Baseball Guru
03-06-2002, 10:20 AM
By ALAN ROBINSON
AP Sports Writer
March 5, 2002, 4:06 PM EST
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Kris Benson took a long-awaited step on his comeback from reconstructive elbow surgery Tuesday, effectively throwing 50 pitches in a simulated game as he stayed on schedule for an early-season return.
Benson mixed in about a dozen breaking balls with a few changeups and sliders and a moving fastball as he threw the equivalent of three or four innings. He gave up three hits, none of which was especially hard hit.
"I accomplished a lot," Benson said. "I asked some of the hitters, and I got good feedback. I had a lot of adrenaline flowing. Every time I can throw like I did, it makes the light at the end of the tunnel a little brighter."
Benson also threw a simulated game last week, but Tuesday's outing came off the McKechnie Field mound and was much closer to game-type conditions than last week's two-inning effort.
"I thought he had good velocity and a good curveball; there was a lot of break on it," said infielder Warren Morris, one of five batters who opposed Benson. "His fastball was running nicely. I think he's about ready to go."
Not quite -- Benson isn't expected back in the rotation until late May, at the earliest. So far this spring, he's had no problems other than the fatigue he anticipated during what so far has been an ambitious throwing schedule.
"I threw my fastball right at the knees, and I was able to drive the ball down in the (strike) zone," he said. "I was kind of pushing the ball the last time, and I got the ball up. ... I had better command of my pitches than I had before the surgery."
Benson initially felt a twinge in his arm before a start in Fort Myers last March 10 and didn't pitch again. He had reconstructive surgery on May 22, when a tendon was transplanted into his elbow.
Losing their No. 1 starter a year ago was a severe blow to a team that already had a shortage of starting pitchers and the Pirates never recovered, losing 100 games for the first time in 16 years.
Unlike some pitchers, who try to forget the surgery when they have it, Benson displays photos of his elbow and writes about his recovery on his personal Web site.
"I think going through adversity so early in my career was a good learning experience," the 27-year-old Benson said. "I think my mental approach to pitching is a lot better, and I'll have better judgment about how my body feels. I think what I've learned about pitching is far beyond what I knew before."
When he was hurt, the 1996 No. 1 draft pick seemed on the verge of becoming one of the NL's top starters after going 11-14 with a 4.07 ERA in 1999 and 10-12 with a 3.85 ERA in 2000 during his first two major league seasons.
For that reason, Benson's uninterrupted return is considered a key to any Pirates turnaround. He expects to pitch in an exhibition game by March 25, then stay in the extended spring camp for a few weeks before making a few minor league starts.
"That would be huge for me to pitch in a (exhibition) game the last week down here, to get a feel for where I'm at, especially when the teams are set and I'd be pitching against starters," Benson said. "That would be a real challenge if I got a start or two then, and I'm definitely going to push to get into a game then."
He'll be even more excited when he finally starts in Pittsburgh's PNC Park, where he has yet to pitch in a game.
"Going by how my arm feels, I think I may get there sooner (than late May)," Benson said. "So far, this spring, it's been fun, but it's been boring, too. It's been a long haul, but it looks like it's about over with."
AP Sports Writer
March 5, 2002, 4:06 PM EST
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Kris Benson took a long-awaited step on his comeback from reconstructive elbow surgery Tuesday, effectively throwing 50 pitches in a simulated game as he stayed on schedule for an early-season return.
Benson mixed in about a dozen breaking balls with a few changeups and sliders and a moving fastball as he threw the equivalent of three or four innings. He gave up three hits, none of which was especially hard hit.
"I accomplished a lot," Benson said. "I asked some of the hitters, and I got good feedback. I had a lot of adrenaline flowing. Every time I can throw like I did, it makes the light at the end of the tunnel a little brighter."
Benson also threw a simulated game last week, but Tuesday's outing came off the McKechnie Field mound and was much closer to game-type conditions than last week's two-inning effort.
"I thought he had good velocity and a good curveball; there was a lot of break on it," said infielder Warren Morris, one of five batters who opposed Benson. "His fastball was running nicely. I think he's about ready to go."
Not quite -- Benson isn't expected back in the rotation until late May, at the earliest. So far this spring, he's had no problems other than the fatigue he anticipated during what so far has been an ambitious throwing schedule.
"I threw my fastball right at the knees, and I was able to drive the ball down in the (strike) zone," he said. "I was kind of pushing the ball the last time, and I got the ball up. ... I had better command of my pitches than I had before the surgery."
Benson initially felt a twinge in his arm before a start in Fort Myers last March 10 and didn't pitch again. He had reconstructive surgery on May 22, when a tendon was transplanted into his elbow.
Losing their No. 1 starter a year ago was a severe blow to a team that already had a shortage of starting pitchers and the Pirates never recovered, losing 100 games for the first time in 16 years.
Unlike some pitchers, who try to forget the surgery when they have it, Benson displays photos of his elbow and writes about his recovery on his personal Web site.
"I think going through adversity so early in my career was a good learning experience," the 27-year-old Benson said. "I think my mental approach to pitching is a lot better, and I'll have better judgment about how my body feels. I think what I've learned about pitching is far beyond what I knew before."
When he was hurt, the 1996 No. 1 draft pick seemed on the verge of becoming one of the NL's top starters after going 11-14 with a 4.07 ERA in 1999 and 10-12 with a 3.85 ERA in 2000 during his first two major league seasons.
For that reason, Benson's uninterrupted return is considered a key to any Pirates turnaround. He expects to pitch in an exhibition game by March 25, then stay in the extended spring camp for a few weeks before making a few minor league starts.
"That would be huge for me to pitch in a (exhibition) game the last week down here, to get a feel for where I'm at, especially when the teams are set and I'd be pitching against starters," Benson said. "That would be a real challenge if I got a start or two then, and I'm definitely going to push to get into a game then."
He'll be even more excited when he finally starts in Pittsburgh's PNC Park, where he has yet to pitch in a game.
"Going by how my arm feels, I think I may get there sooner (than late May)," Benson said. "So far, this spring, it's been fun, but it's been boring, too. It's been a long haul, but it looks like it's about over with."