Pressure not a problem for Benson

03/05/2006
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Pressure is what you make of it, and Kris Benson has seen it all before.
He's not intimidated by the challenge of a new city and a new league any more than he was by the experience of being the first overall pick in the 1996 First-Year Player Draft. He is used to having expectations attached to every start, and he doesn't expect anything different in Baltimore.
"I think there's pressure every year. There's been pressure put on me since college," said Benson, who attended Clemson University. "This is nothing new to me. It's not like this is uncharted territory when it comes to people's expectations or expectations of myself. I don't really get too caught up in that.
"I have a routine that I do, and that prepares me for every start. People's opinions and expectations don't really outweigh mine, so it's not really a driving force in my career."
It may not be a driving force, but it has been a recurring theme. Benson has been billed as the "next big thing" for so long that people have overlooked his modest contributions on the mound. This isn't a draft-day bust -- it's just a guy who hasn't been able to reach his full potential for a variety of reasons.
First, there was his placement on the Pittsburgh Pirates, a team that hasn't had a winning season since 1992. Benson made it to the big leagues quickly and was slotted in at the top of his team's rotation, but he never put up the gaudy statistics associated with an ace.
Then there was the injury, an elbow ailment that necessitated Tommy John surgery after the 2000 season. Benson missed all of 2001 and pitched a partial season in 2002, regaining his stuff along the way.
His command came back in 2003 -- another season cut short by injury -- and one year later, he was just getting comfortable when he was traded to the New York Mets, a team that had even larger expectations for his talent.
Again, he didn't disappoint, but he didn't live up to ace billing. Finally, he arrived in Baltimore this winter as the centerpiece of a three-player trade.
Benson went 10-8 with a 4.13 ERA last season and thinks he can build on that success this year.
"The combination of being on a new team, being in a new league, having a new catcher and having a new pitching coach is going to be good for me," said Benson, who welcomes his transition. "It's what you make of it. I don't really pay much attention to outside things. I just pay attention to what I need to do in the clubhouse and on the field.
"I know what I have, and if it was a new catcher that wasn't that good, that would be one thing. I have one of the best in the league, and that definitely makes you more relaxed. Having the best pitching coach in the league makes you more relaxed, too. I know what I have, and it's all good stuff."
With those last comments, Benson was referring to Ramon Hernandez and Leo Mazzone, Baltimore's two other big-ticket offseason additions. Benson, Hernandez and Mazzone are expected to revitalize the pitching staff and help make up for uncertainty from the other rotation slots, manned by young and inconsistent starters Erik Bedard, Daniel Cabrera and Bruce Chen.
Manager Sam Perlozzo said that it's fair to consider Benson an X-factor in his team's success this year.
"Starting pitching is the name of the game, and we're looking for someone to come in and stabilize that for us," said Perlozzo. "We have two young kids that are still trying to grow, that we think very highly of. The fact that you can send a veteran out there and know you can get a quality game every time he's out there, it's comforting."
And that puts Benson, at the ripe old age of 31, in the odd position of veteran stalwart. The right-hander has only made 30 starts once in the last five years, but he's only had a losing record once in that span.
Benson, along with Rodrigo Lopez, is a leading candidate for the Opening Day start -- and all the expectations that come with the top spot in the rotation.
"I don't care about calling somebody an ace. That kind of stuff doesn't bother me," said Perlozzo. "We're obviously going to have a Game 1 starter, and we're going to call him our ace. Or you all are going to call him our ace. That will happen.
"We got Kris Benson for a reason -- to solidify the starting rotation. He doesn't have to be the best in the world, but he certainly has to hold up his end of the bargain. And we think he will."
Benson, for his part, welcomes the spotlight. He doesn't mind being looked at as an important component of the team's success, and he doesn't mind being reminded of his lofty draft status.
He just wants a chance to pitch, and he'll accept the results every time he gets that chance.
"People are going to be tough because of the pressure of being a No. 1 pick, but I think I've handled it just fine throughout my career," said Benson. "I don't avoid the situation. I don't avoid the topic. I just consider my job as something I still love to do, and it's still something I get paid to do. It doesn't matter where I am.
"There's still a chance for me to play baseball, and it's not really a long-term thing in my lifetime. It's something I make sure I enjoy while I'm here, and I try to make sure I do the best that I can every single day that I show up."

Source: http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/