EriKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK Has Left the Building

[Moose Milligan]

Man, he was one of the few reasons to watch this team in 2006-2007. That curve was ridiculous, he was so much fun to watch when he was dealing. He went from a guy who nibbled and didn't have much success to a guy that just started trusting his stuff and attacking hitters and the difference was remarkable.

Loved how he dealt with the media, too.

[StottyByNature]

Bedard was the last pitcher we had where I would count the days until his next start. He was must see television.

I was lucky enough to have seats right behind home plate for the game he set the single season strikeout record. As one vendor told me that night, from that angle his curve looked like a mirage.

[bobmc]

Man, he was one of the few reasons to watch this team in 2006-2007. That curve was ridiculous, he was so much fun to watch when he was dealing. He went from a guy who nibbled and didn't have much success to a guy that just started trusting his stuff and attacking hitters and the difference was remarkable.

Loved how he dealt with the media, too.

Roch had a different opinion:

While former Orioles pitcher Erik Bedard settles into retirement, the assumption being that he'll find a quiet spot to be alone with his thoughts, Chris Tillman takes the mound tonight against the Red Sox and Adam Jones continues to patrol center field while in search of his fifth Gold Glove.

How's that trade working for the Orioles?

Pipe down, Tony Butler.

Bedard was 71-82 with a 3.99 ERA in 11 major league seasons, including 15-14 with a 3.31 ERA in 46 starts with the Mariners over three seasons. He went 40-34 with a 3.83 ERA in five years and 114 games with the Orioles and finished fifth in Cy Young voting in the American League in 2007.

My only beef with Bedard centered on the pure enjoyment he received in being the worst interview in the clubhouse. The smirk stayed with me.

I prefer having a pitcher refuse to talk rather than waste our time at his locker with three-word answers that served no purpose other than to make us look foolish. I saw no point in it. And he wasn't that way while in the minors. I had plenty of friendly exchanges with him.

A few members of the media still found him amusing. For me, the act got old real fast - as did Bedard, judging by his career path.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2015/06/more-notes-before-tonights-game-4.html

[DrungoHazewood]

You are not alone on that. I remember a stink being made about that a few times.

There was an awful lot of "real men gut it out when they've got nothing left." My response was always something like "uhh... why do we have 7 or 8 relievers who can come in and throw hard for an inning if you want your starter to pretend he still has something left in the tank in the 7th?" Reply: "I'd rather have real men who lose in the 7th than French Canadian socialist wusses who rely on the pen to win the game." I may be mis-remembering, or potentially exaggerating, that last part.

[Camden_yardbird]

Edward gets a worse rep then he should. The whole thanks for getting us Jones and Tillman shtick is real old. Bedard was the best pitcher the Orioles had or have had in the last 15 years. He gave his team a chance to succeed and his rep for not going deep into games is overblown. Back when he was the guy who "might" succeed in the Orioles pitching prospect calvary of the time, he was the only one who made something happen. His slider was downright nasty and he was the last orioles pitcher I can remember I enjoy watching pitch.

[incubus]

The best game of his career:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TEX/TEX200707070.shtml

I was at that game. I've never seen the Ks for kids on the score board completely lit up before or since then.

[Frobby]

My only beef with Bedard centered on the pure enjoyment he received in being the worst interview in the clubhouse. The smirk stayed with me.

I prefer having a pitcher refuse to talk rather than waste our time at his locker with three-word answers that served no purpose other than to make us look foolish. I saw no point in it. And he wasn't that way while in the minors. I had plenty of friendly exchanges with him.

A few members of the media still found him amusing. For me, the act got old real fast - as did Bedard, judging by his career path.

Roch couldn't resist the parting shot, could he? But I don't blame him. Bedard was my favorite pitcher to watch since Mussina, but I don't know why he felt he needed to be a horse's ass to the media. It did sort of amuse me, but I can see that it made life very difficult for the reporters.

[Barnaby Graves]

Roch had a different opinion:

My only beef with Bedard centered on the pure enjoyment he received in being the worst interview in the clubhouse. The smirk stayed with me.

