Sorry everybody, that's Kris Benson is a free agent, not Anna. The Baltimore Orioles declined Benson's $7.5 million option for 2008, instead buying out for $500,000 and making Benson eligible for the free agent market. Benson missed the entire 2007 season after having surgery on his partially torn rotator cuff. Benson started 30 games for the O's in 2006, going 11-12 with a 4.82 ERA.Benson fell from grace with the Orioles when he waited until January of 2007 to inform the team of his shoulder pain. The team believed Benson was not faithful to his off-season workout program and that contributed to the injury.
From The Baltimore Sun:
When his shoulder was examined in late January, team doctors told him surgery wasn't necessary.
Benson got two other opinions but ultimately reported to spring training and consented to an aggressive rehabilitation program.
However, three weeks into the scheduled four-week program designed to strengthen the muscles around his shoulder, the pain was getting worse and Benson was given permission by the Orioles to have season-ending surgery.
Benson, who is perhaps more famous for his hot, outspoken wife then for his pitching ability, will test the free agent waters. The pitching free agent market is thin, but I'm not sure what the demand for a 33-year-old, sub-five-hundred pitcher recovering from shoulder surgery will be.
