ^ "Shane Benes Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News". MiLB.com. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  29. ^ Zurcher, Jeff (April 1, 2012). "Intentional Walk: A renewed heavenly focus altered Andy Bene's earthly relationships". Inside Pitch Magazine. American Baseball Coaches Association.
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