Armando Benitez: 2000 NL Champion Mets Closer (1999-2003)
He was a reliever from the start saving 18 games with a 1.33 ERA between A & AA in 1993. He then saved 16 games going 8-4 with a 3.14 ERA at AA Bowie in 1994.
He made his way to the big leagues serving as a set man first for Doug Jones & then for former Met Randy Meyers.
He returned In 1997 to post a 2.45 ERA saving nine games with 71 appearances.
1997 Post Season: He had a solid ALDS against the Seattle Mariners, getting credit for two holds but the Cleveland Indians got to him in the ALCS.
He was the losing pitcher Game #2 when Marquis Grissom hit a three run HR in the bottom of the 8th blowing a two run lead. In Game #6 he served up an 11th inning HR to Tony Fernandez blowing a scoreless game.
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In the off season, Benitez was traded to the New York Mets in a three team deal sending Charles Johnson to the Orioles with Todd Hundley & Roger Cedeno going to the Dodgers.
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In the month of April he recorded six holds, blowing a save against the San Diego Padres, but the Mets went on to win it on a Mike Piazza walk off HR. Benitez rolled through June recording 16 saves up to that point while posting a 1.50 ERA. On June 30th he served up a walk off HR in Florida to Mark Kotsay in the tenth inning.
By July, John Franco went down with an injury & Benitez became the Mets closer. In the month of July he saved eight games, even earning a win maintaining an ERA of 2.01.
As the Mets fought in the pennant race through August & September Benitez was super. In 23 appearances over the last two months he was 3-1 with 11 saves only blowing one opportunity.
From September 4th through the 19th he saved six games in six straight appearances. That season with his blazing fastball he saved 22 games, struck out 128 batters in 78 innings and posted his best career ERA (1.85).
He did show signs of his wildness which would become a big issue in the coming years, walking 41 batters in 84 innings.
1999 Post Season:
for Game #4, but still came in relief of Al Leiter in the 8th inning, with two men on base. He quickly served up a two run double to Jay Bell, putting Arizona ahead 3-2, but the Mets tied it in the 8th & won it on Todd Pratt's walk off HR.
In Game #6 at Turner Field, the Mets came from being behind 5-0 to gain the lead in the top of the tenth inning. Benitez came on for what was supposed to be a save opportunity but, he allowed a single, a walk & a pinch hit base hit to Ozzie Guillen that tied the game. The Mets lost it as well as the pennant, in the next inning when Kenny Rogers walked in the winning run with the bases loaded.
He appeared in five of the six games allowing one earned run in 6.2 innings of work. Overall in the post season he only one run in nine innings pitched with 11 strike outs.
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He saved seven games in April, blowing a save & taking a loss. He recorded seven straight games in May through early June. On June 8th he blew a save against his old Orioles team mates during inter-league play, but the Mets ended up going on to win on Kurt Abbot's walk off HR.
By the All Star break Benitez had already saved 23 games, posting a 3.38 ERA, being among the top closers in the league. In the second half he saved 15 straight games without blowing an opportunity until mid September.

In September he saved five more games down the stretch, with four in the final two weeks. On September 27th he finished off a 6-2 win against the Atlanta Braves at Shea Stadium, as the Mets clinched a wild card spot. Benitez did not get credit for a save.
Benitez finished the year recording 41 saves (second in the league) setting a Mets record that stood until 2016 when Jeurys Familia broke the mark. Benitez finished up with a league best 68 games finished, posting a a 2.61 ERA, striking out 106 batters, walking 38 in 76 innings of work while blowing five saves during the regular season.
Post Season
He made one more appearance in Game #3 at Shea Stadium, pitching two innings (10th & 11th) shutting out the Giants. The Mets won it on Benny Agbayani's walk off 13th inning HR. Overall in two games he posted a 6.00 ERA in two innings of work.
2000 NLCS: In the NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals, he appeared in three games earning a save in Game #2, while giving up two runs in three innings pitched overall.

In Game #3 at Shea Stadium, he earned himself a World Series save, but not without drama as he gave up a leadoff single. In three World Series appearances he struck out two batters posting a 3.00 ERA.
The two post season blown saves are always remembered, standing out more than his accomplishments. Benitez was never to be known as a big game pitcher.
From July 1st he saved nine straight games, and then won two games closing out the month. After a blown save on August 1st he saved 17 games before blowing another on September 23rd.
Overall he had a good season, winning the Rolaids relief Man of the Year Award, saving 43 games (third in the league) going 6-4 posting a 3.77 ERA with 93 strike outs & 40 walks in 76 innings of work. He gave up 12 HRs & blew seven games on the year for the third place Mets.
Benitez was starting to hear the boo birds at Shea Stadium as his walks & blown saves were increasing by 2002.
His numbers reflect he had a better season than remembered as he went 1-0 with 33 saves (tenth in the NL) with just four blown saves to his record. He struck out 79 batters with 25 walks in 67 innings of work posting a 2.27 ERA in 62 games.
But he was wearing out his welcome in New York, losing the fans and the confidence of his team. People never forgot some of the big games he had blown in the past & he was never able to overcome it.
By 2003 although he already had 21 saves in July, had made the All Star team, and the Mets had no other legitimate closer on the staff, he had worn out his welcome.

All Time Mets List: In his five year Mets career he was 18-14 with 160 saves, which is second on the Mets all time list. He posted 456 strike outs 168 walks & a 2.70 ERA in 333 appearances (seventh on the Mets all time list).
Armando eventually signed with the Florida Marlins in 2004 and went on to lead the league in saves with 47, making his second All Star team. He posted a 1.29 ERA striking out 62 batters in 69 innings of work making 64 appearances. Even after his successful season the Marlins still didn’t ask him back in 2005 and he signed on with the San Francisco Giants. He saved 19 games in 2005 as his ERA rose to 4.50.
In 2007 he saved 17 games by the end of May although his ERA was near five and he had an 0-3 record. There was the memorable summer game in 2007 in San Francisco, when Benitez balked twice in the same inning taking the loss against his old Mets team mates.
It was said in San Francisco that he didn’t add any harmony to the Giants club house & once again he wore out his welcome in another city. The Giants sent him back to Florida in 2007 but he was released at the end of the year.
In his 15 year career Benitez saved 289 games (26th all time) going 40-47 finishing 527 games. He had 946 strikeouts & 403 walks in 779 innings pitched over 762 appearances.
After his MLB career he played independent ball for the Long Island Ducks, Bridgeport Blue Fish & the Newark Bears.
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