It was a joy to watch this guy from 2004 to last year.  You could tell from the beginning that the guy had a chance to become an elite starting pitcher, and we as Orioles fans saw him become just that right before our eyes.  He first showed us flashes in early 2005.  When the Orioles were riding a hot streak and were atop the AL East early in the year, Bedard was amazing, starting out 5-1 with a 2.08 ERA.  Unfortunately, a road block was put up when he was stricken with a knee injury and had to sit out until late June, and he wasn’t the same after that and seemed to regress.

In 2006, he started out terrible and had an ERA approaching 6.  It was in the summer, and a particular start I remember against the Marlins in which he struck out 12 or 13 batters, when he turned it around.  It was believed that the use of a circle change helped him get back on track, and he finished what turned out to be an excellent season, winning 15 games and lowering his ERA to 3.76.

Big things were expected in 2007, and he delivered and then some.  He was expected to be the ace of the staff that year, and he turned out to be one of the best pitchers in all of baseball.  He was absolutely nasty and dominant from start to finish before going down for the season in August.  He was one of the frontrunners for the AL Cy Young before he went down, and led the AL in strikeouts for weeks even after being injured.  It was as though he dominated every time out, including a complete game, 2-hit, 15 strikeout shutout against Texas last summer.  Shoddy run support only got him 13 wins, but he only had 5 losses, only 141 hits in 182 innings, struck out 221 and had a 3.15 ERA.

I wish we could have kept Bedard, I really do, but he wasn’t fitting into the rebuilding plans and we needed to trade our most valuable piece.  The contract situation was also troubling and we may not have even re-signed him.  Unfortunately, the time was right to let him go.  I love the return though, so hopefully it works out.  He’s started out fantastic in Seattle, and I’ll be keeping tabs on him throughout the rest of his career.  Good luck in Seattle, EB.