Naturally, the main subject on everyone’s minds this offseason has been the Winter Meetings. That said, another topic of conversation heating things up has been VH1’s latest hit show “Baseball Wives”.
Plenty has been written and said about one of the show’s breakout stars Anna Benson, wife of Kris Benson, but has anyone caught up with the former pitcher to chat about his wife’s on screen antics?
Well…I had the opportunity.
HOVG: You’re a former number one pick and Olympian…you also started your career with 200 consecutive starts before heading to the bullpen, what would you call your greatest accomplishment on the mound?
BENSON: There’s really too many to say just one. Number one overall pick, bronze medal in my hometown, first game in the Majors, coming back from shoulder surgery. Tough Call!
HOVG: Where does that gem you tossed June 17, 2006 versus your former team, the New York Mets, rank?
BENSON: It definitely ranks right up there because I hit my first and only home run (off Pedro Martinez). I won, but it’s all about the homer!
HOVG: It’s pretty well documented that you met your wife Anna at a stripclub. Love at first sight or did it take a while for the two of you to hit it off?
BENSON: A mutual friend introduced us as she was about to walk out the door and it was on like Donkey Kong!
HOVG: Also well documented are Anna’s comments about some of your former teammates. Did her outspoken demeanor hurt your relationship with your Mets teammates and team management? If so…how?
BENSON: Not at all. It was business as usual. It was more about the media sensationalizing it all, but it made for a good read. Writing about 162 games of baseball gets boring after awhile. Sports people would rather see a player’s girl take her clothes off, look hot, and be quite, then keep her clothes on and have a personality and opinion. They’re all intimidated.
HOVG: But you’re getting the last laugh now with “Baseball Wives”…aren’t you? The show seems to be a hit and your wife looks to be the breakout star. Has anything changed for you guys in the past week?
BENSON: Anna’s in her element. She was the first wife to make it cool to follow sports wives and for players wives to pose in magazines and spreads. Now everyone does it! Google it up. She’s the pioneer and no one gives her credit for that. Oh wait, yeah they do, because she’s the only one on NBC, ESPN, TMZ, FOX, you name it! Really though, would anyone be watching if Anna wasn’t on there?
HOVG: I can’t disagree. How accurate is the portrayal of the baseball wife lifestyle?
BENSON: It depends on what environment you put them in. Do they party? Hell yeah. Do they get into drama at and away from the field? Hell yeah. But you have to entertain when you’re on TV. Everyone wants to see the “true life of a baseball wife”. Well, does everyone want to fall asleep or flip the channel after the first 10 minutes? That’s what documentaries are for. Boring.
HOVG: It looks like the producers selected a pretty good mix of “wives” to appear on the show. Who did they miss? I mean…what “baseball wife” did they miss out on casting? Who out there is an absolutely goldmine?
BENSON: I didn’t pay attention to any of the other wives. We would run home to do our thing…with the kids that is. When it comes to reality show material, Anna’s the only true home run, believe it!
HOVG: What’s next for you…where can people find you? Facebook, Twitter, website, etc.
BENSON: I’m Managing Director for a boutique business management firm out of NYC, working under the man who started it all in this industry. I run the Atlanta office. We rep athletes, entertainers, and high net-worth individuals…actually, REALLY cool clients everyone has seen and heard of. I’m on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter at @KrisBenson34.
Kris Benson spent parts of nine seasons in the Majors, with stops in Pittsburgh, New York, Arizona, Texas and Baltimore. For his career, he compiled a 58-62 record and posted a 4.26 ERA. On April 9, 1999, he became just the second number oneoverall pick to win his big league debut.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
