Baseball is a common language, a catcher’s indicators to a pitcher a shared dialect.
That undoubtedly helps St. Charles native Wes Benjamin.
The left-handed pitcher, who spent elements of two seasons with the Texas Rangers and a part of a 3rd with Triple-A Charlotte within the White Sox group, lately concluded his most profitable skilled marketing campaign, with the KT Wiz in Suwon, South Korea.
In regular-season video games, all beginning appearances in his second yr with the Wiz, Benjamin went 15-6 with a 3.54 earned-run common. In 160 innings he allowed 149 hits and struck out 157 batters, main the membership’s workers in victories, video games began and strikeouts.
“Any time you recover from 10 wins they beautiful a lot adore it,” stated Benjamin, 30, who returned to his Elgin residence Nov. 16. “That is not all the time a factor you’ll be able to management, so I used to be very fortunate I had a good-hitting staff.”
Living proof, Benjamin’s Sport 3 begin within the Korean Sequence, the Korean Baseball Group’s model of the World Sequence.
With the collection tied 1-1 in opposition to the LG Twins, on Nov. 10 Benjamin paced a 4-3 lead by means of 5 innings. He got here out to pitch the sixth however after permitting a runner was relieved. The Wiz went on to lose that sport, and the collection.
“Clearly I want I might have executed extra, however at that time it’s what it’s,” Benjamin stated.
Sure it’s.
A 2011 St. Charles East graduate who pitched three seasons at Kansas earlier than the Rangers took him within the fifth spherical of the 2014 Novice Draft (thanks, baseball-reference.com), Benjamin stated the KBO presents a distinct sort of problem.
There’s extra emphasis by batters on making contact than on launch angles and dingers, like within the States.
“From a pitching standpoint it may be irritating as a result of the (batter) will foul off each considered one of your greatest pitches till he finds one thing he likes,” Benjamin stated.
Nevertheless it sounds enjoyable. Even regular-season video games are like “one massive celebration,” Benjamin stated, and it ramps up within the playoffs.
Three international gamers are allowed on every staff, with a most of two allowed on the sector at one time.
Arriving with the KT Wiz in Could 2022 after being launched by the White Sox, Benjamin went 5-4 with a 2.70 ERA in 17 begins his first season there.
He is been studying to talk Korean to achieve camaraderie with teammates. They rib him, saying he is on the stage of a 3-year-old.
“I am utterly tremendous with that,” Benjamin stated. “I’ve received my Starbucks order down.”
Married three years this Dec. 11 to the previous Brittany Brueske, Wes believes the Wiz is fascinated with signing him for 2024. Main-league ballclubs might also have an interest, he stated.
“I am in a very good place,” Benjamin stated. “To have the ability to have choices is nice, however I liked all the pieces about it and would undoubtedly return if given the chance.”
Landmarks
Within the first basketball sport of her junior yr on Nov. 13, a 54-14 win over Earlville at IMSA, West Chicago level guard Jasmyne Trigueros surpassed the 1,000-point mark. She’s a three-sport athlete, additionally enjoying volleyball and softball.
In a 59-47 win over Lockport on Nov. 17, Montini junior level guard Nikki Kerstein scored her 1,000th level. The Deerfield Excessive Faculty switch was an Illinois Basketball Coaches Affiliation second-team all-state decide final season as a sophomore.
In a 67-42 win over Phillips on Nov. 22, Stevenson senior Emory Klatt grabbed her 1,000th rebound. The DePaul-bound ahead joins solely former professional Tauja Catchings (2,001 factors, 1,184 rebounds) as Patriots ladies to succeed in each 1,000 factors and 1,000 rebounds.
On the Naperville Central Tip-Off Event on Nov. 24, Batavia senior guard Brooke Carlson scored her 1,five hundredth level in a 59-26 win over Oswego. The Colorado State commit adopted with 34 factors in a 70-63 championship loss to Kenwood.
On Nov. 27 at residence, Lisle senior guard Crystal McHugh, a returning Each day Herald DuPage County All-Space decide, scored her 1,000th level in a 46-45 loss to Coal Metropolis. She’s the fifth Lions woman to succeed in the mark and the quickest to get there, 62 video games.
IHSA motion
Following 28 city corridor conferences statewide, on Nov. 27 the Illinois Excessive Faculty Affiliation Legislative Committee superior 14 of 23 bylaw-change proposals to a vote of member faculties.
Amongst them are proposals that will:
• Set up districts in soccer decided by geography and classification;
• Permit a preseason soccer scrimmage with one other faculty;
• Get rid of the boys gymnastics season and contest limitations, or calendar; and
• Set up a fall ladies flag soccer season.
Member faculties will vote on-line Dec. 4-18. A easy majority vote is required for denial or for proposals to enter impact on July 1.
Purple Grange Bowl
Two-time defending NJCAA Division III champion School of DuPage will host Rochester (Minnesota) within the third nationwide soccer championship on the Purple Grange Bowl, midday Saturday at Bjarne Ullsvik Stadium in Glen Ellyn.
It is a battle between Nos. 1-2 amongst NJCAA non-scholarship groups. The COD Chaparrals reached 10 wins for the primary time in 28 seasons, together with a 24-21 win over Rochester on Sept. 2.
Tickets are $10 on the gate. The sport additionally can be streamed on ESPN+.
doberhelman@dailyherald.com
