Up Close With PSR:
Kris Benson

Perhaps not since Barry Bonds headed for San Francisco after the 1992 season has a baseball player left Pittsburgh on such certain and acrimonious terms as Kris Benson, whose seemingly limitless potential was never realized while pitching with the organization that drafted him first overall in 1996. Benson (and minor-leaguer Jeff Keppinger) was traded to the New York Mets on July 30 for third baseman Ty Wiggington, pitching prospect Matt Peterson and infielder Jose Bautista.

Three days after the deal, from his home in Atlanta, Benson spoke candidly and exclusively with PSR's Rob Rossi about his tenure with the Pirates.

PSR: Your relationship with the Pirates seemingly had soured to a point beyond repair by the start of this season; was it the situation with your arm that was the final straw or were there other factors?

Benson: When somebody basically doesn't think you're telling the truth, you try to tell them what's going on and they downplay what you're saying, and all that stuff with the media saying I didn't have any heart, the Pirates just sat there and said nothing. They knew I had been talking about a problem for two months. I was upset that the Pirates didn't back me because they knew the situation and saw what was being written; they knew it was untrue and never came to my defense.

PSR: You told the Tribune-Review's Joe Rutter, 'there is nobody in this organization to say goodbye to.' Is that truly indicative of your feelings toward the organization?

KB: There wasn't anybody to say goodbye to - I meant (David) Littlefield, really.

PSR: Could you ever have imagined the situation between you and the Pirates heading where it did?

KB: No, not at all. I felt great at the end of 2002. I think it wasn't until the very end of May (2003) that I started not pitching well. There was an instance in Chicago where my shoulder was fatigued by the end of the game, and that was the first time I mentioned to the organization that things weren't going so great. I sat down with Spin Williams and Lloyd McClendon in Toronto and told them something had to be done. I asked to get an MRI and the organization wanted me to wait a little bit, to pitch through it, which I was fine with. And that was the beginning of the end, because the shoulder was getting worse, I began missing some starts and we were headed toward the trade deadline. I was on the block and things needed to be kept on the quiet note, and I just felt as though I was only going out there for the organization's well-being. I don't think they had my best interests in mind. I'm not the type of person who stops pitching at the first sign of a problem. I tried to pitch as long as I could and it didn't work out. Once everything started coming out in the media, it left me a little sour - because the team knew what was really going on but didn't say anything.

PSR: How do you feel your wife was treated by the Pirates?

KB: That was a little bit of the reason our relationship with the team soured. - Anna does things her own way, she has her own career, she says stuff that is on her mind. When she was treated unfairly, she spoke up, and I don't think the team liked that. A lot of the incidents were rumors started by certain players that were never true, and I had to get involved. I think any husband would stand up for his wife if she were being disrespected by his teammate -

In 2002, I gave out fliers to everybody in the locker room asking for contributions to a game room we were fixing up for the Mars Home for Youth, and we didn't receive any money. And that wasn't a big deal. But then, all of a sudden, there was a rumor that we used that money to fix our basement. Thing is, nobody knew we didn't get any money. So, somebody, a former teammate, starts a rumor and people believed that rumor, crazy as it was. Or, at least, they believed the guy who spread the rumor. And when I confronted him about it, he couldn't even say anything. Little things like that were typical (with him) and up until this year made us the outcasts.

But it was better this year because the person that started those rumors wasn't here anymore. There were a couple of instances where rumors and lies were passed around and people believed them because one guy said it. That didn't exist this year, and that's why I say this was the most fun I've had in Pittsburgh. But yeah, (the clubhouse of years' past) was ridiculous, and it didn't start getting better until - well, somebody was traded last year and things turned around.

PSR: With the fact that you made your home in Pittsburgh and involved yourself in the community, why didn't the Pirates play that up more?

KB: I don't know - (Maybe) because we did a lot of stuff on our own with charities that the Pirates didn't work with - We just liked to do things on our own. If we were doing stuff that the Pirates did, it would have been more recognized - We didn't want to be 'Kris Benson: Pirates' pitcher' when we were involved with charities, we wanted it to be Kris and Anna giving back to the community in our own way. - I'm sure it would have been easier (had people known), but I didn't want to seem like a crybaby. If anything, the way things went down taught me about people in general.

PSR: You have told me that you and David Littlefield should have had a solid relationship, so why didn't you two get along?

KB: I thought everything was fine until the point where I didn't get backed up. He knew where I stood. That was it for me. The first time I talked to him this season was when he told me I was traded.

PSR: Will the Pirates ever contend for a title under Kevin McClatchy?

KB: I understand that there are other owners, not just him. I think people forget that he's not the only one. He's always been appreciative of what I've done for the organization; I don't hold any grudges against him. When were down in San Juan, we ran into each other at the hotel gym and just talked. I'm sure he would wish me good luck. I had a good relationship with him since Day One. (Cam) Bonifay and I got along great. Littlefield was the guy with whom I had problems.

PSR: Was the exchange between you and Lloyd McClendon authentic? Also, some people believe that the Pirates play favorites, that players such as you, Ryan Vogelsong and Jack Wilson aren't really valued, is that a fair assessment?

KB: Lloyd and I have had a fine relationship. We've never butted heads, contrary to what people say - Lloyd and I have been together for eight years, and I would consider him a friend. - Most players on the team understand (the Pirates playing favorites) to be the case, but we never knew why. I don't know why Jack (Wilson) gets called out, he's always out there playing. I don't know what else you can ask of a player other than to play hard. Yes, some people in the organization had their favorites in the clubhouse; I think in many situations those people tended to believe the players they liked, which led to some of problems I had with those people , the one who played favorites and the one who was a favorite. But that guy wasn't there this year, and it's amazing how much better things were for all of us.

PSR: Would you have ever considered staying with the Pirates?

KB: I made sure everybody knew that I enjoyed playing on the team this year, but I don't think I would have stayed. On every level, a player wants to play for championship. (The Pirates) are bringing up young kids, and they'll be plenty capable of doing it in a little while - but I needed a change.

PSR: Esteban Loaiza, Jason Schmidt and Kris Benson, why have the Pirates given up on these pitchers? How much would pitching at PNC Park in the 2006 All-Star game mean to you on a personal and professional level?

KB: To answer the second one first, I think it would mean the world to me to make an All-Star team, period, but it would be extra special for me to have it come in Pittsburgh. I've always regretted that I wasn't able to do the things that I wanted to do wearing a Pirates' uniform.

To answer the first, I don't know if they gave up on us, but financially, they just couldn't keep us. Schmidt and I are two similar stories, with the injuries and then hitting our stride as the trade deadline approached in a contract year. I think the timing just wasn't there.