Bruce Benedict

Bruce Benedict
Benedict in 1984
Catcher
Born: (1955-08-18) August 18, 1955 (age 69)
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
August 18, 1978, for the Atlanta Braves
Last MLB appearance
September 11, 1989, for the Atlanta Braves
MLB statistics
Batting average.242
Home runs18
Runs batted in260
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Bruce Edwin Benedict (born August 18, 1955) is an American former professional baseball player, coach and scout.[1] He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Atlanta Braves from 1978 to 1989.[1]

Major League career

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Benedict attended Millard High School, now Millard South High School, then went on to college at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 5th round of the 1976 Major League Baseball Draft.[2] He made his major league debut on August 18, 1978, his 23rd birthday.[1]

Benedict led National League catchers in 1981 with 73 assists and 48 baserunners caught stealing.[3] His defensive skills earned him a spot as a reserve on the 1981 National League All-Star team.[4]

In 1982, Benedict led National League catchers with a .993 fielding percentage, as the Braves won the National League Western Division title.[5][6] The highlight of Benedict's season came in a regular season game when he set an MLB record by throwing out 3 baserunners in one inning. In the only post-season appearance of his career, the Braves lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1982 National League Championship Series.[7]

In 1983, Benedict had a batting average well over .300 in the middle of June, to earn a place as a reserve player for the National League in the 1983 All-Star Game.[8][9] He ended the season with a career-high batting average of .298 with two home runs, 43 runs batted in and a .992 fielding percentage, second only to Gary Carter among National League catchers.[1][10]

Benedict's batting average fell to .223 with only 25 RBIs in 1984 and he was replaced by Rick Cerone in 1985, as the Braves sought more offense from the catcher's position.[1] He continued to work as a backup catcher to Ozzie Virgil from 1986 to 1988 and then to Jody Davis in 1989.[1] He retired after the 1989 season having spent his entire career with the Braves.[1]

Career statistics

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In a twelve-year major league career, Benedict played in 982 games, accumulating 696 hits in 2,878 at bats for a .242 career batting average along with 18 home runs and 260 runs batted in.[1] While he was a light-hitting player, he had good defensive abilities, ending his career with a .990 fielding percentage.[1] A two-time All-Star, Benedict's value to the Braves was as a defensive catcher; his development enabled the Braves to find another position for Dale Murphy, who would have his greatest seasons as an outfielder and, subsequently, the Braves became National League contenders. He never played a position other than catcher during his entire major league career.[1] The Fulton County Stadium crowd would commonly chant "BRUUUCE" whenever Benedict came up to bat at home, perhaps giving the impression that he was being booed.[citation needed] Benedict's nickname is "Eggs", as in Eggs Benedict.

Coaching and scouting career

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Since retiring as a player, Benedict has served several positions in the New York Mets organization. He managed in the Mets minor-league system, then became an advance scout for the major-league team.[11] He resigned his position in 2006.[12] He then scouted for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Benedict also serves as a college basketball official in the NCAA's Division I[13] and Division II. He is currently an Atlanta-based scout for the Chicago White Sox and operates the Bruce Benedict Baseball Academy.[14]

Personal life

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His son, Griffin, played collegiate baseball for the Georgia Southern Eagles and was drafted in 2009. He played in the minor leagues for the San Diego Padres for two seasons. He then accepted a role as the bullpen catcher for the major league team in 2011.[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Bruce Benedict". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  2. ^ "1976 Major League Baseball Draft". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  3. ^ "1981 National League Fielding Leaders". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  4. ^ "1981 All-Star Game". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  5. ^ "1982 National League Fielding Leaders". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  6. ^ "1982 National League Team Statistics and Standings". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  7. ^ "1982 National League Championship Series". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  8. ^ "1983 Bruce Benedict Batting Log". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
  9. ^ "1983 All-Star Game". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  10. ^ "1983 National League Fielding Leaders". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  11. ^ "Bruce Benedict Minor league manager record". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  12. ^ Noble, Marty (April 16, 2006). "Mets Notes". mlb.com. Retrieved October 21, 2008.
  13. ^ Diamos, Jason (February 7, 1999). "Mets Coach Moonlights By Changing His Stripes". The New York Times. Retrieved October 21, 2008.
  14. ^ "The Bruce Benedict Baseball Academy". Mainebytes.net. Archived from the original on February 8, 2011. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  15. ^ "Benedict proving valuable in bullpen role". padres.mlb.com. Archived from the original on February 15, 2015. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
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