Biographical

Portrait of Johnny Bench

Johnny Bench CReds

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Career Summary
Years PA AVG OBP SLG DRC+ WARP
17 8669 .267 .342 .476 130 72.4
Birth Date12-7-1947
Height6' 1"
Weight208 lbs
Age76 years, 3 months, 11 days
BatsR
ThrowsR
WARP Summary

MLB Statistics

YEAR TEAM AGE G PA H 2B 3B HR BB SO HBP SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ DRAA BRR FRAA BWARP
1967 CIN 19 26 93 14 3 1 1 5 19 0 0 1 .163 .207 .256 69 -2.6 -0.3 0.3 0.1
1968 CIN 20 154 607 155 40 2 15 31 96 2 1 5 .275 .311 .433 118 15.7 -1.0 2.1 4.8
1969 CIN 21 148 592 156 23 1 26 49 86 4 6 6 .293 .353 .487 135 30.0 0.7 6.0 6.7
1970 CIN 22 158 671 177 35 4 45 54 102 0 5 2 .293 .345 .587 138 36.6 1.3 7.8 7.6
1971 CIN 23 149 613 134 19 2 27 49 83 0 2 1 .238 .299 .423 112 13.4 -1.0 4.6 4.6
1972 CIN 24 147 652 145 22 2 40 100 84 2 6 6 .270 .379 .541 164 46.3 -0.8 0.0 8.1
1973 CIN 25 152 651 141 17 3 25 83 83 0 4 1 .253 .345 .429 122 19.6 1.4 2.0 5.1
1974 CIN 26 160 708 174 38 2 33 80 90 3 5 4 .280 .363 .507 143 38.0 -3.7 2.7 7.1
1975 CIN 27 142 605 150 39 1 28 65 108 2 11 0 .283 .359 .519 135 27.1 -0.7 0.9 5.5
1976 CIN 28 135 552 109 24 1 16 81 95 2 13 2 .234 .348 .394 123 16.3 -2.6 4.5 4.5
1977 CIN 29 142 560 136 34 2 31 58 95 1 2 4 .275 .348 .540 133 24.5 -2.8 -0.7 4.6
1978 CIN 30 120 451 102 17 1 23 50 83 1 4 2 .260 .340 .483 138 20.7 -1.8 0.8 4.1
1979 CIN 31 130 538 128 19 0 22 67 73 0 4 2 .276 .364 .459 131 21.6 -0.6 0.8 4.7
1980 CIN 32 114 407 90 12 0 24 41 64 2 4 2 .250 .327 .483 128 14.2 -0.6 -3.7 2.9
1981 CIN 33 52 196 55 8 0 8 17 21 0 0 2 .309 .369 .489 131 6.0 -1.8 0.2 0.8
1982 CIN 34 119 439 103 16 0 13 37 58 0 1 2 .258 .320 .396 107 4.6 -0.6 -14.7 0.2
1983 CIN 35 110 334 79 15 2 12 24 38 0 0 1 .255 .308 .432 106 2.4 -3.8 2.0 0.9
Career215886692048381243898911278196843.267.342.476130334.3-18.515.772.4

Statistics for All Levels

'opp' stats - Quality of opponents faced - have been moved and are available only as OPP_QUAL in the Statistics reports now.
Minor league stats are currently shownClick to hide.
YEAR Team Lg LG G PA oppAVG oppOBP oppSLG BABIP BPF BRAA repLVL POS_ADJ DRC+ DRC+ SD FRAA BRR DRAA BWARP
1967 CIN MLB NL 26 93 .242 .300 .351 .194 108 -6.2 2.2 1.4 69 17 0.3 -0.3 -2.6 0.1
1968 CIN MLB NL 154 607 .243 .295 .338 .304 98 12.1 13.3 8 118 10 2.1 -1.0 15.7 4.8
1969 CIN MLB NL 148 592 .252 .315 .369 .304 106 29 15.2 9.1 135 9 6.0 0.7 30.0 6.7
1970 CIN MLB NL 158 671 .261 .329 .400 .281 102 42.7 18.2 8.5 138 10 7.8 1.3 36.6 7.6
1971 CIN MLB NL 149 613 .252 .312 .366 .236 97 5.2 15.0 7.9 112 11 4.6 -1.0 13.4 4.6
1972 CIN MLB NL 147 652 .251 .317 .370 .246 96 49.5 15.3 7.2 164 9 0.0 -0.8 46.3 8.1
1973 CIN MLB NL 152 651 .253 .317 .374 .253 99 7.1 17.1 7.6 122 8 2.0 1.4 19.6 5.1
1974 CIN MLB NL 160 708 .254 .323 .365 .281 99 41.4 18.3 9.4 143 9 2.7 -3.7 38.0 7.1
1975 CIN MLB NL 142 605 .257 .322 .370 .303 102 30.6 15.9 7.4 135 13 0.9 -0.7 27.1 5.5
1976 CIN MLB NL 135 552 .252 .315 .356 .260 103 8.4 13.9 8 123 10 4.5 -2.6 16.3 4.5
1977 CIN MLB NL 142 560 .261 .323 .393 .280 104 22.2 15.6 8.4 133 12 -0.7 -2.8 24.5 4.6
1978 CIN MLB NL 120 451 .249 .313 .365 .270 104 19.2 11.7 5.6 138 10 0.8 -1.8 20.7 4.1
1979 CIN MLB NL 130 538 .260 .320 .384 .284 102 20 15.1 8.8 131 12 0.8 -0.6 21.6 4.7
1980 CIN MLB NL 114 407 .256 .312 .368 .239 102 12.7 10.9 6.4 128 14 -3.7 -0.6 14.2 2.9
1981 CIN MLB NL 52 196 .254 .314 .356 .315 99 9 5.0 -2.1 131 18 0.2 -1.8 6.0 0.8
1982 CIN MLB NL 119 439 .256 .312 .367 .273 100 0.8 11.8 1.2 107 11 -14.7 -0.6 4.6 0.2
1983 CIN MLB NL 110 334 .256 .317 .376 .258 102 1.1 9.1 -1.3 106 14 2.0 -3.8 2.4 0.9

