Marvin Benard
Encyclopedia
Marvin Larry Benard [buh-NARD] (born January 20, 1970 in Bluefields
, Nicaragua
) is a former Major League Baseball
outfielder
who batted and threw left-handed
.
Benard moved to Los Angeles with his mother and father when he was 12. After a stellar prep career at Bell High School, he went to L.A. Harbor Junior College in Wilmington, Calif., then Lewis-Clark State College
in Lewiston, Idaho
. His cousin, Maurice Benard
, is a soap opera actor.
Benard played with the San Francisco Giants
from 1995 to 2003. He was a starter from 1999–2001, and played most of the season. He won the 1999 Willie Mac Award
for his spirit and leadership. Despite a disappointing post season performance in 2000, Marvin had one of the most memorable hits of series, batting in Ellis Burks
for an RBI single in Game 3 of the 2000 National League Division Series
Benard had above-average power for a leadoff hitter. A notorious first-pitch hitter prone to striking out, Benard had good bat speed and could steal
bases. He played all three outfield positions, mostly as center fielder.
Benard is a career .271 hitter with 54 home run
s, 260 RBI
, 441 runs, 138 doubles
, 21 triples
, and 105 stolen bases in 891 games. As a pinch hitter
specialist, he had a career .267 batting average
.
After becoming a free agent
after the 2003 season, Benard agreed to a minor-league contract with the Chicago White Sox
but was released before the season began and signed with the Toronto Blue Jays
. He was released after one season with the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs, hitting .211 with four homers and 18 RBI in 33 games.
On April 11, 2010, Benard admitted to using steroids during the 2002 season in which the Giants reached the World Series.
Bluefields
Bluefields is the capital of the municipality of the same name, and of Región Autónoma del Atlántico Sur in Nicaragua. It was also capital of the former Zelaya Department, which was divided into North and South Atlantic Autonomous Regions...
, Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
) is a former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
who batted and threw left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
.
Benard moved to Los Angeles with his mother and father when he was 12. After a stellar prep career at Bell High School, he went to L.A. Harbor Junior College in Wilmington, Calif., then Lewis-Clark State College
Lewis-Clark State College
Lewis–Clark State College is a public undergraduate college located in Lewiston, Idaho. It was founded in 1893, and has an annual enrollment of approximately 3,500 students. The college offers over 83 degrees and is well-known for its Criminal Justice, Education, Nursing, and Technical programs.-...
in Lewiston, Idaho
Lewiston, Idaho
Lewiston is a city in and also the county seat of Nez Perce County in the Pacific Northwest state of Idaho. It is the second-largest city in the northern Idaho region, behind Coeur d'Alene and ninth-largest in the state. Lewiston is the principal city of the Lewiston, ID - Clarkston, WA...
. His cousin, Maurice Benard
Maurice Benard
Maurice Benard is an American actor. He is known primarily for his portrayal of romantic mobster Michael "Sonny" Corinthos, Jr. on the ABC soap opera, General Hospital, a role he has portrayed since 1993.-Career:...
, is a soap opera actor.
Benard played with the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
from 1995 to 2003. He was a starter from 1999–2001, and played most of the season. He won the 1999 Willie Mac Award
Willie Mac Award
The Willie Mac Award is named in honor of Willie McCovey. It has been presented annually since 1980. It is awarded to the player on the San Francisco Giants who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership consistently shown by McCovey throughout his long career, voted upon by the players and...
for his spirit and leadership. Despite a disappointing post season performance in 2000, Marvin had one of the most memorable hits of series, batting in Ellis Burks
Ellis Burks
Ellis Rena Burks is a former outfielder and designated hitter who played in Major League Baseball for 18 seasons...
for an RBI single in Game 3 of the 2000 National League Division Series
2000 National League Division Series
-St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves:-Game 1, October 4:Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco, CaliforniaGiants Pitcher Liván Hernández allowed one run and five hits over a inning effort, backed by a three-run home run by Ellis Burks as the Giants cruised to an easy 5–1 victory.-Game 2, October...
Benard had above-average power for a leadoff hitter. A notorious first-pitch hitter prone to striking out, Benard had good bat speed and could steal
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
bases. He played all three outfield positions, mostly as center fielder.
Benard is a career .271 hitter with 54 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, 260 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
, 441 runs, 138 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 21 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and 105 stolen bases in 891 games. As a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
specialist, he had a career .267 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.
After becoming a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
after the 2003 season, Benard agreed to a minor-league contract with the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
but was released before the season began and signed with the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
. He was released after one season with the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs, hitting .211 with four homers and 18 RBI in 33 games.
On April 11, 2010, Benard admitted to using steroids during the 2002 season in which the Giants reached the World Series.