Steve Bedrosian
Encyclopedia
Stephen Wayne Bedrosian, (b. December 6, 1957, Methuen, Massachusetts
) is an American former baseball player. Nicknamed "Bedrock", he played from 1981 to 1995 with the Atlanta Braves
, Philadelphia Phillies
, San Francisco Giants
and Minnesota Twins
. 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).
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. Since Bedrosian, only three other relievers, Mark Davis, Dennis Eckersley
and Éric Gagné
, have won Cy Young honors (Davis won the National League award in 1989 while with the San Diego Padres; Eckersley won the American League award and was the American League's Most Valuable Player in 1992 with the Oakland Athletics; Gagné won the National League award in 2003 with the Los Angeles Dodgers).
He was traded to the Giants during the 1989 season to help their pennant drive that year. In 1990, he won the Willie Mac Award
, voted upon by his teammates, honoring his spirit and leadership.
As a member of the Minnesota Twins
, Bedrosian faced his former team in the 1991 World Series
.
Currently, Bedrosian resides in Newnan, Georgia
, where he serves on the Coweta county board of education and is an assistant baseball coach at East Coweta high school. In 2008, Bedrosian was inducted into the Coweta Sports Hall of Fame.
Bedrosian also played college baseball at the University of New Haven
and has been inducted into its hall of fame.
Bedrosian has two sons: Cameron, who played for East Coweta High School and was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the 2010 MLB Draft; and Kyle, who played for Mercer University
and is a pitching coach at local baseball academy Home Plate.
Methuen, Massachusetts
Methuen is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 43,789 at the 2000 census.-History:Methuen was first settled in 1642 and was officially incorporated in 1726; it is named for the British diplomat Sir Paul Methuen. Methuen was originally part of Haverhill,...
) is an American former baseball player. Nicknamed "Bedrock", he played from 1981 to 1995 with the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
and Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. 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).
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
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, recorded a league-leading 40 saves, and was named the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
winner. Since Bedrosian, only three other relievers, Mark Davis, Dennis Eckersley
Dennis Eckersley
Dennis Lee Eckersley , nicknamed "Eck", is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. Eckersley had success as a starter, but gained his greatest fame as a closer, becoming the first of only two pitchers in Major League history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season in a career .He...
and Éric Gagné
Éric Gagné
Éric Serge Gagné is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.Signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent in 1995, Gagné began his career as a starting pitcher...
, have won Cy Young honors (Davis won the National League award in 1989 while with the San Diego Padres; Eckersley won the American League award and was the American League's Most Valuable Player in 1992 with the Oakland Athletics; Gagné won the National League award in 2003 with the Los Angeles Dodgers).
He was traded to the Giants during the 1989 season to help their pennant drive that year. In 1990, he won the Willie Mac Award
Willie Mac Award
The Willie Mac Award is named in honor of Willie McCovey. It has been presented annually since 1980. It is awarded to the player on the San Francisco Giants who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership consistently shown by McCovey throughout his long career, voted upon by the players and...
, voted upon by his teammates, honoring his spirit and leadership.
As a member of the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, Bedrosian faced his former team in the 1991 World Series
1991 World Series
The 1991 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins of the American League against the Atlanta Braves of the National League. The series was played from Saturday, October 19 to Sunday, October 27....
.
Currently, Bedrosian resides in Newnan, Georgia
Newnan, Georgia
Newnan is a city in Coweta County, Georgia, about 30 miles southwest of Atlanta. The population was 16,242 at the 2000 Census. Newnan is one of the fastest growing cities in Georgia, with an estimated population of 27,097 in 2006 and 33,293 in July 2008...
, where he serves on the Coweta county board of education and is an assistant baseball coach at East Coweta high school. In 2008, Bedrosian was inducted into the Coweta Sports Hall of Fame.
Bedrosian also played college baseball at the University of New Haven
University of New Haven
The University of New Haven is a private university that combines a liberal arts education with professional training. The university comprises five colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the Tagliatela College of Engineering, the Henry C...
and has been inducted into its hall of fame.
Bedrosian has two sons: Cameron, who played for East Coweta High School and was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the 2010 MLB Draft; and Kyle, who played for Mercer University
Mercer University
Mercer University is an independent, private, coeducational university with a Baptist heritage located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Mercer is the only university of its size in the United States that offers programs in eleven diversified fields of study: liberal arts, business, education, music,...
and is a pitching coach at local baseball academy Home Plate.