Gary Bennett (baseball)

Infobox MLB player
name=Gary Bennett


position=Catcher
team=Los Angeles Dodgers
number=26
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1972|4|17
birthplace=city-state|Waukegan|Illinois
debutdate=September 24
debutyear=1995
debutteam=Philadelphia Phillies
statyear= May 18, 2008
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.241
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=22
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=192
teams=
*Philadelphia Phillies (by|1995-by|1996, by|1998-by|2001)
*New York Mets (by|2001)
*Colorado Rockies (by|2001-by|2002)
*San Diego Padres (by|2003)
*Milwaukee Brewers (by|2004)
*Washington Nationals (by|2005)
*St. Louis Cardinals (by|2006-by|2007)
*Los Angeles Dodgers (by|2008-present)
Gary David Bennett Jr. (born April 17, 1972 in Waukegan, Illinois) is a backup catcher in the Major Leagues for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Proud Waukegan NativeBennett was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 11th round of the 1990 MLB Draft. He played in the Phillies minor league system from 1990-1996, playing for the Martinsville Phillies (1990-1991), Batavia Clippers (1992), Spartanburg Phillies (1993), Clearwater Phillies (1993-1994), Reading Phillies (1994-1995), Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons (1995-1996).

Bennett made his major league debut in by|1995 for the Phillies on September 24 against the Cincinnati Reds as a pinch hitter. He was signed as a free agent by the Boston Red Sox in by|1997 season and spent the season with the Pawtucket Red Sox. He returned to the Phillies organization the following year as a minor league free agent. Played most of the season with Scranton before his contract was purchased by the Phillies in September. 1998 was his first full season in the majors and he stayed with the Phillies as a backup catcher to Mike Lieberthal until he was traded to the New York Mets for fellow catcher Todd Pratt on July 23, by|2001. Bennett played in one big league game for the Mets (going 1-for-1) before they traded him to the Colorado Rockies a month later. He stayed with the Rockies in by|2002, having over 200 at bats in a season for the first time in his major league career. He then signed free agent deals with the San Diego Padres for by|2003 (where he eclipsed the 300 at-bat mark for the first time and set a still-standing career high in RBI, with 42), Milwaukee Brewers for by|2004, Washington Nationals for by|2005, and St. Louis Cardinals for by|2006. [cite web|url=http://baseball-reference.com/b/bennega01.shtml|title=Gary Bennett Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com|accessdate=2007-12-17|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com]

Bennett came alive in late August 2006. He hit four home runs in the span of a week, including a walk-off grand slam against the Chicago Cubs on August 27, 2006. [cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN200608270.shtml|title=August 27, 2006 Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals Play by Play and Box Score|accessdate=2007-12-17|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com] The four home runs equaled his career high of four home runs in a single season, which he did with the 2002 Colorado Rockies. He hit no other home runs that season.

On November 28, 2006, Bennett was re-signed by the Cardinals. [cite web|url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/cardinals/2006-11-28-wells-kennedy_x.htm|title=Wells, Kennedy sign deals with Cardinals|accessdate=2007-12-17|publisher=usatoday.com]

On November 2, by|2007, the Cardinals exercised their by|2008 buy-out option on his contract. [cite web|url=http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/0/9872cd8d0fd1c7ff86257387005d2f0f?OpenDocument&Click=|title=Cards decline option on Bennett|accessdate=2007-12-17|publisher=STLtoday.com]

On December 13, 2007, Bennett was named in the Mitchell Report, [cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/news/mitchell/index.jsp|title=Mitchell Report pp222-223|accessdate=2007-12-17|publisher=mlb.com] which detailed his illegal use of performance-enhancing substances such as human growth hormone.

On December 17, 2007, the Dodgers signed Bennett to a one-year deal [cite web|url=http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071217&content_id=2328674&vkey=news_la&fext=.jsp&c_id=la|title=Dodgers sign Bennett to one-year deal|accessdate=2007-12-17|publisher=dodgers.com] to back up Russell Martin, the Dodgers' young All-Star catcher. After signing, Bennett publicly admitted that the Mitchell Report was accurate as far as he was concerned, stating, "As far as the report is concerned to me, it's accurate. Obviously, it was a stupid decision. It was a mistake." [cite web|url=http://www.wfrv.com/sports/mlb/story.aspx?content_id=2e56e4d3-9baa-4ec1-b088-597455568967|title=Dodgers sign catcher Bennett|accessdate=2007-12-17|publisher=WFRV-TV.com] Bennett's 2008 season was cut short, however, when he went on the disabled list in mid-May for plantar fasciitis. The ailment would keep Bennett on the disbaled list the remainder of the season. Veteran backup Danny Ardoin took Bennett's spot in his absence as Martin's backup. Bennett finished the 2008 campaign with a diappointing .190 batting average with one home run and four RBI in only 10 games played. Bennett's role with the Dodgers in 2009 is in question with the success of Ardoin with the Dodgers pitching staff. [cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/bennega01.shtml|title=Gary Bennett Statistics|accessdate=2008-09-26|publisher=baseball-reference.com]

References

External links

*Baseballstats |mlb=110870 |espn=5517 |br=b/bennega01 |fangraphs= |cube=B/Gary-Bennett
* [http://podcast.acitizensvoice.com/ Gary Bennett] - A Citizen's Voice Podcast (Interview)
* [http://tsn.ca/mlb/teams/players/bio/?id=1242 Gary Bennett] - TSN.ca