Joe Benz
Born: 1/21/1886 in New Alsace, IN, USA
Died: 4/22/1957 in Chicago, IL, USA
MLB Debut: 1911-08-16 | Final Game: 1919-05-02
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 196 lbs
Full name: Joseph Louis Benz
Biography
Joe Benz, born in 1886, was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1911 to 1919. Known for his exceptional control and ability to induce ground balls, Benz made his mark in an era characterized by the transition from the deadball era to a more offensive-minded approach in baseball. Over the course of his career, he achieved a win-loss record of 76-75 and posted an impressive earned run average of 2.43, reflecting his effectiveness on the mound.
Benz recorded 539 strikeouts and secured 3 saves during his time in Major League Baseball. His contributions to the game were significant, as he played for teams that experienced the shifting dynamics of baseball in the 1910s, a period that saw the emergence of new strategies and styles of play. Despite the challenges of his era, Benz established himself as a reliable pitcher, leaving behind a legacy that speaks to the evolution of the game during a pivotal time in baseball history.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 76 | 75 | 251 | 163 | 75 | 17 | 3 | 1359.7 | 1225 | 367 | 16 | 334 | 539 | 2.43 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | CHW | AL | 3 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 55.7 | 52 | 14 | 13 | 28 | 2.26 | - |
| 1912 | CHW | AL | 13 | 17 | 42 | 31 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 238.7 | 231 | 77 | 70 | 97 | 2.90 | - |
| 1913 | CHW | AL | 7 | 10 | 33 | 17 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 151.0 | 146 | 46 | 59 | 79 | 2.74 | - |
| 1914 | CHW | AL | 14 | 19 | 48 | 35 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 283.3 | 245 | 71 | 66 | 142 | 2.26 | - |
| 1915 | CHW | AL | 15 | 11 | 39 | 28 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 238.3 | 209 | 56 | 43 | 81 | 2.11 | - |
| 1916 | CHW | AL | 9 | 5 | 28 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 142.0 | 108 | 32 | 32 | 57 | 2.03 | - |
| 1917 | CHW | AL | 7 | 3 | 19 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 94.7 | 76 | 26 | 23 | 25 | 2.47 | - |
| 1918 | CHW | AL | 8 | 8 | 29 | 17 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 154.0 | 156 | 45 | 28 | 30 | 2.63 | - |
| 1919 | CHW | AL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 251 | 441 | 29 | 61 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 5 | 112 | 0.138 | 0.150 | 0.166 | 0.315 | -2821.5 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | CHW | AL | 12 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.059 | 0.0 |
| 1912 | CHW | AL | 42 | 76 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.132 | -739.0 |
| 1913 | CHW | AL | 33 | 50 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0.180 | -334.3 |
| 1914 | CHW | AL | 48 | 92 | 5 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 0.130 | -823.5 |
| 1915 | CHW | AL | 39 | 79 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 0.127 | -682.4 |
| 1916 | CHW | AL | 28 | 46 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 0.065 | 0.0 |
| 1917 | CHW | AL | 19 | 30 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0.167 | 0.0 |
| 1918 | CHW | AL | 29 | 51 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0.216 | -242.4 |
| 1919 | CHW | AL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 251 | 0 | 37 | 504 | 45 | 18 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | CHA | P | 12 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 5 | 1 |
| 1912 | CHA | P | 42 | 0 | 10 | 77 | 10 | 0 |
| 1913 | CHA | P | 33 | 0 | 4 | 66 | 4 | 1 |
| 1914 | CHA | P | 48 | 0 | 5 | 112 | 10 | 8 |
| 1915 | CHA | P | 39 | 0 | 5 | 86 | 3 | 5 |
| 1916 | CHA | P | 28 | 0 | 5 | 46 | 4 | 1 |
| 1917 | CHA | P | 19 | 0 | 3 | 32 | 5 | 0 |
| 1918 | CHA | P | 29 | 0 | 4 | 62 | 4 | 2 |
| 1919 | CHA | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 251 |