Kris Benson #34

Graduated from Sprayberry HS in Marietta, GA...Attended Clemson University, where he ranks third all-time in school history with 330 regular season strikeouts...Posted a 29-8 record with a 2.90 ERA and 356 strikeouts in 319.2 IP in 50 games (47 starts) during his three-year collegiate career...Ranks fifth in wins, fourth in innings pitched, strikeouts, K/9IP (10.02) and W/9IP (2.22)...Is first in strikeouts per walks ratio (4.51)...Won 15 straight regular season games at Clemson from May 1995 into the 1996 season...In '96, his junior year, was 14-2 with a 2.02 ERA in 19 starts, with 7 complete games (156.0IP, 109H, 47R/35ER, 27BB, 207K)...Was fourth in the country with 14 wins and set a single-season school record for innings pitched...Tied the single-season Clemson records for starts and shutouts and was tied for second in wins...His 178 strikeouts were the third-best total in school history...Struck out 17 batters vs. Virginia Tech on 3/10/96...Was 14-0 and led the nation with a 1.40 ERA during the regular season...Was named *Baseball America*'s College Player of the Year in 1996, joining former Oriole Ben McDonald of LSU as the only pitchers to ever win the award...Also was named College Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball...Received the Dick Howser Award, given to the nation's most outstanding collegiate baseball player who shows leadership on the field, moral character and courage...Also won the Smith Award...Was the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and the Atlantic Coast Conference Athlete of the Year...Was named first team All-America by ABCA, NCBWA, Baseball America and The Sporting News...Was first team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection and a NCAA first team All-District...Was a six-time Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week winner and recipient of the Mitchell Award as Clemson's MVP...Was one of the finalists for the 1996 Golden Spikes Award, won by Travis Lee...Was a member of the 1996 United States Olympic Team...Went undefeated during the 31-game, pre-Olympic tour, won twice in the Olympic round-robin tournament, but lost to Japan, 11-2, in the medal round (US won the bronze medal)...Signed by Pirates scout George Swain...Married, wife's name is Anna...Has a step-daughter Alyssa (6/1/93); daughter Haylee (2/14/01) and son P.J. (1/18/97)...Kris and Anna founded "Benson's Battalion" following the 9/11 attack, which provides financial, educational and other assistance to police organizations, fire departments and other public service groups...Among their other their donations was a $350,000 gift in November 2004 to the New York Police Deptartment to purchase needed equipment...In conjunction with Tuesday's Children, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to the over 3,000 children who lost a parent on 9/11, the Bensons formed the Head Start program, to help the youngest children affected...Kris was honored in January 2006 by the New Jersey Sports Writers Association as "Sports Humanitarian of the Year" and by the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers of America with the Joan Payson Award for his community efforts...On January 30, 2006, he was presented the "Thurman Munson Award" in New York, in recognition of both his athletics and community efforts...Serves on the Board of Trustees at LaRoche College in Atlanta.

