Armando Benítez

Armando Benítez
Benítez with the Marlins in June 2007
Free Agent – No. --
Relief pitcher
Bats: Right Throws: Right
debut
July 28, 1994, for the Baltimore Orioles
Career statistics (through 2008 season)
Win-Loss	40-47
Earned run average	3.13
Strikeouts	946
Saves	289
Stats at Baseball Reference
Teams
Baltimore Orioles (1994-1998) New York Mets (1999-2003) New York Yankees (2003) Seattle Mariners (2003) Florida Marlins (2004) San Francisco Giants (2005-2007) Florida Marlins (2007) Toronto Blue Jays (2008)

Armando Germán Benítez (born November 3, 1972 in Ramón Santana, Dominican Republic) is a free agent relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is known for his once lively fastball, which in the past reached over 100 MPH, and his crafty splitter. However, his lack of accuracy caused him to decrease his pitching speed into the 90's leading to a lower strikeout rate.

Professional career

Baltimore Orioles

Benítez was signed in 1990 by the Baltimore Orioles as a free agent. Coming up through the Orioles' farm system, he made his debut in 1994. While with the Orioles, he initially struggled, collecting a 5.66 ERA in 1995 and faltering in the postseason frequently. . In the 1996 ALCS he yielded the infamous Jeffrey Maier home run. By 1998 he started to show some of his future potential earning a 3.82 ERA and 22 saves in 71 games. 1997 was a breakout year for Benitez as he excelled in the set up role for Orioles' closer Randy Myers, forming a lethal 1-2 punch at the back end of the Orioles bullpen and propelling them to the A.L. East pennant.

In 1998, as the fulltime closer for the Orioles his season was defined by an incident that occurred in May at Yankee Stadium. WIth the Orioles clinging to a 5-4 8th inning lead, Benitez gave up a 3-run home run to Bernie Williams. After allowing the home run, a clearly flustered and frustrated Benitez drilled the next batter, Tino Martinez in the back and challenged the entire Yankees' bench to a brawl. The Yankees' complied and Benitez took a hard blow from Darryl Strawberry that knocked him back into the dugout, after narrowly escaping the reach of enraged Yankees' reliever Graeme Lloyd. This was also the second time Benitez hit Tino Martinez after allowing a home run, the previous time occurring in 1995 at Oriole Park when Martinez was a member of the Mariners. Benitez received an 8 game suspension for his actions.

Mets, Yankees, Mariners

Before the 1999 season, Benítez was traded to the New York Mets in a three-team deal, in which catcher Charles Johnson joined the Orioles while Todd Hundley was sent to the Los Angeles Dodgers, with Roger Cedeno also joining Benitez in New York. Benitez initially served as the setup man for longtime Mets closer John Franco; however, when Franco went down with an injury mid-way through the 1999 season, Benitez assumed the job and was named the full-time Mets closer even after Franco's return. During his first four seasons in New York, he subsequently became one of the Major Leagues' elite closers, saving 139 games. Unfortunately, his frequent failures in big games became infamous, including blowing his first World Series save opportunity and blowing several key games late in the 2001 season. As a result, Benítez's failures in clutch situations overshadowed most of the success he had in his career in New York. Regardless, several playoff contenders were interested in his services. Midway through 2003, as Benítez labored trying to convert saves through the year, he was traded to the New York Yankees, who intended to use him as a setup man for Mariano Rivera. Benítez had a 1.93 ERA in nine games before being traded again to the Seattle Mariners, where he finished the season.

Florida Marlins

In 2004, Benítez once again became a closer, taking a pay cut to join the Florida Marlins for one year. His season with the Marlins ended up being his best season to date; he saved 47 games in 51 chances and compiled a 1.29 ERA. In fact, after giving up a solo home run in his first game of the season, he did not allow another earned run until June 5, after an impressive streak of 30 scoreless innings. After the season, Benítez elected to become a free agent, signing a three-year contract with the San Francisco Giants that was worth a reported US$21 million.

San Francisco Giants

His tenure with the Giants was mired by injuries and a high percentage of blown saves, never recapturing the form he showed in 2004 with the Marlins. His first season with the Giants started badly when Benítez tore a pair of tendons in his right hamstring while running to cover first in late April. The injury had him sidelined until August, when he returned to the mound after a difficult rehab.

Benítez struggled for much of the 2006 season, at one point blowing three consecutive save opportunities. Benítez's season ended prematurely after being placed on the 60-day disabled list with arthritis in both knees . He ended the season with 17 saves in 25 opportunities.

Benítez started 2007 well, converting all of his first seven save opportunities. However, in May, Benítez picked up two blown saves and three losses, including a blown save and a loss against his former team, the Mets, where he committed two balks. After the game Benítez commented, "I didn't do my job", contrasting with his previous game where he picked up the loss yet claimed, "I did my job." MLB.com writer Chris Haft reported that this added "little to the family atmosphere" at the Giants ballclub. Benítez had once before said, "I did my job," even when tallying a blown save, during a Giants loss to the Nationals in 2006.

On May 31, 2007, he was traded back to the Florida Marlins in exchange for Randy Messenger. Giants general manager Brian Sabean acknowledged that Benítez was not liked by the Giants fanbase, saying he had become a "whipping boy", adding "the fans, the press and maybe some people in the clubhouse felt he needed to go". Chris Haft noted that Benítez had "incurred the wrath of San Francisco fans with his perceived attitude as well as his performance", further writing "he maintained his tendency to shrug off accountability for poor performances, prompting the crowds at AT&T Park to boo him after the slightest lapse."

Benítez's first return to AT&T Park after being traded to the Marlins came on July 29, 2007. He was greeted with "thunderous boos" from the Giants fans.

On October 29, 2007, Benítez officially filed for free agency, ending his second tenure with the Marlins.

Toronto Blue Jays

On March 11, 2008, Benítez agreed to a minor league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays and was given chance to compete for a bullpen job in spring training. After starting the season in the minors, he was eventually added to the active roster in May. However, on June 7, he was designated for assignment and released.

Accomplishments

• Twice All-Star (2003-04)
• National League Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award (2001)
• Led NL in saves (47, 2004)
• #23 all time in Saves (289)

See also

• List of Major League Baseball saves champions
• List of Major League Baseball all-time saves leaders

External links

• Career statistics from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs
• Armando Benitez: Profile on the Fish@Bat Florida Marlins Wiki