Benitez Signs

The Season 5 Amateur draft rolled around, picks were announced and then came time for the Pittsburgh Pranksters to announce their pick. Pascual Benitez the 22 year old CF from Columbus St was the pick. One of the best contact hitters in the draft and great splits including pure dominance of righties. Add electric speed this was a great pick for the Pranksters.

Except there is only one problem, Benitez said from the beginning, pay me BIG or I walk. The Pranksters did not pay him big and he walked. Benitez played independent ball for a year crushing all competition, well if you even want to call it competition.

Lets flashback to season 3 GM Indiansrck27 had just taken over the then Charlotte Crocs franchise. An unsigned corner outfielder by the name of Wilfredo Rodriguez who was taken during round 1 pick 19 the previous season was looking to sign with a team during season 3. GM Irock signed the outfielder to a 3 year 16.5 million dollar contract (5.5 per year). He instantly was heckled for the terrible signing. That did not deter Irock from putting him in a ML uniform from day one. He was very raw like Pascual, had lots of potential.

Now lets go back to today...

Wilfredo Rodriguez just finished his 3 year deal and is now making 500K per season until he hits arbitration next season. if you ask GM Irock he would say signing Wilfredo was a great move. Last season he batted .296 with 10 HR, and 70 RBI plus 44 SB in the most extreme pitchers park in the AL.

Pascual Beneitez was signed to a ML minimum contract with a 3.5 million dollar bonus and is ready to start the season in AAA. When asked about Benitez GM Irock said "All we expect from him is to play ball listen to his coaches and develop this season and during the offseason. if he can do this he will be on our ML roster come this time next season. He is ML ready talent wise, but mentally and emotionally he isnt ready. Im not gonna lie when I heard Benitez was looking to sign I got all warm and fuzzy inside. I knew we were going to sign him. I just hoped we wouldn't gave to pay as much for him as we did WRod"

Only time will tell if Benitez will live up to his 3.5 million dollar bonus, and his former top 10 draft pick status.