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Given Name: Benito James Distefano
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Distefano enters the 2008 season in his second year as hitting coach for the Whitecaps and his third season in the Tigers organization. In 2007, Distefano helped direct the Whitecaps to lead the Midwest League in hitting with a .268 average. Prior to coming to the Whitecaps, he was a coach for the Gulf Coast League Tigers in his first professional coaching assignment. Distefano was drafted in the second round of the 1982 amateur draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates and played five seasons in the major leagues. Distefano spent 1984, 86, 88-89 with the Pirates and 1992 with the Houston Astros. He concluded his career in 1992 with a .228 batting average in 240 Major League games. He also played 11 seasons of minor league baseball dating from 1982-92 finishing with 130 career home runs and 593 RBIs. Benny resides in Missouri City, Texas with his wife Brenda and their son Benny Jr.