Steve Put All Rallies To Bed In 1982 , Part 1

Steve Bedrosian was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 1978. Within three years, he was in the bigs during a strike-shortened season. The Braves liked what they saw of Steve, and would serve two successful tour of duties with them.

He was outstanding with University of New Haven, posting a 13-3 (3 saves, too) record there. And some All-American recognition. So when the Braves drafted him, Bedrosian quickly proved that he was a winner no matter where he went. His 1978 year showed off all of his potential.

After going 2-2 with the Kingsport Braves at Rookie League Level, Steve took off. Bedrosian was advancing. All he did was go 5-1 with Greenwood of the Western Carolina League to finish '78. His earned run average with the Kingsport Braves had been 3.08. But with the Greenwood team ("A" level) it was even better, 2.13.

So, where was Bedrosian come next season? Why one step closer to the promised land. With Savanah ("AA" level) of Southern League he was 5-5 with a good ERA. It seemed like Steve was ready for the next step, yet in 1980, he was still at "AA" level. However, the good news was Bedrosian put together his best-ever season at the minor league level that year. Wins? 14. ERA? 3.19.

He'd lost ten games, too. And he would again the next season. But, now Steve had only one more hurdle to overcome. By going 10-10 with Richmond of the International League in 1981, Bedrosian had reached the highest level of minor league baseball. With a 2.69 ERA at "AAA" level, the parent club was ready to call him up.

So during the second half of a year that featured a strike, Steve was at the big-league level in August. With Atlanta, he was only 1-2 with an earned run average of 4.44, but the Braves organization was keeping him.

So, it was back to normal for baseball in 1982, but no back to the minors for Steve Bedrosian that year. Atlanta made the right decision, and were rewarded. Thanks in part to Steve, the Braves won 89 games in '82.

Steve was with the club from port to stern that year. Gene Garber was the Atlanta closer that year. And you'd think with Garber's numbers (8-10, 30 saves and an earned run average of 2.34) that our boy wouldn't see any action as the closer. But he did!

The Braves started of 1982 with a record of 13-0. The pitching staff was strong, and one of the reasons was their coaching staff. Who was the pitching coach? One of the all-time greats to ever take the mound, Bob Gibson.

Phil Niekro was the ace of the starters, which included (At various times in the season) Rich Camp, Pascual Perez, Ken Daley, Rich Mahar, Ken Daley, and Bob Walk. All pitchers of distinction. Larry McWilliams had started two games for the Braves that year before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for the talented (And charismatic) Perez. It seemed like an draw as McWilliams pitched well for the Pirates for two years and Perez seemed to settle in for the Braves.

So was there a need for a bullpen? Yes. Truth be told, the starters were good, but not great. Gene Garber was reliable, and was needed often. Rick Camp started 21 games, and relieved 30 others, finishing 1982 11-13. Sadly, none of the relieves, including Steve Bedrosian, could post a great winning percentage. But was it the fault of the pitcher?

Only four relievers outside of Bedrosian posted a record above .500.You had Al Hrabosky, who was 2-1. But Al had seen better days, as evidenced by his 5.54 earned run average. He would spend 1983 in the minors before retiring.

Then you had Preston Hanna, who started off the season 3-0 with the Braves in 1982. His ERA was a little high at 3.75, but it must have come as a surprise to him that Atlanta released him in July. Though Oakland signed him, Preston went 0-4 with an ERA of 5.59 the rest of '82 and troubled times awaited him. Like Al Hrabosky, he'd seen better days (Hanna had been 1-1 with a 2.96 ERA in 1979 with Atlanta, then 2-0 with a good earned run average the next year). Like Hrabosky, Hanna would spend 1983 in "AAA" ball. After pitching in the Venezuela League in 1983/84, he was through as a player.

So at the other end of the spectrum, you had Carlos Diaz. Diaz was a 24-year old rookie who posted a record of 3-2. His 4.03 earned run average showed promise, but evidently the Atlanta Braves didn't want to wait, dealing him to the New York Mets for Tom Hausman. Hausman got into three more games that year for Atlanta, and like Al Hrabosky and Preston Hanna, was done with big league ball after 1982.

