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Kris Benson
Kristin James Benson (born November 7, 1974) is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher who played for several teams between 1999 and 2010. A highly touted prospect, Benson was drafted first overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1996. He followed a strong rookie season in 1999 with an even stronger season in 2000, but those would prove to be the two best seasons of his career, as he underwent Tommy John surgery after the 2000 season. He posted three more good seasons from 2004 to 2006 with the Pirates, the New York Mets, and the Baltimore Orioles, but then underwent rotator cuff surgery, after which he was never again an effective Major League pitcher. Benson is also known for his marriage to Anna Benson. Now married to Misty Blalock, ex-wife of his former teammate of Hank Blalock. High school Benson was born in Superior, Wisconsin. His parents were baseball fans who chose names for each of their children that began with "K," a nod to the letter used as the scor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the pitcher is assigned the number 1. The pitcher is often considered the most important player on the defensive side of the game, and as such is situated at the right end of the defensive spectrum. There are many different types of pitchers, such as the starting pitcher, relief pitcher, middle reliever, lefty specialist, setup man, and the closer. Traditionally, the pitcher also bats. Starting in 1973 with the American League(and later the National League) and spreading to further leagues throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the hitting duties of the pitcher have generally been given over to the position of designated hitter, a cause of some controversy. The Japanese Ce ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
List Of MLB First Overall Draft Choices
The first-year player draft, also known as the Rule 4 Draft, is the primary mechanism for assigning amateur baseball players from high schools, colleges, and other amateur baseball clubs to Major League Baseball (MLB) teams. Unlike most professional sports, MLB does not permit the trading of draft picks, so the draft order is solely determined by the previous season's standings; the team that possesses the worst record receives the first pick. If two teams have identical records, the team with the worse record in the previous season will receive the higher pick. In addition, teams that lost free agents in the previous off-season may be awarded "compensatory" picks. The first draft took place in 1965; it was introduced to prevent richer teams from negotiating wealthier contracts with top-level prospects and therefore, monopolizing the player market. Originally, three drafts were held each year. The first draft took place in June and involved high-school graduates and colleg ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Matthew LeCroy
Matthew Hanks LeCroy (born December 13, 1975) is an American former professional baseball catcher, first baseman, and designated hitter and current manager for the Rochester Red Wings. During his time in Major League Baseball (MLB), LeCroy had the distinction of being the active player with the most plate appearances without a stolen base in his career. Career LeCroy is a 1994 graduate of Belton-Honea Path High School in Honea Path, South Carolina and attended Clemson University to pursue a degree in elementary education. While at Clemson, he was named to the 1996 U.S. Olympic Baseball Team and helped the team to a bronze medal after losing to both Cuba (gold medal) and Japan (silver medal) before defeating Nicaragua in the bronze medal game. In 1997, he was drafted as a catcher in the first round (50th overall) of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Minnesota Twins. Although challenged defensively behind the plate, averaging double-digit passed balls while throwing out less t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Billy Koch
William Christopher Koch (born December 14, 1974) is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He was born in Rockville Centre, New York and went to West Babylon High School. He entered the majors with the Toronto Blue Jays and last pitched in the majors with the Florida Marlins in 2004. Baseball career Koch played college baseball for Clemson University from 1994 to 1996. He was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the first round (fourth pick) of the 1996 amateur draft and made his debut in 1999. He made an instant impression by regularly throwing 100 MPH pitches. Koch won a bronze medal with the United States national baseball team at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. He was groomed for the role of closer, and had mixed success at the role over the next three seasons. While he was regarded as one of the most dominating pitchers in the league when he was at his best, at times he battled with his control and composure on the mound. Nevertheless, he continued to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Clemson University
Clemson University () is a public land-grant research university in Clemson, South Carolina. Founded in 1889, Clemson is the second-largest university in the student population in South Carolina. For the fall 2019 semester, the university enrolled a total of 20,195 undergraduate students and 5,627 graduate students, and the student/faculty ratio was 18:1. Clemson's 1,400-acre campus is in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The campus now borders Lake Hartwell, which was formed by the dam completed in 1962. The university manages the nearby 17,500-acre Clemson Experimental Forest that is used for research, education, and recreation. Clemson University consists of seven colleges: Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences; Architecture, Arts and Humanities; The Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business; Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences; Education; Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences; and Science. '' U.S. News & World Report'' ranks Clemson University 77 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marlon Byrd