2006

Reached double figures in wins for the fourth time in eight big-league seasons...Was one win shy of matching his career high of 12 victories set in 2004 with the Pirates and Mets...Finished 2nd on Orioles staff behind Erik Bedard in wins and starts and was 3rd in innings pitched...Also had the 3rd lowest ERA among starters, but had the 10th highest ERA in the league (4.82) among qualifying starters...Tied for 3rd in the American League with a career-high 3 complete games, but was on the losing end of two of them...Had 18 "Quality Starts" (6 or more innings pitched, 3 or fewer earned runs allowed)...Had 11 in 19 starts before the All-Star break and 7 in 11 starts after the break...Allowed 3 runs or less in 19 of his 30 starts and 2 earned runs or fewer in 14 outings...Allowed 2 runs or less while pitching at least 7.0 innings on 12 occasions but went just 6-3 with 3 no-decisions in those outings...Was 4th in the AL in home runs allowed (33) and 2nd in HR/9IP (1.62), and opponents had a .486 slugging percentage, 5th highest in the league...Allowed the most sacrifice bunts (9) and sacrifice flies (13) among AL pitchers...Lost in his Orioles debut, 2-0 on April 6 vs. Tampa Bay, despite allowing only 2 runs in 7.0 innings...Earned his first win in his next start on April 11 at Tampa Bay, again allowing 2 runs in 7.0 innings...Allowed a career-high 9 runs in 4.1 innings and took the loss on May 7 at Boston...Failed to last 5.0 innings in 5 starts and allowed at least 6 runs in each of those games, but allowed as many as 5 runs in only one other start all year...Won the first-ever regular season meeting between the Orioles and the Washington Nationals...Hurled a 5-hit complete game victory on May 19 at Washington, winning 5-1...Allowed 11 runs (10 earned) over 7.1 innings in his next 2 starts, May 24 at Seattle and May 28 at Los Angeles...Worked only 2.0 innings at Seattle, the 2nd shortest start of his career...Had a pair of 3 game winning streaks in the first half...Lost a season-high 4 straight games July 2-19, the losses coming in consecutive starts...Had 9 victories at the All-Star break and, with Erik Bedard, became the first pair of Orioles pitchers with at least 9 wins in the first half since Jimmy Key (12), Scott Erickson (11) and Mike Mussina (10) did it in 1997...Was 9-5 with a 4.21 ERA after beating Philadelphia on June 28...Won 3 games and pitched at least 31.0 innings in each of the first three months of the season...From July through September, won only two more games and did not pitch more than 29.0 innings in a single month...Lost 4 straight starts and was winless in 6 outings between June 28 and his win vs. Toronto on August 18...Won only one of 6 starts after that...Opened the second half with his second complete game on July 14 vs. Texas, but lost, 2-1...Was placed on the disabled list on August 4, retroactive to July 26, with tendinitis in his right elbow...Went 0-4 with a 6.52 ERA (29.0IP, 40H, 21ER) in his last 5 starts before going on the DL.

2005

Benson went 10-8 in his first full season with the Mets. He didn't make his first start until May 5 because of a muscle pull suffered in the final week in Spring Training. That said, Benson nonetheless had a 9-4 record and 3.49 ERA on Aug. 16 after beating the Pirates, the club that traded him to the Mets in 2004. He then was winless with four losses in a seven-start sequence that produced a 6.30 ERA. He pitched well enough to win two of those seven starts, but was allowed at least five runs in three others without completing the seventh inning.

2004

Allowed one run or less in three of his last five starts (nine earned runs in 33.0 innings/2.45 ERA)...Also had 31 strikeouts and opponents batted .197 against him during that span...Notched 27 strikeouts in his last four starts (27.0 innings)...Is 13-4 with a 2.71 ERA (52 earned runs in 173.0 innings) all-time vs. National League East opponents...Earned Sharp Pitcher of the Month honors for September...Went 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA (seven earned runs in 28.0 innings) with two walks and 25 strikeouts that month...Won four of his last six decisions (dating back to August 13th)...Pitched 6.0 innings or more in 24 of his 31 starts...Allowed three earned runs or less in 19 of his 31 starts...Reached the 200-inning plateau for the second time in his career in his final start on October 1st vs. Montreal...Finished with 200.1 innings...Worked 217.2 innings in 2000 with Pittsburgh...Hurled his second career complete-game shutout in a 7-0 victory on September 14th vs. Atlanta...Allowed four hits, no walks with seven strikeouts in that contest...The four-hitter was a career-low...His previous best was the six hits he allowed on June 15, 2000, with the Pirates vs. Atlanta...It was also his fifth career complete-game and first since June 15, 2000...Had a career-high 18.0 innings scoreless streak from September 9th-September 19th...His previous career-best was a 16.0 scoreless innings streak from June 10-June 20, 2000...The scoreless span was also a club season-high...Made his first start since August 29th on September 9th at Florida...Hurled 6.0 scoreless innings in a 4-0 triumph...Allowed five hits, one walk and four strikeouts...Missed his previous start due to a tired right shoulder...Earned his first victory as a member of the New York Mets in a 10-6 win over the Diamondbacks at Shea Stadium on August 13th...Did not factor into the decision in a 2-1 loss to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium on August 7th...Tossed 7.0 innings, permitting four hits, one run, earned, with one walk and five strikeouts...Made his first start as a member of the New York Mets on July 31st...Suffered the loss in an 8-0 setback at Atlanta...Acquired by the Mets along with infielder Jeff Keppinger from the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 30th in exchange for infielder Ty Wigginton, minor league righthanded pitchers Matt Peterson and Joselo Diaz and infielder Jose Bautista (who was acquired from Kansas City for minor league catcher Justin Huber)...Over the month of July, he went 3-2 with a 3.92 ERA (18 earned runs, 41.1 innings pitched) over seven starts...He walked seven batters and struck out 23 in that span...Did not yield a home run over a span of 10 consecutive starts from June 5th-July 26th...Hurled 78.1 innings without permitting a home run...Finished tied for third in the National League with 15 sacrifices...Collected a RBI single on August 19th in game one of a doubleheader at Colorado.

