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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Benes Hopes To Learn From His Brother

Associated Press

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Andy Benes says he’s found the perfect role model this season - his younger brother Alan.

Andy Benes, 28, signed a two-year free-agent deal with St. Louis after helping Seattle win a division championship last fall. He has seen Alan pitch only once, as an aggressive Creighton freshman working in a 1990 College World Series game.

“He’s a bulldog out there,” Andy Benes said. “That’s something that’s important to me, to have that nasty demeanor out there. That’s the way Alan pitches and that’s the way I plan on being.”

Alan Benes, a 24-year-old rookie, made his major-league debut with the Cardinals late last season. He was 1-2 with an 8.44 ERA.

This spring, he figures to earn a spot in the rotation alongside his brother, who pitched seven seasons in San Diego before being traded to the Mariners last July 31. Andy Benes was 4-7 with a 4.17 ERA with San Diego and 7-2 with a with a 5.86 ERA with Seattle.

“I’m not a guy who has a job by any means,” Alan Benes said. “Most likely, if I come in and do a good job, I’ll have a spot.”

The brothers can hardly wait for April 30, when the Cardinals make their first appearance of the season in Chicago - a short drive from the Benes home in Lake Forest, Ill. “It’s great for the family, not just Andy and I, playing together,” he said.