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Is Kris Benson Worth The Flier?

The Phillies are reportedly deeply interested in Kris Benson. Scout Chuck LaMar has met with Benson twice in the last week, according to a Jim Salisbury article in the Inquirer.

Benson is a career 68-73 pitcher with a 4.34 ERA. His first winning season came in 2005 with the Mets, going 10-8.

Would Benson be a good fit for the Phillies?

Benson is 33; a good one-year deal with incentives and a possible second-year option sounds right. His statistics show he’s always been a consistent No. 4 starter, carrying no more than a 4.97 ERA (in an 18-start season) and no less than a 3.85 ERA (in his second season).

In fact, his last five seasons show:
2006 – 4.82 ERA
2005 – 4.13 ERA
2004 – 4.31 ERA
2003 – 4.22 ERA
2002 – 4.50 ERA

You know what you’re getting. For the most part, Benson is a ground ball pitcher, though 2006 saw him giving up 33 homers and carrying a close to even 1.09 G/F ratio. He only had one start at Citizens Bank, and gave up four earned runs in six innings. Too small a sample.

Interestingly, when he wins, he’s really good (2.15 ERA) and when he loses, well … (7.94 ERA). He seems to also pitch in stretches. He’ll be on for a couple starts, then off for a couple.

Basically, Kris Benson is a younger Jon Lieber. Which wouldn’t be bad to own for a season, maybe two. While Carlos Carrasco and Josh Outman move up slowly, we can throw Benson out there to the tune of a 4.87 ERA, and chances are we’ll be better off than with a green rookie or â€” gulp â€” Mr. Eaton.

Take the flier on Benson. Have him battle with the boys at the bottom. Stock ’em up.

Tim Malcolm

Tim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.