2003

Had third consecutive season shortened by injuries...Went 1-6 with a 4.92 ERA (60.1ip/33er) in 10 starts @PNC Park, winning for the only time on 5/10 vs. Arizona...Received his first Opening Day assignment and earned the win on 3/31 @Cincinnati in the inaugural game @Great American Ball Park...Tossed 7.0 scoreless frames in his second start in Pittsburgh's 2-0 win in the club's last game @Veterans Stadium...Was the recipient of the first-ever Player-of-the-Week award handed out by ESPN's Baseball Tonight after going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in his first two starts...Received zero runs of support and suffered the loss on 4/12 @Chicago (NL), his first loss since 8/4/02 (he had won seven straight decisions between losses)...Allowed four 1st-inning runs and lost a 7-2 decision to Chicago's Matt Clement @PNC Park on 4/18...Lost his third straight start after yielding all three runs in the 3rd inning in a 3-1 loss to San Francisco's Damian Moss on 4/24 @PNC Park...Pitched into the 7th inning in four straight starts from 4/6-24 (the offense scored just two runs in those 28.0 innings with him on the mound)...Snapped a personal three-game losing streak with his win on 4/30 @San Diego...Lasted just 2.1 innings and allowed six runs and eight hits while dropping an 8-1 decision to Wade Miller @Houston on 5/5...Bounced back in his next outing by winning a 5-4 decision vs. Arizona on 5/10 (8.0ip+/2er)...Worked 8.0 innings and allowed two runs, but did not factor in the decision in Pittsburgh's 3-2 loss vs. Chicago (NL) on 5/22...Won a 9-4 decision (7.2ip/7h/4r) over Matt Clement @Wrigley Field on 5/27...Gave up a total of 16 runs in back-to-back starts on 6/4 (game one) and 6/10 while enduring losses vs. Boston and @Toronto...Surrendered three home runs for the third time in his career on 6/10 @Toronto (also on 8/4/02 and 4/11/00)...Skipped his start in the rotation on 6/15 due to right shoulder irritation...Allowed five runs in 5.0 innings of work but received a no-decision in Pittsburgh's 7-6, 15-inning win vs. Cleveland on 6/21...Lost his third straight decision on 6/28 vs. Colorado after allowing five runs (one earned) in 5-4 loss...Went 0-1 with a 1.59 ERA (17.0ip/3er) in three starts from 6/28 thru 7/9...Gave up a grand slam to John Vander Wal and pitched a career-low 2.0 innings in final start; a 7-5 setback vs. Milwaukee on 7/17 (2.0ip/3h/6r/5er/)...Was placed on the 15-day disabled list on 7/18 with right shoulder tendinitis and was transferred to the 60-day D.L. on 8/8...The Pirates went 7-11 in his 18 starts...Went 0-for-30 at the plate with two runs scored.