I prefer having a pitcher refuse to talk rather than waste our time at his locker with three-word answers that served no purpose other than to make us look foolish. I saw no point in it. And he wasn't that way while in the minors. I had plenty of friendly exchanges with him.

A few members of the media still found him amusing. For me, the act got old real fast - as did Bedard, judging by his career path.

Who cares what sports media thinks? These people rarely demonstrate they know more than anyone else who can watch the game on TV.

[Frobby]

Who cares what sports media thinks? These people rarely demonstrate they know more than anyone else who can watch the game on TV.

They have a job to do, and there is no need to be rude to people who are doing their job. Without these people, there is no postgame show, and there is nothing to read about the game. I don't look for Roch Kubatko for great insights about the game of baseball, but I still think he should be able to do his job and be treated respectfully by the players he interviews.

[Tony-OH]

Erik Bedard's legacy is that he brought the Orioles Adam Jones, Chris Tillman and George Sherrill.

He was fun to watch on the field, but he was a tinman who started looking to the bullpen once he closed in on 100 pitches, even in close games where he was still the best option.

[Tony-OH]

Roch had a different opinion:

While former Orioles pitcher Erik Bedard settles into retirement, the assumption being that he'll find a quiet spot to be alone with his thoughts, Chris Tillman takes the mound tonight against the Red Sox and Adam Jones continues to patrol center field while in search of his fifth Gold Glove.

How's that trade working for the Orioles?

Pipe down, Tony Butler.

Bedard was 71-82 with a 3.99 ERA in 11 major league seasons, including 15-14 with a 3.31 ERA in 46 starts with the Mariners over three seasons. He went 40-34 with a 3.83 ERA in five years and 114 games with the Orioles and finished fifth in Cy Young voting in the American League in 2007.

My only beef with Bedard centered on the pure enjoyment he received in being the worst interview in the clubhouse. The smirk stayed with me.

I prefer having a pitcher refuse to talk rather than waste our time at his locker with three-word answers that served no purpose other than to make us look foolish. I saw no point in it. And he wasn't that way while in the minors. I had plenty of friendly exchanges with him.

A few members of the media still found him amusing. For me, the act got old real fast - as did Bedard, judging by his career path.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2015/06/more-notes-before-tonights-game-4.html

Right on point. I was very friendly with Bedard in the minors as well, but the guy caught big leagueitis and apparently decided that being a jerk to the media was fun.

To this day he and Luis Matos are the only players I covered closely in the minors who big leagued me when they got there.

Regardless, as much as he relished being a jerk, he was fun to watch on the mound during his heyday and the Orioles cashed him in at the best time.

[DrungoHazewood]

Who cares what sports media thinks? These people rarely demonstrate they know more than anyone else who can watch the game on TV.

If you're relying on Woody whats-his-name or Tony Kornheiser for your knowledge about any aspect of baseball you're going to be disappointed. Or you have exceptionally low standards. But on some level baseball is entertainment, it relies on public interest to generate revenues, and the media provides free publicity. Bedard, while I thought he was pretty funny, was relying on most everyone else being nice to cultivate that fanbase and interest and revenues that generated his substantial salary.

[DrungoHazewood]

Yeh, I don't understand the approach taken by Bedard. Most writers are very understanding if there is a day when a player doesn't want to talk and they give him space.

He could have been a sarcastic, snarky guy while still remaining civil to the reporters.

[Uli2001]

Last true # 1 we had. His 2007 season was probably the best season we've had from a starting pitcher going back to Mussina's hey day.

The test of a TOR starter is when you look at the schedule and you see that he's pitching, you feel sure the team is going to win. You sort of take it for granted. I had that feeling with Bedard and Mussina (except against the White Sox for Mussina). Not anyone else in the last 20 years. Tillman for a bit, but it was short-lived.

[Uli2001]

The best game of his career:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TEX/TEX200707070.shtml

Look at that lineup. Ramon Hernandez was your clean-up hitter.