ORIOLES ACQUIRE BENSON
The Baltimore Orioles acquired pitcher Kris Benson from the New York Mets for pitchers Jorge Julio and John Maine.
What does it give the Baltimore Orioles
The O's finally addressed their starting pitching concerns this off-season with the addition of Benson, who wore out his welcome in Queens partly due to his wife's penchant for grabbing the spotlight. Benson will be more low-key in Baltimore, and should benefit from the presence of new pitching coach Leo Mazzone. Expect Benson to be one of the Orioles' top three starters in 2006.
What does it give the New York Mets
The key to the deal from a Mets perspective is right-handed reliever Julio, a former closer in Baltimore. He'll join Aaron Heilman and Chad Bradford as the key setup men for new closer Billy Wagner. In fact, Julio's presence in the bullpen could lead to Heilman returning to the rotation. If not, Maine will be a fifth-starter candidate--along with prospect Brian Bannister and others.
Fantasy impact
