Diamondbacks sign Benson to a Minor League contract

(TUCSON, Ariz.) — The Arizona Diamondbacks announced today that they have agreed to terms on a minor league contract with right-handed pitcher Kris Benson, according to D-backs’ Executive Vice President & General Manager Josh Byrnes.

Benson, who will be assigned to the D-backs’ minor league camp, has a 69-74 record and 4.41 ERA in 203 games, including 197 starts, during his eight-year Major League career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers. He was the No. 1 overall selection in the 1996 First-Year Player Draft by the Pirates and went 21-26 with a 3.95 ERA from 1999-2000 after making his Major League debut. Benson missed the entire 2001 season after having Tommy John surgery and was later traded to the Mets near the trading deadline in 2004. He compiled a 10-8 mark and 4.13 ERA in 28 starts for the Mets in 2005 and then was traded to the Orioles prior to the 2006 season, when he was 11-12 with a 4.82 ERA in 30 starts.

Benson missed the entire 2007 season after having rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder. He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in February 2008 and posted a 1-4 record and 5.52 ERA in 11 starts at Triple-A Lehigh Valley over a two-month period before being granted his release on Aug. 30, 2008. Benson made the Rangers’ 2009 Opening Day roster as one of their starting pitchers, but after a short stint on the disabled list, he was relegated to the bullpen in long relief and was 1-1 with an 8.46 ERA in 8 games, 2 starts, overall.

Reds get to D-backs early and often

The Cincinnati Reds wasted no time getting on the board in Tucson today against the Arizona Diamondbacks getting to starter Edwin Jackson. Jackson struggled for the first time this spring allowing the Reds to score two in the first, three in the second and another two in the third. Reds right field slugger Jay Bruce would take Jackson yard in the second inning for his second round-tripper of the spring.

The D-backs sat many of their regulars today and struggled to get anything going at the plate. Sean Coughlin played DH today and would do the most damage going 2-for-4 with a double that drove in two runs in the fifth inning.

D-backs win second of split-squad games behind Jackson and LaRoche homers

The Arizona Diamondbacks went 2-for-2 today in the Cactus league beating both the Rangers and this game against division rival Colorado Rockies. Rodrigo Lopez got the start against his former team the Rockies and went three innings allowing two runs on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts. Greg Smith started the game for the Rockies and went four innings allowing two runs on seven hits and a walk.

Tony Abreu started at second base today once again proving his versatility and continued to remain on fire at the plate going 2-for-4 with two batted in. Conner Jackson and Adam LaRoche each added to the offense with homers. Rockies third baseman Ian Stewart went 2-for-3 on the day knocking in one and raising his batting average to .474.

Arizona stays hot pounding out 16 hits

Arizona Diamondbacks starter Billy Bucker, who is vying for a spot at the end of the rotation, mostly looked solid today lasting four innings in which he allowed three hits and two runs including a two-run dinger to Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton. Once again the relievers for the D-backs were solid allowing only one run on three hits in the 9-3 win.

Shortstop Stephen Drew had another solid outing going 2-for-4 in the leadoff spot raising his avg this spring to .450. Justin Upton also added some offensive punch going 3-for-4 including his third homer of the spring. After starting the spring very slowly the D-backs have now moved to 5-5 with this split squad win.

Josh Hamilton continued to tear the cover off the ball going 2-for-3 with a home run. Newly acquired Vladimir Guerrero also hit his second homer of the spring.

D-backs down Dodgers on strength of bullpen

Arizona Diamondbacks starter Kevin Mulvey only allowed one hit in three innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but it was the three walks that hurt the starter. The one hit he allowed was a three-run homer by Blake DeWitt. The D-backs bullpen would put the clamps on using six pitchers in the next six innings. The reliever for Arizona would allow only four hits and one walk in a scoreless six innings of work.

Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley went three scoreless innings striking out four D-backs. The D-backs would get to the Dodgers bullpen scoring seven runs in the next four innings after Billingsley departed. Tony Abreu continued to make a strong case to make the team in a reserve infielder role going 2-for-3 with 2 batted in and raising his spring average to .478.

. The right-hander allowed just one hit — a homer by DeWitt, but it was a three-run shot thanks to a pair of walks preceding it. Mulvey, who is battling for a spot in the rotation, walked three and fanned four in his three innings. Closer Chad Qualls continues to look fully recovered from last year’s gruesome knee injury as he tossed a scoreless inning for the third straight appearance.

