Butch Benton

Infobox MLB retired
name=Butch Benton
position=Catcher


bgcolor1=black
bgcolor2=black
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1957|8|24
city-state|Tampa|Florida
debutdate=September 14
debutyear=by|1978
debutteam=New York Mets
finaldate=June 15
finalyear=by|1985
finalteam=Cleveland Indians
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.162
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=0
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=10
teams=
*New York Mets (1978, 1980)
*Chicago Cubs (1982)
*Cleveland Indians (1985)

Alfred Lee "Butch" Benton (born August 24, 1957 in Tampa, Florida) was a right-handed catcher in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, and Cleveland Indians from 1978 to 1985.

A highly touted prospect out of Godby High School in Tallahassee, Florida, Benton was the 6th overall selection in the first round of the 1975 Major League Baseball Draft. He made the jump from AA to the major leagues at age 21 in by|1978 when he joined the Mets as a September call-up. He made his major league debut on September 14, pinch-hitting for Roy Lee Jackson. Facing Dan Schatzeder, Benton flew out to center field. He wouldn't break the lineup again until September 29, when he was hit by a Mike Krukow pitch as a pinch-hitter. Benton scored his first major league run as a pinch-runner the next day. Finally on October 1, the last day of the season, Benton got his first chance to play in the field, and also went 2-for-3 at the plate. His first major league hit was an RBI infield single of the Cubs' Lynn McGlothen. He knocked in a second run in the game with a single in the ninth. Benton was the sixth-youngest player to appear in the National League in 1978.

Benton spent the entirety of the by|1979 season with the Mets' AAA affiliate in Tidewater and fared poorly, hitting only .198. However, an improved offensive performance in by|1980 earned him some time in the majors again. Unfortunately, Benton struggled mightily, managing just one hit in 21 at-bats for a batting average of .048. Before the by|1981 season, the Mets traded him to the Cubs for future considerations. He again spent the balance of the season in the minors, hitting just .202 for the Cubs' AAA team in Iowa. Benton showed his resiliency, however, rebounding to hit .330 in by|1982. He made his debut for the Cubs after rosters expanded in September and managed one hit in seven at-bats over four games.

Before the by|1983 season, Benton was on the move again. The Cubs traded him to the Montreal Expos for Jerry Manuel. Despite a solid season for Montreal's AAA affiliate, Benton did not get promoted, and he filed for free agency at the end of the season. He spent the by|1984 season catching for Detroit's AAA team in Evansville, then signed with the Indians organization, where he made the team out of spring training in by|1985 as their backup catcher. On April 27, about six and a half years after his major league debut, Benton garnered his first extra-base hit, a double off Scott McGregor. However, after going 5-for-44 over his final 17 games to lower his average to .179, Benton was demoted to AAA, where he remained for the duration of the season. The Indians released him in February by|1986.

Benton did not reemerge until a comeback attempt in by|1991 at age 33. With Detroit's AAA team in Toledo, Benton hit just .133 in nine games. He was subsequently released and retired from baseball.

Benton's career consisted of 99 at-bats over an eight-season span. His career batting average was .162. He hit four doubles in his career, but never a home run or triple, and he knocked in a total of ten runs.

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