Diaz went on to go 3-1 with the Mets in 1983, posting a great 2.05 earned run average. His best season was 1985, as Carlos went 6-3 with a 2.61 ERA.

So with Larry McWilliams and Al Hrabosky struggling, plus Rich Camp not alway available, there were opening galore early on in the season. The 13-0 start, think our boy had anything to do with it?

Well, Steve Bedrosian struggled in his first game of the season, which happened to be a start. But Atlanta beat Houston. Steve then picked up a hold in his first relief outing, which was three innings vs. Houston again. Then he pitched 4 1/3 shutout ball in a relief outing for a win. So his first start was bad? How about his second? Bedrosian beat Chicago 1-0, pitching a strong seven frames, allowing just four hits and no runs. The Braves beat the Cubs 1-0, and Bedrosian had another win.

So April ended with Steve 2-0 with an earned run average of just 1.40. His team was 16-5. And it just might have been the most important month of Bedrosian's career. He'd proven he could pitch well in long relief and occasional start.

Two months later, the superb reliever did some closing. Steve picked up saves on June 2, 5 and 7. He did not pitch in between outings. He'd only start one more game all season, and it came that month. It was not bad, as Bedrosian allowed three runs over five innings. It seemed like his forte was long relief that season, and when the smoke had cleared, Steve had well over 100 innings pitched in 1982.

But closing wasn't out of the question. Impressed with watch they saw in June, Atlanta wasn't afraid to turn the ball over to Bedrosian in July, and he saved another three games (Steve also blew a save and took the loss on the 30th in the first game of a doubleheader vs. Los Angeles).

There were some tough times for the rookie pitcher, as he went just 3-5 with a 3.75 earned run average from July 30th to the end of the season. Those numbers aren't too bad, but that took his ERA from 1.46 to 2.42.

Altogether in 1982, Steve Bedrosian finished with eight wins. That was the same as Gene Garber, although the rookie lost four less games. Of Bedrosian's 64 outing that season, he finished 30 of them, proving he could someday be the closer on Atlanta, or any team for that matter. I mentioned that Steve had the innings in '82. Lots of 'em. 137 2/3 to be exact. Bedrosian complimented Gene Garber very well. The closer ended up pitching 119 1/3 innings himself.