Welcome to Hypetown . . . I mean Uptown

Need something to do during weekends in the summer in Arizona? Want to be part of the mass-worship of a 21 year old phenom? Well then, let me introduce you to UPTOWN, the official section of Diamondbacks RF Justin Upton. Yes, the D-Backs have erected a section to honor Upton. Their website reads:

Spend your Friday and Saturday nights in UPTOWN, the new fan zone directly behind All-Star right fielder Justin Upton. Each ticket includes a special UPTOWN rally-towel and if you are lucky you just might catch one of our souvenir UPTOWN baseballs. UPTOWN is the place to be this season at Chase Field!

And we were impressed when we saw Justin Upton get a new $50 million contract, I wasn’t aware it came with his own section. Upton deserves it, he oozes talent. He is the most talented athlete in the Valley and has the highest ceiling of any athlete I can ever remember that played for one of our local sports teams. The only other in his class is Larry Fitzgerald. The D-Backs are selling their young star to the best of their ability. After an all-star game appearance last year and new contract this year there is already a ton of hype around J-Up, giving him his own section in a ballpark just ratcheted it up another notch. With all this hype I fear a down year, everybody has hopped on board this guy’s bandwagon. Last night my friend and I were talking about how much we were going to bid on Upton in our fantasy draft and his price kept climbing and climbing, it could never get too high. Present this exact scenario to me and remove names and cities, and I would tell you that the player was destined for a down year - the laws of hype demand it.

If there is anyone that can live up to the hype it is Upton. If not, at least we can drown our sorrows in UPTOWN this summer.

Aaron will be following the Diamondbacks all season long, follow him on twitter.

D-backs arms and bats hot as they down A’s

In Tucson, the Diamondbacks would face the Oakland Athletics. Stephen Drew, still hot at lead off would go two for four with two RBI. Augie Ojeda would go three for three as he drove in one run of his own. The D-backs would get off to an early lead in the first inning as first baseman Adam LaRoche would homer. Another long ball would be hit my Jeff Bailey hitting in the DH spot.

Arizona hitting was superb as their pitching also performed well. Ian Kennedy would get his second win of the spring as he pitched for three innings, striking out two. The Diamondbacks would be able to hold the A’s to one run in the game that was scored in the ninth inning. The D-backs win by a score of ten to one.

Edwin Jackson continues to look impressive in D-backs win

Arizona Diamondbacks starter Edwin Jackson who came over from the Tigers in an off-season trade looked impressive for the second straight time this spring. Jackson pitches three innings and allowed only one hit with no walks against the LA Angels in Tucson. Angels starter Jered Weaver also went three innings, but allowed a run on three hits.

Catcher Chris Snyder hit his first homer of the spring in the fourth inning which at the time gave the D-backs a 2-1 lead. Tony Abreu played third today, but continued to get on base going 2-for-3 scoring two runs. Angels DH Mike Napoli hit his third homer of the early spring for the Angels only run. The D-backs moved to 3-5 while the Halos fell to 2-4.

Haren in pre-All-Star form already

Arizona Diamondbacks starter Dan Haren looked like a shoe-in for the Cy Young last year before the All-Star last year, but much like other years he faded after the break. Haren showed his pre-All-Star form today shutting out the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2.2 innings. Likely closer Chad Qualls also looked impressive in his one perfect inning of work. For the Dodgers both Jeff Weaver and Eric Gagne continued to look all to human both allowing a run in their one inning of work.

Shortstop Tony Abreu lead off for the D-backs today and went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored including a homer and a triple. Conor Jackson remained hot at the plate going 2-for-2 with a walk, but the offense was not enough as the D-backs had to settle for a tie.

Upton and Jackson power D-backs to win

Arizona Diamondbacks young stud Justin Upton broke out in a big way today going 2-for-2 with 3 runs batted in and scored one on his second home run of the spring in the 5th inning. Left fielder Conner Jackson, coming back from almost a whole season missed due to Valley Fever went 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Cincinnati Reds offense was lead by Jay Bruce who played DH today and got two of the Reds six hits and knocked in one.

D-backs starter Billy Buckner did not help himself much in his effort to land a starting rotation spot allowing two runs on two hits off two homers in his three innings of work. Roque Mercedes did look impressive in his one inning of work as he struck out the side in the 8th for the D-backs.