Marlon Jerrard Byrd (born August 30, 1977) is an American former professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Nationals, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds, and Cleveland Indians. High school career Byrd is a 1995 graduate of Sprayberry High School in Marietta, Georgia, and won All-State honors in baseball and football. He played on the 1993 state runner-up team as a sophomore, and was part of the 1995 state championship team. College career Byrd began his college baseball career at Georgia Tech. As a sophomore in 1996, after experiencing discomfort in his leg, Byrd was diagnosed with an infection in his tibialis anterior muscle, the largest muscle in the lower leg. After considering amputation, doctors chose to perform surgery to remove the muscle entirely. Between Thanksgiving in 1996 and January 1997, Byrd underwent a tota ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
MLB All-Star
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual professional baseball game sanctioned by Major League Baseball (MLB) and contested between the all-stars from the American League (AL) and National League (NL). Starting fielders are selected by fans, pitchers are selected by managers, and reserves are selected by players and managers. The game is usually played on the second or third Tuesday in July, and is meant to mark the symbolic halfway point of the MLB season (though not the mathematical halfway point, which, for most seasons, falls within the previous calendar week). Both leagues share an ''All-Star break'', with no regular-season games scheduled from the day before through two days after the All-Star Game, with the exception of a single Thursday night game starting in the 2018 season. Some additional events and festivities associated with the game take place each year close to and during this break in the regular season. N ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marietta, Georgia
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Cobb County, Georgia, United States. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 60,972. The 2019 estimate was 60,867, making it one of Atlanta's largest suburbs. Marietta is the fourth largest of the principal cities by population of the Atlanta metropolitan area. History Etymology The origin of the name is uncertain. It is believed that the city was named for Mary Cobb, the wife of the U.S. Senator and Superior Court judge Thomas Willis Cobb. The county is named for Cobb. Early settlers Homes were built by early settlers near the Cherokee town of Big Shanty (now Kennesaw) before 1824. The first plot was laid out in 1833. Like most towns, Marietta had a square (Marietta Square) in the center with a courthouse. The Georgia General Assembly legally recognized the community on December 19, 1834. Built in 1838, Oakton House is the oldest continuously occupied residence in Marietta. The original barn, milk house, smokehouse a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sprayberry High School
Sprayberry High School is a public high school located in northeastern Cobb County in Marietta, Georgia, United States, a north-northwestern suburb of metro Atlanta. It is a comprehensive senior high school (grades 9–12) with approximately 1700 students. It opened in 1952 and moved to its current location at 2525 Sandy Plains Road in 1973. Sprayberry is a microcosm of Cobb County in that it serves students from a variety of ethnic groups, religions, socio-economic levels, and academic abilities Middle schools feeding upcoming students into Sprayberry are McCleskey, Daniell, and Simpson in the Cobb County School District. The school's teams are called the Yellowjackets. History Sprayberry High School opened to students the day after Labor Day in 1952. It was founded in the building now occupied by The Walker School (a private school), on Cobb Parkway ( U.S. 41) at the north corner of Allgood Road. Sprayberry is now located on the west corner of Sandy Plains Road at Pi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is denoted by K in scorekeeping and statistics. A "strikeout looking" — in which the batter does not swing and the third strike is called by the umpire — is usually denoted by a ꓘ. Although a strikeout suggests that the pitcher dominated the batter, the free-swinging style that generates home runs also leaves batters susceptible to striking out. Some of the greatest home run hitters of all time—such as Alex Rodriguez, Reggie Jackson, and Jim Thome—were notorious for striking out. Rules and jargon A pitched ball is ruled a ''ball'' by the umpire if the batter did not swing at it and, in that umpire's judgement, it does not pass through the strike zone. Any pitch at which the batter swings unsuccessfully or, that in that umpire's j ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hank Blalock
Hank Joe Blalock (born November 21, 1980) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays. High school Blalock attended Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego, California. He was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 3rd round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft. Minor leagues Blalock broke into professional baseball with the Gulf Coast League Rangers of the Rookie League in 1999. Blalock ended 1999, and spent all of 2000 with the Low-A Savannah Sand Gnats. Blalock burst into the public's consciousness with a huge 2001 season. Splitting time between the Charlotte Rangers of the Florida State League and the Tulsa Drillers of the Texas League, Blalock put up huge offensive numbers and hit for the cycle twice in one week, establishing himself as one of the top prospects in the game. Blalock began the 2002 season as the Rangers' starting third baseman, but after a slow start was s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anna Benson
Anna Benson (née Adams; born February 12, 1976) is an American model, former stripper, and ex-wife of former Major League Baseball pitcher Kris Benson. Personal life Anna Benson was born in Mableton, outside of Atlanta, Georgia on February 12, 1976. Benson dropped out of school following her sophomore year of high school and left home when she was sixteen. About that time, she says, "I was a dancer in the Atlanta strip clubs. ..I had a baby and then a husband when I was seventeen"; they subsequently divorced. In 1996, Anna Benson (then Anna Warren) was charged with murder when 18-year-old Michael Evans was executed in her Tennessee apartment. Police found Benson's apartment covered in satanic anti-police graffiti, but Benson and her boyfriend had already fled in a stolen vehicle. The national manhunt for the suspects was featured on '' America's Most Wanted''. Witnesses said that Warren told her then boyfriend to "get rid of" Evans. The murder charges were eventually droppe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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