When the Phillies signed Kris Benson to a minor league contract this past February hopes were he’d be recovered from his rotator cuff surgery by May and be able to pitch for Philadelphia by June. Well do to various setbacks, Benson was never able to get healthy enough to pitch for the Phillies and spent the season in the minor leagues wondering when he would get the call.
That call’s never going to come as the Phillies gave Benson his release yesterday.
This season Benson was a combine 1-6 with a 5.78 ERA for the Clearwater Threshers and Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. Not exactly what the Phillies were hoping form the former #1 pick. In Benson’s defense, he wasn’t that bad of a pitcher. He did have five quality starts in his last eight outings.
This move has more to do with the Phillies not wanting to add Benson to the 40-man roster for tomorrow’s expansion. With the rotation set for the remainder …
1) San Diego: Last years record: 11-5: Nagging injuries, a slow start, and the Patriots derailed their season at the beginning and the end of the year. A healthier, more experienced (read: less of a dumb ass) Phillip Rivers, Antonio Gates, a rock hard and opportunistic defense, and some guy named Ladainian Tomlinson will lead them to the Super Bowl this year. Prediction: 14-2
2) Jacksonville: Last years record: 11-5: This team is poised, but without a better passing game, they will fall short again. Prediction: 13-3
3) Dallas: Last years record: 13-3: Explosive offense, dynamic D… Wade Phillips as coach, and Tony Romo still running around like a goofball. Yeah, they’ll choke. Prediction: 12-4
4) New England: Last years record: 16-0: Getting old? Yes. Still good? Very. They got embarrassed and choked last year. They won’t win it this year, but they will show up when the ball is kicked in the air for the first time. Prediction: 12-4
5) Indianapolis: Last years record: 13-3: As long as Peyton …
My apologies to all my thousands of loyal readers. I recently moved to Connecticut (I think that’s how you spell it), and the Internet/ Phone/ Cable service… not unlike the cross bread of Boston/New York inhabitants… truly sucks butt. But I digress… back to the weekly articles. As a refresher, this column is devoted to those who’ve come and gone through the Philadelphia scene, not so much like shooting stars, but more like wet matches in a wind storm that catch a little spark before they flame out and you toss them aside. Players like… Bo Diaz!
Born as Baudillo Jose Diaz Seijas in 1953, Diaz was a very promising young catching prospect, but had a very tough time getting to the show, finally stepping foot in the Fenway Dugout for the first time with the Boston Red Sox in 1977. Shortly thereafter, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians, where he became an All-Star for the first time in 1981.
The following season he was traded to …
