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03-26-2002, 07:50 PM
News
3/25/2002 8:00 pm ET
Andy Benes looks good this spring
By Jared Hoffman
MLB.com
If Cardinals fans reading Monday's box score from St. Louis' 6-1 win over Montreal keep looking down after getting excited about Darryl Kile's pitching line of four scoreless innings, they'll notice another Cardinals starting pitcher was equally impressive in the same game -- Andy Benes.
Benes threw four scoreless and struck out five.
This game offered a preview of what Cardinals fans could see in the opening week of the season -- Kile and Benes in the same game.
Benes is coming off what was easily the worst of his 13 big-league seasons. Benes went 7-7 with a 7.38 ERA. He was eventually moved to the bullpen and left off the Cardinals' postseason roster.
So for the first time in a long time, Benes came into Spring Training having to win a job on the starting staff –- a tough task considering Matt Morris, Darryl Kile and Woody Williams were already considered locks, and Benes would be competing with Bud Smith, Garrett Stephenson and Rick Ankiel for one of the final two spots.
Much of Benes' troubles last season can be traced to irritation in his knee that befitted offseason of rehab and strengthening.
"The knee feels great," said Benes. "There's no irritation and now I don't even have to think about it. "It's nice to know I have that behind me. This winter went a long way toward getting the knee to where it needed to be for me to compete.
"Last year, I felt like I was trying to rehab it and try and throw. Now it's just a matter of going out on the mound and executing all my pitches."
Benes has been doing just that spring and the results have been very encouraging.
Monday's outing was the third consecutive game Benes came in relief of Kile and in those three appearances Benes has allowed just three runs in 13 innings for a 2.08 ERA. In six outings this spring, Benes has yet to allow more than two runs in any one appearance. He has gone four or more innings in his past four games and for the spring has an impressive 1.96 ERA.
Benes did some other things in the offseason to make sure he was in the best possible position to win a spot in the rotation. "I was ready to pitch the day I got to camp," said Benes. "I threw a lot more this winter and threw a lot more off the mound and because of that I felt like I was a lot more ready.
"I wanted show and at least let (the coaching staff) see that I had worked hard this winter and that I was ready to pitch and compete and have the opportunity to win a starting spot."
Benes' role could be as a starter or what it has been in recent weeks –- Kile's shadow out of the bullpen.
"If you have a good spring, you try and use that as momentum, said Benes. "And if you have a bad spring then you say it doesn't count."
Benes says he hasn't had too many good springs in his career but with less than week to go, he's probably counting this and considering the position he was in coming into camp, it could the spring of his career that counts the most.
KILE IN COMMAND
Monday's start was Kile's third start of the spring. In his last start against the Twins on March 20 at Ft. Myers, he allowed five runs on eight hits and a walk in two innings.
So what was the difference between that start and Monday when he went four scoreless innings?
According to manager Tony La Russa just one word: Location.
"He was throwing his pitches for strikes, simple as that," said La Russa. "Darryl Kile is a big part of our ball club so this was a great day for the St. Louis Cardinals."
Kile met the Cardinals goal of about a 60-pitch count in this game. He'll get one more start in Memphis Saturday, March 30 and if the Cardinals believe his arm strength is where it needs to be then he could he could open the season with St. Louis as opposed to making a rehab start in the minors.
Jared Hoffman covers the Cardinals for MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.
3/25/2002 8:00 pm ET
Andy Benes looks good this spring
By Jared Hoffman
MLB.com
If Cardinals fans reading Monday's box score from St. Louis' 6-1 win over Montreal keep looking down after getting excited about Darryl Kile's pitching line of four scoreless innings, they'll notice another Cardinals starting pitcher was equally impressive in the same game -- Andy Benes.
Benes threw four scoreless and struck out five.
This game offered a preview of what Cardinals fans could see in the opening week of the season -- Kile and Benes in the same game.
Benes is coming off what was easily the worst of his 13 big-league seasons. Benes went 7-7 with a 7.38 ERA. He was eventually moved to the bullpen and left off the Cardinals' postseason roster.
So for the first time in a long time, Benes came into Spring Training having to win a job on the starting staff –- a tough task considering Matt Morris, Darryl Kile and Woody Williams were already considered locks, and Benes would be competing with Bud Smith, Garrett Stephenson and Rick Ankiel for one of the final two spots.
Much of Benes' troubles last season can be traced to irritation in his knee that befitted offseason of rehab and strengthening.
"The knee feels great," said Benes. "There's no irritation and now I don't even have to think about it. "It's nice to know I have that behind me. This winter went a long way toward getting the knee to where it needed to be for me to compete.
"Last year, I felt like I was trying to rehab it and try and throw. Now it's just a matter of going out on the mound and executing all my pitches."
Benes has been doing just that spring and the results have been very encouraging.
Monday's outing was the third consecutive game Benes came in relief of Kile and in those three appearances Benes has allowed just three runs in 13 innings for a 2.08 ERA. In six outings this spring, Benes has yet to allow more than two runs in any one appearance. He has gone four or more innings in his past four games and for the spring has an impressive 1.96 ERA.
Benes did some other things in the offseason to make sure he was in the best possible position to win a spot in the rotation. "I was ready to pitch the day I got to camp," said Benes. "I threw a lot more this winter and threw a lot more off the mound and because of that I felt like I was a lot more ready.
"I wanted show and at least let (the coaching staff) see that I had worked hard this winter and that I was ready to pitch and compete and have the opportunity to win a starting spot."
Benes' role could be as a starter or what it has been in recent weeks –- Kile's shadow out of the bullpen.
"If you have a good spring, you try and use that as momentum, said Benes. "And if you have a bad spring then you say it doesn't count."
Benes says he hasn't had too many good springs in his career but with less than week to go, he's probably counting this and considering the position he was in coming into camp, it could the spring of his career that counts the most.
KILE IN COMMAND
Monday's start was Kile's third start of the spring. In his last start against the Twins on March 20 at Ft. Myers, he allowed five runs on eight hits and a walk in two innings.
So what was the difference between that start and Monday when he went four scoreless innings?
According to manager Tony La Russa just one word: Location.
"He was throwing his pitches for strikes, simple as that," said La Russa. "Darryl Kile is a big part of our ball club so this was a great day for the St. Louis Cardinals."
Kile met the Cardinals goal of about a 60-pitch count in this game. He'll get one more start in Memphis Saturday, March 30 and if the Cardinals believe his arm strength is where it needs to be then he could he could open the season with St. Louis as opposed to making a rehab start in the minors.
Jared Hoffman covers the Cardinals for MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.