Greatest Relief Seasons of All-Time Stat Set 1

Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Bernhard	1899	21	9	0.429	132.1	6	6
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Walsh	1904	18	10	0.556	110.2	6	3
Griffith	1905	25	17	0.680	101.2	9	6
Ferguson	1906	22	19	0.864	52.1	2	0
Keefe	1907	19	14	0.737	57.2	3	5
Chappelle	1908	13	6	0.462	70.1	2	4
Leever	1909	19	12	0.632	70.0	8	1
Dygert	1909	32	13	0.406	137.1	9	5
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Phillipe	1910	31	19	0.613	121.2	14	2
Benz	1911	12	4	0.333	55.2	3	2
Baskette	1912	29	18	0.621	116.0	8	4
Crandall	1913	35	27	0.771	97.2	4	4
Wolfgang	1914	24	12	0.500	119.1	9	5
Bressler	1914	29	15	0.517	147.2	10	4
Conzelman	1914	33	16	0.485	101.0	5	6
Mays	1915	38	27	0.711	131.2	6	5
Hughes	1916	40	19	0.475	161.0	16	3
Danforth	1917	50	26	0.520	173.0	11	6
Bender	1917	20	9	0.450	113.0	8	2
Coumbe	1917	34	15	0.441	134.1	8	6
Dubuc	1919	36	22	0.611	132.0	6	4
Luque	1919	30	9	0.300	106.0	10	3
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Morton	1921	30	15	0.500	107.2	8	3
Baumgartner	1925	37	9	0.243	113.1	6	3
Marberry	1926	64	47	0.734	138.0	12	7
Clark	1927	27	19	0.704	73.2	7	2
Haid	1928	27	14	0.519	47.0	2	2
Rommel	1929	32	15	0.469	113.2	12	2
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Lindsey	1931	35	19	0.543	74.2	6	4
Quinn	1932	39	29	0.744	64.1	5	4
Russell	1933	50	31	0.620	124.0	12	6
Malone	1936	35	25	0.714	134.2	12	4
Brown	1938	51	32	0.627	132.2	15	9
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Beggs	1940	37	27	0.730	76.2	12	3
Murphy	1941	35	31	0.886	77.1	8	3
Adams	1943	70	52	0.743	140.1	11	7
Heving	1944	63	38	0.603	119.2	8	3
Maltzberger	1944	46	41	0.891	91.1	10	5
Berry	1944	53	47	0.887	111.1	10	8
Karl	1945	67	41	0.612	180.2	8	8
Christopher	1947	44	38	0.864	80.2	10	7
Wilks	1948	57	27	0.474	130.2	6	6
Page	1949	60	48	0.800	135.1	13	8
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Konstanty	1950	74	62	0.838	152.0	16	7
Aloma	1951	25	11	0.440	69.1	6	0
Wilhelm	1952	71	32	0.451	159.1	15	3
Paige	1952	46	35	0.761	138.0	12	10
Kinder	1953	69	52	0.754	107.0	10	6
Mossi	1954	40	18	0.450	93.0	6	1
Sain	1954	45	39	0.867	77.0	6	6
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Narleski	1955	60	36	0.600	111.2	9	1
Craig	1955	24	4	0.167	90.2	5	3
Freeman	1956	64	47	0.734	108.2	14	5
Farrell	1957	52	32	0.615	83.1	10	2
Zuverink	1957	56	37	0.661	112.2	10	6
Hyde	1958	53	44	0.830	103.0	10	3
Duren	1959	41	29	0.707	76.2	3	6
Staley	1959	67	37	0.552	116.1	8	5
Face	1959	57	47	0.825	93.1	18	1
Henry	1959	65	36	0.554	134.1	9	8
Sherry	1959	23	10	0.435	94.1	7	2
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Brosnan	1960	57	27	0.474	99.0	7	2
McDaniel	1960	63	47	0.746	104.1	12	4
Arroyo	1961	65	54	0.831	119.0	15	5
Fox	1961	39	25	0.641	57.1	5	2
Radatz	1963	66	58	0.879	131.1	15	6
Perranoski	1963	69	47	0.681	129.0	16	3
Baldschum	1963	65	44	0.677	112.0	11	7
Lee	1964	64	39	0.609	137.0	6	5
Ellis	1964	52	32	0.615	122.1	10	3
Schultz	1964	30	22	0.733	49.1	1	3
D. Hall	1964	45	28	0.622	87.2	9	1
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Miller	1965	67	55	0.821	112.1	14	7
Regan	1966	65	48	0.738	116.2	14	1
Drabowsky	1967	43	26	0.605	95.1	7	5
Abernathy	1967	70	61	0.871	106.1	6	3
Wyatt	1967	60	43	0.717	93.1	10	7
Wood	1968	88	46	0.523	159.0	13	12
Segui	1968	52	24	0.462	83.0	6	5
V. Romo	1968	41	30	0.732	84.1	5	3
Tatum	1969	45	33	0.733	86.1	7	2
Watt	1969	56	41	0.732	71.0	5	2
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Williams	1970	68	36	0.529	113.1	10	1
McMahon	1970	61	44	0.721	94.1	9	5
Grant	1970	80	54	0.675	135.1	8	3
Richert	1970	50	25	0.500	54.2	7	2
Sanders	1971	83	77	0.928	136.1	7	12
Carroll	1971	61	40	0.656	93.2	10	4
Giusti	1972	54	44	0.815	74.2	7	4
Knowles	1972	54	29	0.537	65.2	5	1
Brewer	1972	51	41	0.804	78.1	8	7
Hiller	1973	65	60	0.923	125.1	10	5
Jackson	1973	43	33	0.767	80.1	8	0
Borbon	1973	80	36	0.450	121.0	11	4
Beene	1973	19	11	0.579	91.0	6	0
Marshall	1974	106	83	0.783	208.1	15	12
Gossage	1975	62	49	0.790	141.2	9	8
Hrabosky	1975	65	41	0.631	97.1	13	3
McEnaney	1975	70	38	0.543	91.0	5	3
