LA Angels Cam Bedrosian has blood clot in arm, season in jeopardy

The LA Angels Cam Bedrosian was having the best season of his Angels career going 2-0 with a 1.12 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in 40.1 innings with 51 strikeouts. However, just as it has been for many Angels players this season, the injury bug bit Bedrosian as he was placed on the disabled list with tendinitis in his middle finger.

On Tuesday the LA Angels announced that Bedrosian has a blood clot in his right arm which could cause him the miss the rest of the 2016. Bedrosian who made the roster at the beginning of the season only to be sent down a week later, came back with a vengeance when he was recalled at the end of April. Bedrosian went 12 straight games without giving up a run and lowering his ERA from 4.50 to a miniscule 0.68.

Bedrosian continued to pitch well in June and July as he did not give up a run in 25 straight appearances and lowered his ERA to 0.90 before finally giving up a run in blowing his first save of the season against the A’s on August 3rd. A couple of days later Bedrosian was put on the DL.

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Just before he went on the disabled list I sat down with Cam and asked about his journey to being an effective member of the Angels bullpen.

“I knew I had to just keep pushing when I got sent down. I knew had the stuff, it was just a matter of putting it altogether,” Said Bedrosian who had a 5.81 ERA in 52.2 innings of work in his first two seasons with the Angels. “I think the biggest thing (this year) is just feeling comfortable and having fun and another thing is just throwing strikes working on getting ahead of guys and then getting them out.”

A big key to Bedrosian’s success is the addition of a slider to his repertoire.

“My slider has come a long way this year, I am able to get it over for a strike and that has helped out a lot,” said Bedrosian, who’s dad Steve was a closer for 14 years in the majors. “My dad has helped me tremendously. he has been through all of this and he has a lot of wisdom to share. I talk to him all the time, we talk every couple of days. He has been the one guy who has been there the entire time telling me to have fun and trust it.”

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Recently before going on August 2nd, due to an injury to Huston Street, Bedrosian got a chance to be the closer he had dreamed about being, coming into a game against the A’s with a one run 9th inning lead to protect. Flashback to two years earlier against the Atlanta Braves in Atlanta with his dad watching, Bedrosian coughed up a one-run lead in a game the Angels would eventually win 11-6 in 11 innings. So against the A’s Bedrosian got his big league save opportunity and he would not disappoint this time striking out the side on 17 pitches (12 of which were strikes) to earn save #1 of his big league career.

“Cam’s been throwing great since Spring Training, and has made big strides throughout the whole year. He has proven to be able to get guys out in stressful situations,” Angels pitching coach Charles Nagy said. “He has more confidence this year and has progressed with that throughout the season and he is going to continue to get better and progress each time out.”

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With this recent injury Bedrosian will have to wait to get save #2, but Bedrosian has been use to waiting as he has waited for six years (4 years in the minors and parts of two seasons in the majors) to become a key contributor in the Angels bullpen. Besides his dad, Bedrosian credits his faith in God for giving him the strength to persevere all these years.

“My faith has been one of the biggest parts and it has given me a strong foundation,” said Bedrosian about his relationship with God. “There is always ups and downs in life, but God always there, He will never take you anywhere He can’t lead you out of, and that is very comforting.”

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Here’s hoping for a speedy recovery for Bedrosian and continued success in the Angels bullpen.

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