2002

Began season on the 15-day disabled list after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow on 5/22/01...Went 1-2 with a 1.46 ERA (24.2ip/4er) in five minor league rehab starts, holding opponents to a .155 batting average (13-for-84) and averaging 11.7 strikeouts per 9.0ip (24.2ip/32so)...Struck out 10 batters in his second rehab start with Nashville (AAA) on 4/10 vs. Fresno (4.2ip/1h/1er)...Won his lone start with Altoona (AA) on 5/7 @Reading...Was recalled from his rehab assignment on 5/8 and reinstated from the D.L. on 5/13...Made first big-league appearance since 10/1/00 on 5/13 and lost an 11-0 decision to Curt Schilling and the Diamondbacks @PNC Park (3.2ip/10h/9r/7er)...Posted a no-decision in his second start on 5/18 @Houston and then lost his next three decisions (six starts) thru 6/20...Opponents batted .400 (32-for-80) against him in his first four starts...Earned the victory on 6/25 vs. Montreal, his first win in the majors since 9/26/00 vs. Houston...Was victorious again his next start on 6/30 @Detroit...Surrendered just two earned runs over three starts from 6/25 thru 7/5 (17.2ip - 1.02 ERA)...Failed to strike out a batter in a start for the first time in his career on 7/15 @Houston (74 previous starts)...Won his third straight decision on 7/20 vs. St. Louis...Went 3-0 with a 2.28 ERA (27.2ip/7er) in a five-start span from 6/25 thru 7/20...Allowed eight runs on nine hits on 7/25 @Houston, his first loss since 6/20...Had allowed just three earned runs in his previous four starts @PNC Park (24.0ip - 1.13 ERA) before being charged with a total of 12 earned runs in a 10-5 loss on 8/4 vs. San Francisco (5.1ip/7er) and in a no-decision vs. St. Louis on 8/15 (6.0ip/5er)...Served up three home runs for the second time in his career on 8/4 (also on 4/11/00 vs. Montreal)...Held St. Louis to just one hit (Kerry Robinson 1st-inning single) in 7.0 scoreless innings on 8/20 @Busch Stadium; allowed just one other baserunner (Scott Rolen's walk in the 2nd) and retired the final 17 batters he faced...Did not issue a walk on 8/25 @Milwaukee - his first "non-walk" start since 4/22/00 @Atlanta (a span of 48 starts)...Extended his career-high winning streak to five games with a victory in his final start on 9/22 vs. Chicago (NL)...Went 5-0 with a 2.25 ERA (40.0ip/10er) in his final seven starts and did not allow more than three earned runs during that span...Hurled at least 5.0 innings in each of his final 11 starts...Posted a 1.72 ERA (57.2ip/11er) in his nine wins compared to a 14.47 ERA in his six losses (23.0ip/37er)...Went 0-4 with a 7.79 ERA (34.2ip/30er) in his first eight starts and 9-2 with a 3.57 ERA (95.2ip/38er) in his last 17...Reached the 100-pitch plateau only once in 25 starts (6/2 @St. Louis - 5.2ip)...The Pirates went 14-11 in his 25 starts...Went 7-for-40 (.175) with a double and an RBI at the plate...Knocked in a run with a single off St. Louis' Travis Smith on 7/20 @PNC Park, his first RBI since 6/15/00 vs. Atlanta...Collected his second career two-hit game on 8/20 @St. Louis (also on 9/10/99 @St. Louis)...Flied out as a pinch hitter on 8/23 @Milwaukee and struck out in a pinch-hitting appearance on 8/29 vs. Atlanta.

