Chad Bentz
| IP | 29 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 7.759 |
| WHIP | 1.862 |
| BB/9 | 7.138 |
| SO/9 | 5.586 |
- Full name Chad Robert Bentz
- Born 05/05/1980 in Seward, AK
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: L
- School Long Beach State
- Debut 04/07/2004
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Drafted in the 7th round (202nd overall) by the Washington Nationals in 2001.
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LHP Chad Bentz didn't pitch well in a starting role for Long Beach State and appears to have dropped out of the early rounds. Born with a badly deformed right hand, Bentz pitches and fields balls with the same hand, like Jim Abbott, but he lost the feel on his changeup prior to the season and floundered. The Alaska native, eligible as a sophomore, eventually regained his form in a relief role. He felt more comfortable in three- and four-inning stints, after which his command would desert him. Still, he's a lefthander with a 90 mph fastball, and that's always an attractive commodity.
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Similar to Jim Abbott, Bentz was born without a complete right hand. That handicap hasn't impeded his baseball progress, as he pitched in Double-A in his second full season. An Alaska high school product who pitched with limited success at Long Beach State, Bentz broke into pro ball as a starter in 2001, moved to the bullpen in his first full season and became a closer midway through 2003. He's the best lefthanded reliever in the system. With a solid delivery and durable frame, Bentz throws a 91-93 mph fastball with late life and a plus slider. He also throws a cutter to get in on righthanders and has the confidence to throw any pitch at any time. His changeup is effective but still needs improvement. His command slipped against more experienced hitters last season. After pitching with nerve damage in his left foot in 2002, Bentz was relatively healthy. He had a case of pink eye early in the season and a pulled upper stomach muscle in August. He was supposed to head to the Arizona Fall League in October, but the Expos changed their minds and decided not to send him because he had thrown too many innings. He should start the 2004 season in Triple-A. -
Bentz was born without a complete right hand, similar to Jim Abbott. His thumb is functional, but the rest of the fingers on the hand are knuckle-like stumps. Originally drafted by the Yankees out of Juneau-Douglas (Alaska) High, where he played with current NBA rookie Carlos Boozer as the shortstop, Bentz turned down football scholarships from several Pacific-10 Conference schools. He thrived out of the bullpen at Long Beach State, started in his first pro summer and moved back to relief last year. He pitched well enough to be selected for the Florida State League all-star game, but a recurring nerve problem in the third toe on his left foot ended his season before the contest. Bentz is praised for his bulldog mentality and composure on the mound. With a balanced delivery and strong frame, he throws a 91-93 mph fastball with explosive life. He also throws a cutter to get inside on righthanders. His slider is a plus pitch at times, and his changeup is effective against righthanders but still needs improvement. For the most part, Bentz gets good downhill angle on his fastball, but at times he will overthrow and leave it up in the zone.
