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1:29:00 PM EDT
Hearing Nick Drake
But What Else Rhymes With Bedard?
Back when Kenard Lang played for the Skins, nearly every one of his sacks was accompanied by me yelling, "KENARD THE CRAZY RETARD!" I don't know why I did this, although I suppose you could chalk it up to severe post-college syndrome. Fortunately, unlike Tom Jackson, I've realized that it's not right to call someone that, which is why I'm struggling to come up with a nickname for Erik Bedard.
I've long admired the Orioles' Canadian southpaw, even saying two years ago that he and Daniel Cabrera would "form a pair of aces." Last year was Bedard's 15-win coming out party, and he seems to be building on that this season. After a rough April, he's lights out in May, including a 12-strikeout performance against Washington yesterday.
His wins (3) and ERA (4.28) so far are nothing special, but his strikeout rate is, and striking batters out is absolutely the best thing a pitcher can do. Through 10 starts, he's racking up 11.07 K/9 IP, number one among all Major League starters. In fact, if he keeps this up it would rank as the third-highest mark for any starter over the past five years:
1. Randy Johnson, 11.56 K/9 ('02)
2. Kerry Wood, 11.35 K/9 ('03)
3. Oliver Perez, 10.97 K/9 ('04)
4. Pedro Martinez, 10.79 K/9 ('02)
5. Johan Santana, 10.46 K/9 ('04)
Sorry to go all stat nerd on you there, but it had to be done. Come up with a nickname for Bedard and I promise to redeem myself. Meanwhile, for more on the O's read the Baltimore Sun's Roch Kubatko on Bedard's "disdain for the local press" and the Washington Post's Thomas Boswell on this weekend's taut series at RFK. Both are fine examples of why I don't just read blogs such as Camden Chat and Capitol Punishment for all of my Beltway baseball information.
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5/21/07 2:44 PM