View source for Andy Benes

{{short description|American baseball player (born 1967)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Andy Benes
|image=Andy Benes (crop).jpg
|position=[[Pitcher]]
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1967|8|20}}
|birth_place=[[Evansville, Indiana]], U.S.
|death_date=
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=August 11
|debutyear=1989
|debutteam=San Diego Padres
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=September 29
|finalyear=2002
|finalteam=St. Louis Cardinals
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Win–loss record (pitching)|Win–loss record]]
|stat1value=155–139
|stat2label=[[Earned run average]]
|stat2value=3.97
|stat3label=[[Strikeouts]]
|stat3value=2,000
|teams=
* [[San Diego Padres]] ({{mlby|1989}}–{{mlby|1995}})
* [[Seattle Mariners]] ({{mlby|1995}})
* [[St. Louis Cardinals]] ({{mlby|1996}}–{{mlby|1997}})
* [[Arizona Diamondbacks]] ({{mlby|1998}}–{{mlby|1999}})
* [[St. Louis Cardinals]] ({{mlby|2000}}–{{mlby|2002}})
|highlights=
* [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1993 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1993]])
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders|NL strikeout leader]] (1994)
|medaltemplates=
{{MedalSport | [[Baseball]]}}
{{MedalCountry | {{flagu|United States}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[Baseball at the 1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Seoul]] | [[United States national baseball team|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Baseball World Cup]]}}
{{MedalSilver | [[1988 Baseball World Cup|1988 Rome]] | [[United States national baseball team|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 [[List of first overall Major League Baseball draft picks|first overall pick]] in the [[1988 MLB draft]]. With the Padres, he was named to the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] (NL) [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] team in [[1993 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1993]] and led the league in strikeouts in 1994. He also played for the [[Seattle Mariners]], [[St. Louis Cardinals]], and [[Arizona Diamondbacks]].

==Career==
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]].<ref name="totalbasball">{{Cite book |author=David Pietrusza |url=https://archive.org/details/baseballbiograph00matt/page/80 |title=Baseball : the biographical encyclopedia |publisher=Total/Sports Illustrated |year=2000 |isbn=1-892129-34-5 |location=Kingston, New York |page=[https://archive.org/details/baseballbiograph00matt/page/80 80] |url-access=registration}}</ref> He also played college football and basketball at Evansville before focusing solely on baseball in 1987. In 1988, he was named [[Collegiate Baseball Newspaper#Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year|Player of the Year]] by ''[[Collegiate Baseball Newspaper]]'' and an All-American by [[Baseball America]] and the [[American Baseball Coaches Association|ABCA]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Andy Benes (2023) - Hall of Fame |url=https://mvc-sports.com/hof.aspx?hof=144 |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=mvc-sports.com |language=en}}</ref>'' He had a 16–3 [[Win–loss record (pitching)|record]] with 188 [[Strikeout|strikeouts]], including 21 strikeouts in a game against [[UNC Wilmington Seahawks baseball|UNC-Wilmington]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Cohen |first=Alan |date=May 1, 2019 |title=Andy Benes – Society for American Baseball Research |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/andy-benes/ |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=[[Society for American Baseball Research]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

He was the [[List of first overall Major League Baseball draft picks|first player selected]] in the [[1988 Major League Baseball draft]] by the Padres. Before signing with the Padres, Benes pitched for the [[United States national baseball team|United States]] in the [[Baseball at the 1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Summer Olympics]]. He pitched {{fraction|6|2|3}} [[Innings pitched|innings]], allowed two runs and struck out and [[Base on balls|walked]] four batters in a 12–2 win over Australia that clinched the Americans' advance to the medal round.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Higgins |first=Ron |date=1988-09-21 |title=Andy Benes - Sept. 21, 1988 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-york-dispatch-andy-benes-sept-21/63555976/ |access-date=2024-08-16 |work=[[The York Dispatch]] |pages=36 |agency=[[Scripps Howard News Service]]}}</ref> 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.<ref name=":0" />

