Remember 36-year-old left-hander Erik Bedard, the 11-year MLB veteran that the Dodgers signed to a minor league contract and invited to big league spring training camp this past February? If you don’t, you’re probably not alone.

Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman and General Manager Farhan Zaidi signed Bedard as a free agent on January 18, 2015 as starting pitching depth with a shot – albeit a long shot – at making the Dodgers Opening Day starting rotation. But after making only three spring training appearances (two starts) and posting a 1-1 record and 5.40 ERA, the Navan, Ontario, Canada native fell victim to a strained teres major in his left shoulder – the same injury that befell Clayton Kershaw at the beginning of the 2014 season.

When Bedard signed his minor league deal with Friedman, his former general manager when he was with the Tampa Bay Rays, it included an opt-out clause that allowed him to leave the team if he wasn’t on the Dodgers 25-man roster on May 1. But Bedard, knowing that his baseball clock was ticking, took the high road and agreed to accept a minor league assignment beyond that deadline.

“I know where I stand,” Bedard said during a spring training interview. “The game is still fun and I like playing baseball.”

Bedard came into spring training knowing full well that he was an extreme long shot to make the Dodgers Opening Day roster. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Because of his injury, Bedard began the season on the disabled list and off the 40-man roster. And while he had every right to leave the Dodgers organization and perhaps even the game itself on May 1, he did not. Instead, he continued to rehab and work out at extended spring training in Glendale, Arizona, and worked his was back into the game with the Dodgers Advanced Single-A affiliate Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.

Bedard made his season debut with the Quakes on May 25 against the San Jose Giants but it did not go well for the 6′-1″ / 195-pound lefty. In his four innings of work he allowed three runs on six hits with a walk and a strikeout, suffering the eventual 6-2 Quakes loss. But the guy who is 15 years older than most of his teammates didn’t get discouraged and didn’t give up. Instead, he continued working hard for what might be his last opportunity to make it back to The Show.

On Saturday night Bedard made his second start with the Quakes and this one did go well for him. He allowed only one run on five hits while walking none and striking out five through six innings, good enough to pick up his first professional win since June 28, 2014. And he did so on exactly 70 pitches – none faster than 85-MPH.

“You see all that cheese? I really ran it up there” Bedard kidded. “In Arizona I was like 83, 85, 87, that’s all I got. I’m Jamie Moyer now.”

Even though Bedard struck out five on Saturday night, he relied more on pitching to contact, collecting six fly outs and three ground outs. He was assisted by an error-free Quakes defense.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Although Bedard kidded about being like Jamie Moyer, he was actually more like Greg Maddox in Saturday’s 3-1 win over the Bakersfield Blaze (Mariners) with more than half of his pitches consisting of breaking balls and change-ups. What did he do different this time than in his first start only five days ago?

“I don’t really know, getting used to the ball, getting used to the field, getting used to being back out on the mound and all that,” Bedard said. “I just threw strikes and changed speed.”

Asked if he felt any discomfort or lingering effects from his shoulder injury, Bedard was very succinct.

“Nope.”

As you might expect from an 11-year MLB veteran, Bedard credited his success on his ability to read hitters and to make adjustments on the fly.

“You just adjust to what they’re telling you. If they can’t hit [the curveball], you throw it more. If they’re starting to get on it, you change to a change-up or fastball,” Bedard said. “You always change, you look at what they’re doing. If they’re pulling the ball you throw more away, if they’re trying to go the other way, you throw it in. It’s all an adjustment.”

So what’s it like playing with kids nearly half his age?

“It’s fun. It’s fun to be around if they ask questions, to be there and answer them,” Bedard said. “Tell them how the big league experience is, maybe what they need to work on and be more consistent. When you’re at their age the biggest thing is being consistent. To get to the big leagues you’re going to have to be consistent or else you probably won’t last. You’ve got to throw strikes all the time, you can’t be on and off from one start to the next start.”

At 36 years old, Erik Bedard is the oldest member of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. Wouldn’t you know that it would be the youngest member, 19-year-old Cody Bellinger, who would drive in what would prove to be the game-winning run with his first-inning RBI double.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

But even with his great outing on Saturday, pitching to minor leaguers is a far cry from pitching to experienced major league hitters who can hit off-speed stuff a very long way. And all kidding aside, Erik Bedard is not Greg Maddox or Jamie Moyer. As such, where does he see himself at this stage of his career?

“I’m going day-by-day, I’m not thinking ahead,” said Bedard. “I’m just going to see where it goes and I’m just going to have fun with it.”

Bedard himself may have more to say about where it goes than anyone else – at least contractually. In addition to the May 1 opt-out clause that he waived back in spring training, he has a second opt-out date that is rapidly approaching – June 15, 2015 to be exact. Has the extremely popular Canuk given much thought about what he is going to do as that deadline nears?

“I did not even know that, I forgot about it,” said Bedard. “I don’t even think about that stuff anyway. I’m just out here playing ball and having fun.”