Steve Bedrosian

Steve Bedrosian
Pitcher
Born: (1957-12-06) December 6, 1957 (age 66)
Methuen, Massachusetts, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
August 14, 1981, for the Atlanta Braves
Last MLB appearance
August 9, 1995, for the Atlanta Braves
MLB statistics
Win–loss record76–79
Earned run average3.38
Strikeouts921
Saves184
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Stephen Wayne Bedrosian (born December 6, 1957), nicknamed "Bedrock", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily with the Atlanta Braves. He also played for the Philadelphia Phillies, where he won the 1987 National League Cy Young Award, and the Minnesota Twins, where he won the 1991 World Series. He is the father of Cam Bedrosian who played in MLB from 2014 to 2021.

Biography

At the University of New Haven, Bedrosian put up a career record of 13–3 and 3 saves. He helped the Chargers to a third-place finish in the 1978 Division II College World Series. He was then drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 1978 MLB draft.

In 1985, his only full season as a starter, Bedrosian went 7–15 and set a Major League record for most starts in a single season without a complete game (37).[1]

Bedrosian was traded by the Braves to the Phillies in the off-season and was converted to a reliever before the 1986 season. In his first year in relief, he saved 29 games. His best season came in 1987 when he posted a 5–3 record for the Phillies with a 2.83 earned run average, recorded a league-leading 40 saves, and was named the National League Cy Young Award winner.[2] Since Bedrosian, only three other National League relievers (Mark Davis, Dennis Eckersley and Éric Gagné) have won Cy Young honors. He also received the Sporting News Reliever of the Year Award in 1987,[3] as well as the MLB Rolaids Relief Man Award.[4][5]

He was traded to the Giants during the 1989 season to help their pennant drive that year.[6] In 1990, he won the Willie Mac Award, voted upon by his teammates, honoring his spirit and leadership (his then two-year-old son Cody was battling leukemia).[7]

As a member of the Minnesota Twins, Bedrosian won his only World Series ring in the 1991 World Series, which the Twins won in seven games over his former team, the Atlanta Braves.[7]

Personal

Currently, Bedrosian resides in Newnan, Georgia, where he served on the Coweta County Board of Education, through 2010, and is an assistant baseball coach at East Coweta High School.

In 2008, Bedrosian was inducted into the Coweta Sports Hall of Fame.[8] Bedrosian has also been inducted into the University of New Haven Hall of Fame.[9]

Bedrosian is of Armenian descent.[7] He was referenced in the episode "A Very Sunny Christmas" of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

See also

References

  1. ^ Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p.107, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, ISBN 978-0-451-22363-0
  2. ^ Murray Chass (November 11, 1987). "Phillies' Bedrosian Cy Young Winner". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 10, 2013. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  3. ^ "Fireman of the Year Award / Reliever of the Year Award by The Sporting News | Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  4. ^ "MLB Awards - Relief Man Award - Major League Baseball - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  5. ^ "Kissing the Rolaids Relief Award goodbye". FOX Sports. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  6. ^ "Phillies Trade Bedrosian to Giants, Samuel to Mets". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. June 19, 1989. Archived from the original on December 10, 2013. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  7. ^ a b c Montgomery, Wynn. "Steve Bedrosian – Society for American Baseball Research". sabr.org. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  8. ^ Camp, Tommy (October 14, 2008). "Bedrosian, Cronic among Hall of Fame class". Times Herald-Record. Archived from the original on June 18, 2009. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
  9. ^ "Hall of Fame". New Haven Chargers. Archived from the original on May 30, 2014. Retrieved May 30, 2014.