Benes signed a contract with the Padres that included a $230,000 signing bonus.<ref name=":0" /> He made 21 starts in [[Minor League Baseball]] (MiLB), 16 for the [[Double-A (baseball)|Double-A]] [[Wichita Wranglers]] and five with the [[Las Vegas Stars (baseball)|Las Vegas Stars]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Andy Benes Minor Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=benes-001and |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> before making his MLB debut on August 11. After losing his first two games, he earned his first [[Win (baseball)|win]] over the Philadelphia Phillies on August 23. He finished the season with a 6–3 record.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Andy Benes 1989 Pitching Game Logs |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=benesan01&t=p&year=1989 |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> He was named [[Sporting News Rookie Pitcher of the Year Award|''The Sporting News'' National League Rookie Pitcher of the Year]].<ref name="totalbasball" />

Benes was an [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] in {{mlby|1993}}<ref name=totalbasball/> 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]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Andy Benes Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/benesan01.shtml#all_transactions_other |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> 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 [[1995 Major League Baseball postseason|MLB postseason]] in 1995.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1995 Seattle Mariners Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SEA/1995.shtml |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Benes pitched poorly in the playoffs, going 0–1 and allowing 13 runs in 14 innings.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Andy Benes Postseason Pitching Game Logs |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=benesan01&t=p&post=1#pitching_gamelogs_post |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> After the season, Benes became a [[Free agency (Major League Baseball)|free agent]].<ref name=":0" />

Benes signed with the Cardinals before the [[1996 Major League Baseball season|1996 season]]. He finished third in the [[Cy Young Award]] balloting in {{mlby|1996}}, after an 18–10, 3.83 [[earned run average]] season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1996 Awards Voting |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1996.shtml |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Colorado Rockies at St. Louis Cardinals Box Score, May 29, 1996 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN199605290.shtml}}</ref>

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.<ref name="nyt">{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/04/sports/plus-baseball-arizona-benes-agrees-to-3-year-contract.html | work=The New York Times | title=PLUS: BASEBALL -- ARIZONA; Benes Agrees To 3-Year Contract | date=February 4, 1998}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=1998-02-04 |title=Diamondbacks Land Benes for Three Years, $18 Million |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-feb-04-sp-15376-story.html |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |language=}}</ref>

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 {{mlby|1998}} season.<ref name="nyt" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=April 16, 1998 |title=Benes Renews His Feud With Cardinal Coach -- Marks His Return To St. Louis With Heated Verbal Exchange |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19980416&slug=2745453 |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=[[The Seattle Times]] |agency=Seattle Times News Services}}</ref> He threw the first pitch, a ball,<ref>{{Cite web |title=D-backs' first game {{!}} 03/31/1998 |url=https://www.mlb.com/video/d-backs-first-game-c20048171?partnerId=web_video-playback-page_video-share |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref> and earned the first loss in Diamondbacks history, as the team fell on [[Opening Day]] to the Rockies.<ref name="totalbasball" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Colorado Rockies vs Arizona Diamondbacks Box Score: March 31, 1998 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ARI/ARI199803310.shtml |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He led the team with 14 wins, 34 starts, and 164 strikeouts in its first season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1998 Arizona Diamondbacks Pitching Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ARI/1998-pitching.shtml |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

Benes returned to the Cardinals in 2000. He ended his career with 2,000 strikeouts, which is in the top 100 in MLB history.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Career Leaders & Records for Strikeouts |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/SO_p_career.shtml |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> His final regular season MLB pitch struck out [[Ryan Christenson]] on September 29, 2002.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Milwaukee Brewers vs St. Louis Cardinals Box Score: September 29, 2002 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN200209290.shtml |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He ended his career in the [[2002 National League Championship Series|NL Championship Series]], earning a loss in Game 4 to the [[San Francisco Giants]].<ref name=":1" />

[[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 (baseball)|slider]], a [[tell (poker)|tell]] that hitters could exploit.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Todd |author-link= |date=August 23, 2004 |title=No spying in baseball? Then you aren't paying attention |url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_34_228/ai_n6165497 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060718045514/http://www.findarticles.com:80/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_34_228/ai_n6165497 |archive-date=July 18, 2006 |access-date=2024-08-16 }}</ref>

