Érik Bédard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Érik Bédard |
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Bedard with the Houston Astros
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: March 5, 1979 Navan, Ontario, Canada |
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| debut | |||
| April 17, 2002, for the Baltimore Orioles | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| July 12, 2014, for the Tampa Bay Rays | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 71–82 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.99 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,246 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Érik Joseph Bédard (born March 5, 1979) is a Canadian former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams. These included the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, and Tampa Bay Rays. While with the Orioles, Bédard was their top pitcher. In 2007, he set a team record for strikeouts per nine innings.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Start
Érik Bédard was born on March 5, 1979, in Navan, Ontario, Canada. This town is close to Ottawa. As a young boy, Bédard played baseball in the Orleans Little League. He was a pitcher on the 1992 Orleans Junior Red Sox team. This team won the Canadian Championship that year.
Unlike many American players, Bédard did not play high school baseball. This is common in Canada because the baseball season is short. After high school, he grew taller and gained weight. He went with a friend to a tryout at Norwalk Community College in Connecticut. He joined the baseball team there even though he wasn't expected to.
During college, Bédard's fastball became much faster. He also gained more weight. He worked hard to improve his English language skills. He became an All-American player at his junior college.
Professional Baseball Career
Baltimore Orioles (2002, 2004–2007)
The Baltimore Orioles chose Bédard in the sixth round of the 1999 Major League Baseball draft. He started his professional career with the Gulf Coast Orioles. He had a very low earned run average (ERA) of 0.44. This was one of the best ERAs among minor league pitchers that year. He continued to play well in the minor leagues.
Bédard made his MLB debut on April 17, 2002, against the New York Yankees. He pitched in a few games before being sent back to the minor leagues. In 2002, he was named the best pitching prospect in the Eastern League. However, he had a serious elbow injury in June. He needed a major elbow surgery called "Tommy John" surgery in September.
He spent most of 2003 recovering from his surgery. In 2004, Bédard earned a spot in the Orioles' starting rotation. He worked to improve his control and add a third pitch, a changeup. In 2006, he had one of his best years. He won 15 games and pitched over 196 innings.
In 2007, Bédard was the Orioles' Opening Day starting pitcher. On July 7, he struck out 15 Texas Rangers players. This tied an Orioles team record set by Mike Mussina. His 15 strikeouts also set a new record for the most in a game by a Canadian pitcher. He won the American League Pitcher of the Month award for July 2007.
Bédard broke the Orioles' single-season strikeout record on August 26, 2007. He finished the season with 13 wins and 5 losses. He had a 3.16 ERA and 221 strikeouts. An injury to his side muscle ended his season early.
Seattle Mariners (2008–2009, 2011)
On February 8, 2008, Bédard was traded to the Seattle Mariners. It was a big trade involving five players going to the Orioles. He signed a one-year contract with the Mariners. He was named their Opening Day starter.
Bédard pitched well in 2008, but he was placed on the disabled list in July due to shoulder stiffness. He missed the rest of the season and had shoulder surgery. In 2009, he played for four months before another shoulder injury. This time, it was a torn labrum, which is a serious injury to the shoulder.
He re-signed with the Mariners for 2010 but did not pitch in the major leagues that year due to his shoulder injury. He returned to pitch in 16 games for the Mariners in 2011.
Boston Red Sox (2011)
On July 31, 2011, Bédard was traded to the Boston Red Sox. This was part of a three-team trade. He made eight starts for the Red Sox in August and September. He had one win and two losses with a 4.03 ERA during his time there.
Pittsburgh Pirates (2012)
The Pittsburgh Pirates signed Bédard to a one-year contract on December 7, 2011. He was their Opening Day starter for the 2012 season. He had 7 wins and 14 losses in 24 starts for the Pirates. He was released by the team in August.
Houston Astros (2013)
The Houston Astros signed Bédard to a minor-league deal in January 2013. He recorded his first career save on opening day, March 31, 2013. On July 21, 2013, he pitched over six innings of a no-hitter. He left the game after throwing many pitches. In 32 games for the Astros, he had 4 wins and 12 losses.
Tampa Bay Rays (2014)
Bédard signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays in February 2014. He was released in March but then decided to join their minor league team, the Durham Bulls. He was called up to the major league team on April 11. He pitched for the Rays until July 28, 2014, when he was released. He finished his time with the Rays with 4 wins and 6 losses.
Los Angeles Dodgers (2015)
On January 18, 2015, Bédard signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He strained his back during spring training, which delayed his start to the season. He made three starts in the minor leagues before announcing his retirement on June 11, 2015.
Images for kids
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Bédard pitching for the Baltimore Orioles in 2006
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Bédard signs autographs in 2009 spring training
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Bédard during his time with the Boston Red Sox in 2011
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Bédard with the Pittsburgh Pirates
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players from Canada