Notes: (thru 2002)

CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Pirates' 1st round selection (1st overall) in 1996 June free agent draft

ML SERVICE: 4 years

CONTRACT: Signed thru 2004

LOW-HIT GAME: SIX-HITTER (2), 6/15/00 vs. Atlanta & 7/27/99 at New York.

MOST STRIKEOUTS/GAME: 11 K's (3 times), 7/19/00 at Milwaukee, 5/30/00 vs. Florida & 5/19/00 vs. St. Louis.

SHUTOUTS: (1), 6/15/00 vs. Atlanta.

MOST INNINGS PITCHED: 9.0 IP (5 times), last on 7/25/00 vs. Milwaukee.

LONGEST WINNING STREAK: 5 games (8/20 to 9/22/02).

LONGEST LOSING STREAK: 5 games, twice (7/14 to 8/21/00 and 8/14 to 9/10/99).

Baseball America's and Collegiate Baseball's College Player-of-the-Year in 1996.

Member of 1996 U.S. Olympic team (bronze medal winner).

His three-year minor league totals include a 17-19 record and a 4.43 ERA (308.2ip/152er) in 57 games (all starts)

Is the second overall #1 draft pick signed by the Pirates (also Jeff King in 1986).

Won 15 straight regular season games while pitching with Clemson between May of 1995 and the end of the 1996 season.

Posted a 29-8 record, 356 strikeouts and a 2.90 ERA (319.2ip/103er) in 50 games (47 starts) during his three-year collegiate career.

Was named Baseball America's College Player-of-the-Year, joining 1989 winner Ben McDonald of LSU as the only pitchers to ever win the award

Was named College Player-of-the-Year by Collegiate Baseball

Was a first team All-American at Clemson University, Atlantic Coast Conference Player-of-the-Year and a first-team All-ACC selection

Received the Dick Howser Award, an award given to the nation's most outstanding collegiate baseball player who shows leadership on the field, moral character and courage - the qualities that were exemplified in Dick Howser's life.

Went undefeated during the 31-game pre-Olympic tour, won twice in the Olympic round-robin tournament, but lost to Japan, 11-2, in the medal round (US won bronze medal).

Combined to pitch 210.2 innings with Clemson and the U.S.

Was one of nine finalists for the 1996 Golden Spikes Award (Travis Lee won award).

2001

Missed entire season with right elbow problems...Agreed to terms on a four-year contract extension on 3/8...Began year on 15-day disabled list with a right elbow sprain...Underwent reconstructive surgery on the elbow on 5/22 (surgery performed by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, AL)...Was transferred to 60-day disabled list on 6/15...Was reinstated on 11/7.

2000

Spent second straight season with Pittsburgh ... Led club in ERA, starts, complete games, innings pitched and losses ... Ranked sixth among National League pitchers with a 2.78 ERA at home ... Went 8-6 with a 3.05 ERA in his first 18 starts thru 7/8 (129.2ip/44er), but just 2-6 with a 5.01 ERA in his final 14 (88.0ip/49er) ... Went 0-3 with a 5.96 ERA (22.2ip/15er) in his first four starts ... Pitched career-low 2.2 innings in a no decision vs. New York on 4/16 ... Picked up first win of the season in fifth start on 4/28 vs. Cincinnati ... Surrendered seven home runs in five starts during April ... Won three of first four starts in May ... Tossed first of two complete games and struck out career-high 11 batters in 13-1 win vs. St. Louis on 5/19 ... Also whiffed 11 batters two outings later in no decision vs. Florida on 5/30 ... Threw first career shutout in 2-0 win vs. Atlanta on 6/15 ... Lost five straight decisions between 7/14 and 8/21 ... Left game after 6.0 innings on 7/30 vs. San Diego, but received a no decision after bullpen surrendered six runs in 9-8 loss ... Was also in line to earn win two outings later before Pirates lost in 9th inning @ Colorado on 8/9 (rightfielder Alex Ramirez missed Juan Pierre's fly ball which allowed two runs to score in 4-3 loss) ... Snapped losing streak with 8.0 innings of one-hit ball in an 8-0 win vs. San Francisco on 8/29 (only hit was a first-inning single by Barry Bonds). ... Picked up final win of season on 9/26 vs. Houston ... Started final baseball game @ Three Rivers Stadium on 10/1 vs. Chicago (NL) ... The Pirates went 13-19 in his 32 starts ... The Bucs were shut out in three of his starts and scored three or fewer runs in 16 of his 32 starts ... Allowed 13 1st-inning runs ... Posted a 1-8 record in 12 starts on grass ... Went 6-for-65 (.092) at the plate with two doubles and an RBI ... Tied Bronson Arroyo and Todd Ritchie for team lead among pitchers with two doubles ... Collected lone RBI with a single off Kevin Millwood on 6/15.