Statistics For All Levels

Minor league stats are currently shownClick to hide.
Year Team lvl LG PA AB R H 2B 3B HR TB RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG ISO SF SH
1967 CIN MLB NL 93 86 7 14 3 1 1 22 6 5 19 0 1 .163 .207 .256 .093 1 1
1968 CIN MLB NL 607 564 67 155 40 2 15 244 82 31 96 1 5 .275 .311 .433 .158 8 2
1969 CIN MLB NL 592 532 83 156 23 1 26 259 90 49 86 6 6 .293 .353 .487 .194 7 0
1970 CIN MLB NL 671 605 97 177 35 4 45 355 148 54 102 5 2 .293 .345 .587 .294 11 1
1971 CIN MLB NL 613 562 80 134 19 2 27 238 61 49 83 2 1 .238 .299 .423 .185 2 0
1972 CIN MLB NL 652 538 87 145 22 2 40 291 125 100 84 6 6 .270 .379 .541 .271 12 0
1973 CIN MLB NL 651 557 83 141 17 3 25 239 104 83 83 4 1 .253 .345 .429 .176 10 1
1974 CIN MLB NL 708 621 108 174 38 2 33 315 129 80 90 5 4 .280 .363 .507 .227 4 0
1975 CIN MLB NL 605 530 83 150 39 1 28 275 110 65 108 11 0 .283 .359 .519 .236 8 0
1976 CIN MLB NL 552 465 62 109 24 1 16 183 74 81 95 13 2 .234 .348 .394 .159 4 0
1977 CIN MLB NL 560 494 67 136 34 2 31 267 109 58 95 2 4 .275 .348 .540 .265 7 0
1978 CIN MLB NL 451 393 52 102 17 1 23 190 73 50 83 4 2 .260 .340 .483 .224 6 1
1979 CIN MLB NL 538 464 73 128 19 0 22 213 80 67 73 4 2 .276 .364 .459 .183 4 3
1980 CIN MLB NL 407 360 52 90 12 0 24 174 68 41 64 4 2 .250 .327 .483 .233 4 0
1981 CIN MLB NL 196 178 14 55 8 0 8 87 25 17 21 0 2 .309 .369 .489 .180 0 1
1982 CIN MLB NL 439 399 44 103 16 0 13 158 38 37 58 1 2 .258 .320 .396 .138 2 1
1983 CIN MLB NL 334 310 32 79 15 2 12 134 54 24 38 0 1 .255 .308 .432 .177 0 0

Plate Discipline

YEAR Pits Zone% Swing% Contact% Z-Swing% O-Swing% Z-Contact% O-Contact% SwStr% CSAA

Injury History  —  No longer being updated

Last Update: 12/31/2014 23:59 ET

Date On Date Off Transaction Days Games Side Body Part Injury Severity Surgery Date Reaggravation
1981-05-29 1981-08-26 89 26 Left Ankle Fracture - -

Compensation

Year Team Salary

 

Service TimeAgentContract Status

Details

2019 Preseason Forecast

Last Update: 1/27/2017 12:35 ET

PCT PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ VORP FRAA WARP
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BP Annual Player Comments

No BP Book Comments have been found for this player.

