TEXAS LEAGUE

Travs' Bedrosian follows father's path

Growing up just south of Atlanta, Cam Bedrosian's motivation was fueled by a plaque on the wall of his father's office.

"It's pretty cool, man," said Bedrosian, the Arkansas Travelers' 22-year-old closer who finished off the Corpus Christi Hooks with a hitless ninth inning to secure a 7-1 victory Friday night at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.

The "it" Bedrosian referred to is the 1987 National League Cy Young Award Steve Bedrosian won when he saved 40 games for the Philadelphia Phillies, the individual highlight of a 14-year career spent with four teams and included World Series titles in 1991 (Minnesota Twins) and 1995 (Atlanta Braves).

The elder Bedrosian won it four years before Cam, the youngest of his three sons, was born. But a life in baseball was set early thanks to his father, who let his three-week-old son be held by Kirby Puckett as the Twins celebrated a World Series title and waddle around the clubhouse at Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium before retiring in 1995.

"I see a lot of similarities in my career and his," said Steve Bedrosian, who watched Friday night from a front-row seat in Section 208. "He's motivated by what I've done, but he's his own person."

It may be too early to tell if the younger Bedrosian's career arc will continue to match his father's, but the start has been almost a mirror image.

Like his father, Cam Bedrosian's best asset is a fastball that reaches the high 90s. Also like his father, he began his career as a starting pitcher before finding his home in the bullpen. The biggest difference is Cam Bedrosian found a role that will likely get him to the big leagues much earlier than his dad.

Cam Bedrosian is in his second season as a reliever, having made the move after he struggled in 2012 coming off Tommy John surgery.

In 14 appearances at Class AA this year, Bedrosian has a 1.80 ERA and five saves. He's struck out 25 batters in 15 innings and he's given up runs in only two appearances while learning, like his father did two decades before, that coming out of the bullpen can be a pivotal role, too.

"When you've been starting pretty much your whole life it's a little bit different," Cam said. "Then, I talked to my dad and he said, 'Let's run with it, it's the exact same path as me.' ... And ever since then, I've taken off."

Steve Bedrosian and his wife, Tammy, sat up in their chairs as their son entered in the ninth inning Friday night. Jett Bandy's three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth made it so his appearance would not notch his sixth save, but neither were bothered by it.

"You can never be mad at more runs," Steve Bedrosian said.

When Matt Duffy flew out for the first out in the ninth, both clapped, then they traded a high-five when their son struck out Preston Tucker with a fastball for the second out. There was no reaction when he walked Leo Heras, and both lightly clapped again as he got Rene Garcia to fly out to end the game.

Considering their son's success -- Baseball America ranks him the Los Angeles Angels' fifth best pitching prospect -- they might have been watching some of his final pitches at Class AA. Cam Bedrosian shrugged off a suggestion that he might be ready for advancement.

"I'm just doing whatever they tell me," he said.

Travs Manager Phillip Wellman also thinks he's ready for a promotion.

"Every time I watch him pitch, I'm thinking, 'This guy can pitch in the big leagues right now,'" Wellman said. "Let's call a spade a spade, too. He was taught pretty well."

Today’s game

ARKANSAS VS. SAN ANTONIO

WHEN 7:10 p.m.

WHERE Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock

RADIO KARN-AM, 920, in central Arkansas

WEBSITE travs.com

PITCHERS Travelers: Michael Roth (LHP, 2-3, 3.29 ERA); Missions: Jesse Hahn (RHP, 1-1, 3.04) TICKETS Gates open 1 hour before first pitch. $12 box; $8 reserved ($5 children); $6 general admission ($4 children) PROMOTIONS The first 1,000 fans receive Travelers’ baseball card sets. SHORT HOPS Eight changes were made to the Travelers’ roster Friday. The Los Angeles Angels activated reliever Sean Burnett, who had a 5.09 ERA in six appearances with the Travs while on a rehab assignment. They received outfielder Drew Heid, infielder Jimmy Swift and left-handed pitcher Nick Maronde from Class AAA Salt Lake. Infielder Chance Ross was sent to Class A Inland Empire, and outfielder Brennan Gowens was released. Outfielder Kyle Hudson was placed on the seven-day disabled list, and the Angels signed infielder Maikol Gonzalez from the independent American Association and assigned him to the Travs.

THE WEEK AHEAD

TODAY San Antonio, 7:10 p.m.

SUNDAY San Antonio, 5:30 p.m.

MONDAY San Antonio, 2:10 p.m.

TUESDAY at Corpus Christi, 7:10 p.m.

WEDNESDAY at Corpus Christi, 7:10 p.m.

THURSDAY at Corpus Christi, 7:10 p.m.

FRIDAY’S GAMES

San Antonio 12, NW Arkansas 0 Arkansas 7, Corpus Christi 1

Springfield 1, Midland 0 Frisco 13, Tulsa 0

TODAY’S GAMES

All times Central

Corpus Christi at NW Arkansas, 6:05 p.m.

Tulsa at Midland, 7 p.m.

Springfield at Frisco, 7:05 p.m.

San Antonio at Arkansas, 7:10 p.m.

Sports on 05/24/2014

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