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Eastwick	1976	71	59	0.831	107.2	11	5
Johnson	1977	71	54	0.761	146.2	16	7
Lyle	1977	72	60	0.833	137.0	13	5
Sutter	1977	62	48	0.774	107.1	7	3
Blair	1978	70	56	0.800	100.1	7	6
Stanley	1978	52	35	0.673	141.2	15	2
Lolich	1978	20	7	0.350	34.2	2	1
Tekulve	1979	94	67	0.713	134.1	10	8
Lopez	1979	61	49	0.803	127.0	10	5
R. Davis	1979	44	21	0.477	85.1	14	2
E. Romo	1979	84	25	0.298	129.1	10	5
Monge	1979	76	53	0.697	131.0	12	10
Sosa	1979	62	41	0.661	96.2	8	7
Palmer	1979	36	13	0.361	122.2	10	2
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
McGraw	1980	57	48	0.842	92.1	5	4
Garvin	1980	61	24	0.393	82.2	4	7
Fingers	1981	47	41	0.872	78.0	6	3
Caudill	1982	70	64	0.914	95.2	12	9
Reardon	1982	75	53	0.707	109.0	7	4
Bedrosian	1982	64	30	0.469	137.2	8	6
L. Smith	1983	66	56	0.848	103.1	4	10
Stewart	1983	54	25	0.463	135.0	10	4
Quisenberry	1983	69	62	0.899	139.0	5	3
Orosco	1983	62	42	0.677	110.0	13	7
Hernandez	1984	80	68	0.850	140.1	9	3
Lamp	1985	53	11	0.208	105.2	11	0
D. Smith	1985	64	46	0.719	79.1	9	5
Lahti	1985	52	31	0.596	68.1	5	2
Moore	1985	65	57	0.877	103.0	8	8
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Eichhorn	1986	69	38	0.551	157.0	14	6
Righetti	1986	74	68	0.919	106.2	8	8
Todd Worrell	1986	74	60	0.811	103.2	9	10
Henke	1987	72	62	0.861	94.0	0	6
Burke	1987	55	30	0.545	91.0	7	0
Daley	1987	53	29	0.547	61.0	9	5
Henneman	1988	65	51	0.785	91.1	9	6
Parrett	1988	61	34	0.557	91.2	12	4
Pena	1988	60	31	0.517	94.1	6	7
Lancaster	1989	42	15	0.357	72.2	4	2
Russell	1989	71	66	0.930	72.2	6	4
McDowell	1989	69	56	0.812	92.0	4	8
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Eckersley	1990	63	61	0.968	73.1	4	2
Thigpen	1990	77	73	0.948	88.2	4	6
Nelson	1990	51	17	0.333	74.2	3	3
Dibble	1990	68	29	0.426	98.0	8	3
Henry	1991	32	25	0.781	36.0	2	1
Aguilera	1991	63	60	0.952	69.0	4	5
Ward	1992	79	35	0.443	101.1	7	4
Rojas	1992	68	26	0.382	100.2	7	1
Olin	1992	72	62	0.861	88.1	8	5
D. Jones	1992	80	70	0.875	111.2	11	8
Wetteland	1993	70	58	0.829	85.1	9	3
Harvey	1993	59	54	0.915	69.0	1	5
Beck	1993	76	71	0.934	79.1	3	1
Martinez	1993	65	20	0.308	107.0	10	5
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Myers	1997	61	57	0.934	59.2	2	3
Hoffman	1998	66	61	0.924	73.0	4	2
Urbina	1998	64	59	0.922	69.1	6	3
Williamson	1999	62	40	0.645	93.1	12	7
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Rhodes	2001	71	16	0.225	68.0	8	0
Smoltz	2003	62	55	0.887	64.1	0	2
Tim Worrell	2003	76	64	0.842	78.1	4	4
Cormier	2003	65	21	0.323	84.2	8	0
Lidge	2004	80	44	0.550	94.2	6	5
Timlin	2005	81	27	0.333	80.1	7	3
Nathan	2006	64	61	0.953	68.1	7	0
Ryan	2006	65	57	0.877	72.1	2	2
Putz	2007	68	65	0.956	71.2	6	1
Rivera	2008	64	60	0.938	70.2	6	5
Jenks	2008	57	52	0.912	61.2	3	1
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Bell	2010	67	57	0.851	70.0	6	1
Soriano	2010	64	56	0.875	62.1	3	2
Aceves	2011	55	15	0.273	114.0	10	2
Axford	2011	74	63	0.851	73.2	2	2
Downs	2011	60	10	0.167	53.2	6	3
Cook	2012	71	23	0.324	73.1	6	2
Chapman	2012	68	52	0.765	71.2	5	5
Johnson	2012	71	63	0.887	68.2	2	1
Smyly	2013	63	9	0.143	76.0	6	0
Davis	2014	70	11	0.157	72.0	9	2
Clippard	2014	75	6	0.080	70.1	7	4
Rondon	2015	72	47	0.653	70.0	6	4
O'Day	2015	68	19	0.279	65.1	6	2
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Britton	2016	69	63	0.913	67.0	2	1
Osuna	2016	72	61	0.847	74.0	4	3
Brach	2016	71	16	0.225	79.0	10	4
Miller	2016	70	23	0.329	74.1	10	1
Robertson	2017	61	34	0.557	68.1	9	2
Jansen	2017	65	57	0.877	68.1	5	0
Albers	2017	63	23	0.365	61.0	7	2
Kimbrel	2017	51	67	0.761	69.0	5	0
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Morrow	2018	35	30	0.857	30.2	0	0
Trivino	2018	69	10	0.145	74.0	8	3
Treinen	2018	68	58	0.853	51.0	9	2
Jeffress	2018	73	24	0.329	76.2	8	1
Yarbrough	2018	38	3	0.079	147.1	16	6
Hader	2018	55	14	0.255	81.1	6	1
Strop	2018	60	20	0.333	59.2	6	1
Workman	2019	73	30	0.411	71.2	10	1
Robles	2019	71	51	0.718	72.2	5	1
Walden	2019	70	8	0.114	78.0	9	2
W.Smith	2019	63	52	0.825	65.1	6	0
Oberg	2019	49	18	0.367	56.0	6	1
Littell	2019	29	7	0.241	37.0	6	0
Whitlock	2021	46	11	0.239	73.1	8	4
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L