BP Articles

Click here to see articles tagged with Johnny Bench

BP Chats

DateQuestionAnswer
2012-05-01 13:00:00 (link to chat)As a Yankee fan, am I going to be shaking my head about the Montero/Pineda trade for a decade?
(Alex from Anaheim)
As Jay Jaffe wrote last week, labrum tears aren't exactly a death sentence, but history is not on Pineda's side. On the other hand, I don't think Montero is really a catcher, so it's not like the Yankees traded away Johnny Bench. Pitchers are inherently more risky than hitters, but I liked the trade when Cashman made it, so it would be wrong of me to criticize it today. Sometimes fate intervenes. Personally, I expect Pineda will come back and be effective--he has youth and stuff on his side, after all. (Ken Funck)
2010-04-08 14:00:00 (link to chat)Is Bryce Harper the second coming of Johnny Bench or do we just inflate the best prospects every year beyond reason?
(Paul from Vegas)
The hype machine plays a role, but Harper is the real deal, and the best prospect in the draft. I would never make a Bench comp however, due to the fact that I'm not so sure he's a catcher in the end. (Kevin Goldstein)
2010-02-02 13:00:00 (link to chat)Any idea on how much longer Mauer will be a catcher? Or where he will be moved? He's athletic enough to play 3rd or Corner outfield, correct? He doesn't have to be moved to 1st (hopefully).
(Wendy from Madrid)
We had a discussion about this amongst ourselves -- maybe it will be a roundtable. I know Mauer wants to catch and the Twins have always resisted moving him, even a bit. Maybe he follows a Joe Torre pattern, starting to transition to 1B/3B ... but Mauer is much, much more athletic, not to mention 1B is blocked. Some have mention Johnny Bench, who is a better physical comp (not as tall or athletic, but freakishly strong and huuuuuge hands), but he played all over the place - including CF on occasion! I think it will take a significant injury to move him.

One more comp -- athletic, tall (6'3) catcher who stayed behind the plate his entire, long career despite his defense and could hit a little bit? Mike Piazza. (Will Carroll)
2009-10-07 14:30:00 (link to chat)Obviously it's hard to predict because he is just 26, but are we potentially seeing the greatest catcher of all time (maybe excluding Josh Gibson) in Joe Mauer?
(ssteadman from St. Louis, MO)
Mauer is great, but best catcher of all time is a tall order even for a three-time batting champion, because Johnny Bench was so incredible on both sides of the ball -- his defense made Jose Molina look like Mike Piazza. (Jay Jaffe)
2009-06-24 13:00:00 (link to chat)With Pudge about to break the record for games caught, I'm wondering why almost all the top 10 leaders (Al Lopez the exception) are from fairly recent times. It's the opposite historical trend from complete games, innings pitched, etc. Are there people grousing (conversely from Bob Feller) about how all those old-time catchers were a bunch of sissies compared to modern iron-men catchers? Why the longevity now?
(keef66 from Spartanburg, SC)
The expectations for catchers were different in the past. They weren't usually counted on offensively, which meant they were more interchangeable and could be rested more often, whereas taking Johnny Bench out of the lineup could kill you. The evolution of catching equipment was also slow and there were a lot more injuries, and thus a greater tolerance for vacation time. (Steven Goldman)
2008-09-10 13:00:00 (link to chat)No love for Deacon White?
(Eric J from VA)
White's career is all 19th century, and to be honest I'm more than a little uncomfrotable with how high the last JAWS iteration has him - ahead of Johnny Bench et al as the top catcher of all time based on the degree of difficulty and schedule length adjustments. IIRC, I don't think he made Bill James' top 100 in The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. But certainly his career merits a closer look given the circumstances. (Jay Jaffe)


BP Roundtables

No BP Roundtables have mentioned this guy.

Advanced Catching Metrics

Year lvl CSAA Framing Runs Blocking Chances EPAA Blocking Runs SB Attempts SRAA TRAA Throwing Runs FRAA Adj. FRAA
1967 mlb .000 0.0 1013 .001 -0.3 10 -.007 .003 0.0 -0.3 0.3
1968 mlb .000 0.0 6015 .001 -0.8 88 -.041 .002 1.9 1.2 2.1
1969 mlb .000 0.0 5750 .000 -0.3 64 -.124 -.001 4.6 4.3 6.0
1970 mlb .000 0.0 5154 .000 0.4 59 -.059 -.006 3.1 3.5 7.8
1971 mlb .000 0.0 4783 -.001 1.2 62 -.036 -.007 2.3 3.5 4.6
1972 mlb .000 0.0 4817 -.001 0.9 51 -.048 -.007 2.4 3.3 0.0
1973 mlb .000 0.0 4811 -.002 2.0 51 -.039 -.009 2.5 4.4 2.0
1974 mlb .000 0.0 4962 .000 -0.4 65 -.026 -.013 2.8 2.4 2.7
1975 mlb .000 0.0 4225 -.001 1.7 56 -.046 -.012 2.9 4.6 0.9
1976 mlb .000 0.0 4676 -.001 0.9 94 -.034 -.012 3.2 4.0 4.5
1977 mlb .000 0.0 4905 .000 -0.2 100 .001 -.008 1.3 1.1 -0.7
1978 mlb .000 0.0 3851 .001 -0.6 70 -.007 -.010 1.1 0.4 0.8
1979 mlb .000 0.0 4655 -.001 0.7 104 -.017 -.011 2.5 3.2 0.8
1980 mlb .000 0.0 3690 .000 0.0 110 .002 .001 -0.2 -0.2 -3.7
1981 mlb .000 0.0 291 .000 0.0 13 .005 .000 0.0 0.0 0.2
1982 mlb .000 0.0 13 .000 0.0 0 .000 .000 0.0 0.0 -14.7
1983 mlb .000 0.0 116 .000 0.0 6 .007 .002 0.0 0.0 2.0

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