1999

Led all National League rookie pitchers in ERA, innings pitched and strikeouts ... Shared league lead in starts among rookies with San Diego's Matt Clement ... His 139 K's fell three shy of club rookie record set by Cy Blanton in 1935 ... Ranked second on staff in strikeouts and innings pitched (Jason Schmidt led both categories) ... Was with club entire season, but was not a member of the Opening Day roster ... Was officially added to the Pirates' roster on 4/9 ... Made Major League debut that night vs. Chicago (NL) and defeated Scott Sanders, 2-1, @ Three Rivers (did not return after a 1:05 rain delay which occurred in the 6th inning) ... Became just the second #1 overall selection to win his first start in the majors (also David Clyde with the Rangers on 6/27/73) ... Picked up first big-league hit and RBI with a two-run double off Kent Mercker on 4/14 vs. St. Louis ... Combined (6.2ip) with Scott Sauerbeck and Mike Williams on a 7-0 shutout @ St. Louis on 5/8 ... Went 3-1 with a 3.28 ERA in five starts during the month of May ... Struck out career-high eight batters, and tossed career-high 9.0 innings, in a no-decision on 6/28 vs. Philadelphia. ... Recorded first Major League complete game on 7/27 @ New York ... Won season-high three straight decisions between 7/27 and 8/8 ... Tossed second complete game, but lost a 1-0 decision @ Cincinnati on 8/19 (Sean Casey hit a solo homer in the bottom of the 8th) ... Also matched career best with eight whiffs in the game on 8/19. ... Went 2-3 in August, but posted a 2.20 ERA (41.0ip/10er) ... Walked seven batters in a 9-2 loss to San Francisco on 9/4 ... Lost season-high five consecutive decisions between 8/14 and 9/10 ... Won final game on 9/15 @ Arizona ... Lost six of his last seven decisions ... Went 10-for-65 (.154) at the plate with three doubles and a team-leading seven RBI ... Held opponents to a .249 batting average - the ninth-best mark in the National League ... The Pirates went 14-17 in his 31 starts.

1998...
Spent entire season with Nashville (AAA) ... Led club in starts, innings pitched and strikeouts ... Tied for second among Pacific Coast League pitchers in starts and home runs allowed (26) ... Notched first Triple-A victory in second start on 4/14 vs. Colorado Springs ... Lost his next four decisions ... Surrendered nine earned runs in 1.2 innings of work on 5/15 @ Salt Lake ... Rebounded in his next start on 6/6 vs. Oklahoma; striking out 10 and allowing just one hit and one run in 7.0 innings of work ... Garnered Player-of-the-Week honors for the week of 6/1-7 ... Went 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA (20.2ip/4er) in a three-start span between 6/6-18 ... Tossed three-hit shutout on 6/28 @ Oklahoma. ... Received just one decision (a loss on 7/20) in his next seven trips to the mound ... Surrendered just two hits and one run in 8.0 innings of work on 8/15 vs. Vancouver and was named co-Player-of-the-Week for the week ending 8/16 ... Lost two of his last three starts ... Went 6-6 with a 5.31 ERA (81.1ip/48er) in his first 15 starts thru June and 2-4 with a 5.42 ERA (74.2ip/45er) in his final 13 starts.