Notes

Hughes appeared as a starter thirteen times.

Baumgartner and Bernhard appeared as a starter twelve times.

Wolfgang and Baskette appeared as a starter eleven times.

Craig and Coumbe appeared as a starter ten times.

Danforth, Malone, Stewart, Sherry, Luque and Conzelman appeared as a starter nine times.

Phillipe and Walsh appeared as a starter eight times.

Morton and Griffith appeared as a starter seven times.

Paige, Mays, Chappelle, Rommell and Yarbrough appeared as a starter six times.

Marberry, Mossi, Lee, Ellis and Dubuc appeared as a starter five times.

Leever, Aceves and Beene appeared as a starter four times.

Russell, Stanley, Adams and Keefe appeared as a starter three times.

Brown, McDaniel, Wood, Crandall, Brosnan, Lindsey, Karl, Wilks, Martinez, Clark and Lolich appeared as a starter two times.

Beggs, Quinn, Narleski, McGraw, Aloma, Robles, Ferguson, Vincente Romo, and Trivino appeared once as a starter.

Maltzberger, Hyde, Konstanty, Duren, Brosnan, Tekulve and Henke all wore glasses.

References

Montgomery, Wynn. “Steve Bedrosian.” Society for American Baseball Research, SABR, 12 Feb. 2021, https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/steve-bedrosian/. 11 Feb. 2022.

“Preston Hanna.” Statistical Historical Record of Venezuelan Professional Baseball, https://www.pelotabinaria.com.ve/beisbol/mostrar.php?ID=hannpre001. 11 Feb. 2022.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. https://www.baseball-reference.com/. 11 Feb. 2022.

Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/. 11 Feb. 2022.