=== Honors ===
Benes was inducted into the Purple Aces Hall of Fame in 1994,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Andy Benes {{!}} Purple Aces Hall of Fame |url=http://aceshof.com/person/248/ |access-date=2024-08-16 |language=en-US}}</ref> the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2020,<ref name=":4" /> and the [[Missouri Valley Conference]] Hall of Fame in 2023.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=2024-06-28 |title=Andy Benes named to MVC Hall of Fame Class of 2023 |url=https://gopurpleaces.com/news/2022/12/13/baseball-andy-benes-named-to-mvc-hall-of-fame-class-of-2023.aspx |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=University of Evansville Athletics |language=en}}</ref> The University of Evansville retired his number in 2010.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> He received the [[Southern Indiana Athletic Conference]] Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Engelhardt |first=Gordon |date=July 30, 2016 |title=Benes humbled by SIAC Lifetime Achievement Award |url=https://archive.courierpress.com/sports/high-school/benes-humbled-by-siac-lifetime-achievement-award-388054c0-b5c8-2916-e053-0100007ffae2-388751831.html/ |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=The Courier and Press |language=en}}</ref>

He received the Padres [[Clyde McCullough]] Pitcher of the Year Award in 1991 and 1993 and was named the [[Major League Baseball Player of the Week Award|NL Player of the Week]] for the week of August 1, 1993.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Andy Benes Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News |url=https://www.mlb.com/player/andy-benes-110854 |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
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 Major League Baseball draft|1995]] and pitched in the minors until 2000.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Adam Benes Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News |url=https://www.milb.com/player/adam-benes-442128 |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=MiLB.com |language=en}}</ref>

Benes and his wife Jennifer married in 1987. They have seven children and live near [[St. Louis]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Andy Benes – Missouri Sports Hall of Fame |url=https://mosportshalloffame.com/inductees/andy-benes/ |access-date=2024-08-16 |language=en-US}}</ref> Their first child Drew Benes was drafted by the Cardinals in [[2010 Major League Baseball draft|2010]] and pitched in the Cardinals organization from 2010 to 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Drew Benes Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News |url=https://www.milb.com/player/drew-benes-518447 |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=MiLB.com |language=en}}</ref> Their fourth child Shane Benes played for the [[State College Spikes]] in the Cardinals system in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Shane Benes Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News |url=https://www.milb.com/player/shane-benes-656227 |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=MiLB.com |language=en}}</ref> Benes is a Christian.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zurcher |first=Jeff |date=April 1, 2012 |title=Intentional Walk: A renewed heavenly focus altered Andy Bene's earthly relationships |url=https://www.abca.org/magazine/magazine/2012-2-Spring/Intentional_Walk_A_renewed_heavenly_focus_altered_Andy_Benes_earthly_relationships.aspx |website=Inside Pitch Magazine |publisher=[[American Baseball Coaches Association]]}}</ref><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":2" />

==See also==
*[[List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Baseballstats|mlb=110854|espn=2222|br=b/benesan01|fangraphs=1144|brm=benes-001and}}
* [https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/andy-benes/ Biography] at [[Society for American Baseball Research|Society for American Baseball Research (SABR)]]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Benes, Andy}}
[[Category:1967 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball pitchers]]
[[Category:San Diego Padres players]]
[[Category:Seattle Mariners players]]
[[Category:St. Louis Cardinals players]]
[[Category:Arizona Diamondbacks players]]
[[Category:National League All-Stars]]
[[Category:National League strikeout champions]]
[[Category:Baseball players at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Evansville, Indiana]]
[[Category:Wichita Wranglers players]]
[[Category:Las Vegas Stars (baseball) players]]
[[Category:Prince William Cannons players]]
[[Category:Arkansas Travelers players]]
[[Category:Louisville Redbirds players]]
[[Category:Potomac Cannons players]]
[[Category:Memphis Redbirds players]]
[[Category:Evansville Purple Aces baseball players]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in baseball]]
[[Category:All-American college baseball players]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]