1997...
Split first professional season between Lynchburg (A) and Carolina (AA) and went a combined 8-7 with a 3.87 ERA (128.0ip/55er) and 138 strikeouts in 24 starts with the two clubs ... Was named to both the Carolina League and Southern League mid-season All-Star teams. ... Allowed just one hit, and struck out 10 batters, in first professional start on 4/4 @ Winston-Salem (6.0ip) ... Did not surrender an earned run in his first three starts (17.0ip) ... Picked up first win on 4/15 @ Frederick ... Was charged with five earned runs in 5.0 innings of work, and suffered first loss, on 4/20 @ Wilmington ... Struck out nine batters in three straight starts between 4/25 and 5/6 ... Tossed 8.0 innings and allowed just one hit on 5/6 vs. Wilmington ... Won his last four starts with Lynchburg ... Averaged 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings with the Hillcats and surrendered just one home run (5/11 @ Durham - Adam Johnson) ... Was promoted to Carolina on 5/24, but went on D.L. with strained left hamstring the following day ... Was reinstated and made first Double-A start on 6/3 (2.0ip/0r) ... Surrendered just one run in 7.0 IP and picked up win on 6/8 @ Huntsville ... Lost back-to-back starts on 6/14 and 6/19 ... Was charged with nine earned runs (four homers) in 4.1 innings of work on 7/1 vs. Knoxville and failed to make it out of the 1st inning in his next start on 7/6 @ Huntsville (0.2ip/5er) ... Struck out 10 batters and allowed just one run on 7/26 @ Memphis (last victory) ... Went 0-1 with a 3.91 ERA in his last five starts ... Also whiffed 10 in final start - 8/30 vs. Orlando ... Went 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA in five home starts with Lynchburg, but 0-4 with a 7.26 ERA in seven home starts with Carolina.

1996...
Was named Baseball America's College Player-of-the-Year, joining 1989 winner Ben McDonald of LSU as the only pitchers to win the award ... Was also named College Player-of-the-Year by Collegiate Baseball ... Was a first team All-American at Clemson University, Atlantic Coast Conference Player-of-the-Year and a first team All-ACC selection ... Received the Dick Howser Award, and award given to the nation's most outstanding collegiate baseball player who shows leadership on the field, moral character and courage - the qualities that were exemplified in Dick Howser's life ... Posted a 14-0 record and led the nation with a 1.40 ERA during the regular season ... His win total ranked third in the country ... His 178 strikeouts in the regular season rank third-best in school history ... Struck out 26 batters and walked none in his first 20.1 innings of work ... Struck out 10 or more batters in nine of his 17 regular season starts ... Whiffed a season-high 17 batters on 3/10 vs. Virginia Tech ... Recorded 121 K's and only nine walks at home ... Tied the Clemson single-season record for shutouts ... Lost twice to Miami (FL) in the College World Series ... Was a member of the US Olympic team ... Went undefeated during the 31-game pre-Olympic tour, won twice in the Olympic round-robin tournament, but lost to Japan, 11-2, in the medal round (US won bronze medal) ... .Combined to pitch 210.2 innings with Clemson and the US Team ... Was one of nine finalists for the Golden Spikes Award (Travis Lee won award).

