Kris Benson
Born: 11/7/1974 in Kennesaw, GA, USA
MLB Debut: 1999-04-09 | Final Game: 2010-04-28
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'4" | Weight: 190 lbs
Full name: Kristen James Benson
Biography
Kris Benson, born in 1974, was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1999 to 2010. He made his Major League Baseball debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he quickly established himself as a reliable starter. Over his career, Benson compiled a record of 70 wins and 75 losses, with an earned run average (ERA) of 4.42. He logged a total of 806 strikeouts, showcasing his ability to miss bats and compete at a high level, although he did not record any saves.
Benson's playing style was characterized by his solid command and pitch variety, which allowed him to navigate through lineups effectively during an era marked by offensive prowess. He played for several teams throughout his career, including the New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, and Baltimore Orioles, leaving a mark as a determined competitor on the mound. His contributions to the game were significant during the transition period of the early 2000s, as teams began to increasingly focus on analytics and player performance metrics. After his retirement, Benson remained a respected figure in baseball, remembered for his work ethic and contributions to his teams.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | 75 | 206 | 200 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1243.7 | 1292 | 611 | 152 | 441 | 806 | 4.42 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | PIT | NL | 11 | 14 | 31 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 196.7 | 184 | 89 | 83 | 139 | 4.07 | 2930.2 |
| 2000 | PIT | NL | 10 | 12 | 32 | 32 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 217.7 | 206 | 93 | 86 | 184 | 3.85 | 3238.0 |
| 2002 | PIT | NL | 9 | 6 | 25 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 130.3 | 152 | 68 | 50 | 79 | 4.70 | -1629.6 |
| 2003 | PIT | NL | 5 | 9 | 18 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 105.0 | 127 | 58 | 36 | 68 | 4.97 | -340.7 |
| 2004 | NYN | NL | 4 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 68.0 | 65 | 34 | 17 | 51 | 4.50 | 792.1 |
| 2004 | PIT | NL | 8 | 8 | 20 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 132.3 | 137 | 62 | 44 | 83 | 4.22 | 2884.1 |
| 2005 | NYN | NL | 10 | 8 | 28 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 174.3 | 171 | 80 | 49 | 95 | 4.13 | -1539.2 |
| 2006 | BAL | AL | 11 | 12 | 30 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 183.0 | 199 | 98 | 58 | 88 | 4.82 | -5070.1 |
| 2009 | TEX | AL | 1 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22.3 | 33 | 21 | 12 | 11 | 8.46 | -1849.7 |
| 2010 | AZ | NL | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14.0 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 5.14 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 208 | 321 | 23 | 42 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 0 | 15 | 127 | 0.131 | 0.175 | 0.162 | 0.337 | -1637.6 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | PIT | NL | 31 | 65 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 24 | 0.154 | -587.5 |
| 2000 | PIT | NL | 32 | 65 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 29 | 0.092 | -760.1 |
| 2002 | PIT | NL | 27 | 40 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0.175 | 0.0 |
| 2003 | PIT | NL | 18 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2004 | NYN | NL | 11 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0.053 | 0.0 |
| 2004 | PIT | NL | 20 | 39 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 0.179 | 0.0 |
| 2005 | NYN | NL | 28 | 49 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 22 | 0.184 | -290.0 |
| 2006 | BAL | AL | 30 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.111 | 0.0 |
| 2009 | TEX | AL | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2010 | AZ | NL | 3 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 206 | 200 | 83 | 157 | 10 | 16 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | PIT | P | 31 | 31 | 15 | 27 | 2 | 6 |
| 2000 | PIT | P | 32 | 32 | 8 | 28 | 2 | 0 |
| 2002 | PIT | P | 25 | 25 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 2 |
| 2003 | PIT | P | 18 | 18 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 2 |
| 2004 | NYN | P | 11 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 2004 | PIT | P | 20 | 20 | 12 | 19 | 0 | 2 |
| 2005 | NYN | P | 28 | 28 | 7 | 29 | 0 | 2 |
| 2006 | BAL | P | 30 | 30 | 15 | 25 | 2 | 2 |
| 2009 | TEX | P | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | ARI | P | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 206 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | TEX | AL | $750,000 |
| 2007 | BAL | AL | $7,144,556 |
| 2006 | BAL | AL | $8,333,333 |
| 2005 | NYN | NL | $5,333,333 |
| 2004 | PIT | NL | $6,150,000 |
| 2003 | PIT | NL | $4,300,000 |
| 2002 | PIT | NL | $2,700,000 |
| 2001 | PIT | NL | $3,450,000 |
| 2000 | PIT | NL | $300,000 |
| 1999 | PIT | NL | $200,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $38,661,222 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clemson University | Clemson | SC | 1994, 1995, 1996 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Rookie of the Year | NL | 4th | 5.0 | 160 | 0 |