Kristin James Benson (born November 7, 1974) is an American former Major League Baseball starting pitcher who played for several teams between 1999 and 2010.

He posted three more good seasons from 2004 to 2006 with the Pirates, the New York Mets, and the Baltimore Orioles, but then underwent rotator cuff surgery, after which he was never again an effective Major League pitcher.

His teammates included fellow future major-leaguers Billy Koch and Matthew LeCroy both of whom played with him in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Though he pitched only one game in the Atlantic regional playoffs, the Tigers' ace earned all-tournament recognition with an outing in which he allowed only one hit, struck out eight, and walked but one batter.

Nonetheless, the team's two victories ended an eight-game CWS losing streak for Clemson and included a win over top-ranked Alabama.

[7] Subsequently, Benson was named College Baseball's Player of the Year, only the second (after fellow future major leaguer and Olympian Ben McDonald) to be so honored on the strength of his pitching alone.

Benson lasted only four innings and surrendered five runs, and the bullpen gave up another six, en route to an 11–2 loss that kept the Americans from advancing to the gold medal game.

On July 30, 2004, The Pirates traded him and Jeff Keppinger to The New York Mets for Jose Bautista, Ty Wigginton and Matt Peterson.

He beat Randy Johnson twice in the inter league Subway Series, throwing 12 innings of shutout baseball against the Yankees.

[17] Steve Trachsel replaced Benson in their starting rotation before being traded to the Chicago Cubs for minor league players.

[18] On June 29, 2008, after two years away from competitive baseball, Benson made his Triple-A debut for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, throwing 73 pitches.

[20] Benson made the Opening Day 25 man roster as one of the Rangers' starting pitchers, but after a short stint on the disabled list, he was relegated to the bullpen in long relief.

After proving ineffective as a sporadic reliever upon his return, he was outrighted to the Rangers' Triple-A affiliate, the Oklahoma City RedHawks, on June 9, 2009.

In 1998, while playing with the Nashville Sounds in the minor leagues, he met his future wife, Anna Benson while she was working as a dancer in a local strip club.

She was convicted on charges of aggravated assault and gun possession for the attack and sentenced to 15 years probation and three months of inpatient psychiatric therapy.

(In an interview on The Howard Stern Show Anna Benson explained that at least one of her husband's contracts had been structured with charitable contributions so that this income could not be taxed.

[31]) In 2001, after 9/11, the couple founded the non-profit organization Benson's Battalion, whose work then-Rep. Melissa Hart praised in a citation to the Congressional Record in 2004.

The son of a school teacher and college dean,[25] Benson had been described as studious and methodical in his approach to pitching,[33] personally reserved,[25] and, in comparison to his ex-wife, strait-laced and stoic.