1998

Spent entire season with Nashville (AAA) ... Led club in starts, innings pitched and strikeouts ... Tied for second among Pacific Coast League pitchers in starts and home runs allowed (26) ... Notched first Triple-A victory in second start on 4/14 vs. Colorado Springs ... Lost his next four decisions ... Surrendered nine earned runs in 1.2 innings of work on 5/15 @ Salt Lake ... Rebounded in his next start on 6/6 vs. Oklahoma; striking out 10 and allowing just one hit and one run in 7.0 innings of work ... Garnered Player-of-the-Week honors for the week of 6/1-7 ... Went 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA (20.2ip/4er) in a three-start span between 6/6-18 ... Tossed three-hit shutout on 6/28 @ Oklahoma. ... Received just one decision (a loss on 7/20) in his next seven trips to the mound ... Surrendered just two hits and one run in 8.0 innings of work on 8/15 vs. Vancouver and was named co-Player-of-the-Week for the week ending 8/16 ... Lost two of his last three starts ... Went 6-6 with a 5.31 ERA (81.1ip/48er) in his first 15 starts thru June and 2-4 with a 5.42 ERA (74.2ip/45er) in his final 13 starts.

1997

Split first professional season between Lynchburg (A) and Carolina (AA) and went a combined 8-7 with a 3.87 ERA (128.0ip/55er) and 138 strikeouts in 24 starts with the two clubs ... Was named to both the Carolina League and Southern League mid-season All-Star teams. ... Allowed just one hit, and struck out 10 batters, in first professional start on 4/4 @ Winston-Salem (6.0ip) ... Did not surrender an earned run in his first three starts (17.0ip) ... Picked up first win on 4/15 @ Frederick ... Was charged with five earned runs in 5.0 innings of work, and suffered first loss, on 4/20 @ Wilmington ... Struck out nine batters in three straight starts between 4/25 and 5/6 ... Tossed 8.0 innings and allowed just one hit on 5/6 vs. Wilmington ... Won his last four starts with Lynchburg ... Averaged 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings with the Hillcats and surrendered just one home run (5/11 @ Durham - Adam Johnson) ... Was promoted to Carolina on 5/24, but went on D.L. with strained left hamstring the following day ... Was reinstated and made first Double-A start on 6/3 (2.0ip/0r) ... Surrendered just one run in 7.0 IP and picked up win on 6/8 @ Huntsville ... Lost back-to-back starts on 6/14 and 6/19 ... Was charged with nine earned runs (four homers) in 4.1 innings of work on 7/1 vs. Knoxville and failed to make it out of the 1st inning in his next start on 7/6 @ Huntsville (0.2ip/5er) ... Struck out 10 batters and allowed just one run on 7/26 @ Memphis (last victory) ... Went 0-1 with a 3.91 ERA in his last five starts ... Also whiffed 10 in final start - 8/30 vs. Orlando ... Went 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA in five home starts with Lynchburg, but 0-4 with a 7.26 ERA in seven home starts with Carolina.

1996

Was named Baseball America's College Player-of-the-Year, joining 1989 winner Ben McDonald of LSU as the only pitchers to win the award ... Was also named College Player-of-the-Year by Collegiate Baseball ... Was a first team All-American at Clemson University, Atlantic Coast Conference Player-of-the-Year and a first team All-ACC selection ... Received the Dick Howser Award, and award given to the nation's most outstanding collegiate baseball player who shows leadership on the field, moral character and courage - the qualities that were exemplified in Dick Howser's life ... Posted a 14-0 record and led the nation with a 1.40 ERA during the regular season ... His win total ranked third in the country ... His 178 strikeouts in the regular season rank third-best in school history ... Struck out 26 batters and walked none in his first 20.1 innings of work ... Struck out 10 or more batters in nine of his 17 regular season starts ... Whiffed a season-high 17 batters on 3/10 vs. Virginia Tech ... Recorded 121 K's and only nine walks at home ... Tied the Clemson single-season record for shutouts ... Lost twice to Miami (FL) in the College World Series ... Was a member of the US Olympic team ... Went undefeated during the 31-game pre-Olympic tour, won twice in the Olympic round-robin tournament, but lost to Japan, 11-2, in the medal round (US won bronze medal) ... .Combined to pitch 210.2 innings with Clemson and the US Team ... Was one of nine finalists for the Golden Spikes Award (Travis Lee won award).