All the Bedrosians happy with this Kernels' debut

CEDAR RAPIDS - One voice usually could be heard above the others Tuesday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Stadium. It came from directly behind home plate.

“Work ahead now!” the voice encouraged. “Come on, kid!”

“Come back and get him!” it continued.

You'd think a guy who pitched 14 years in the big leagues and won the 1987 National League Cy Young Award would be pretty subdued at a little old Midwest League game. But that wasn't Steve Bedrosian, not on this important day for his son, Cam.

“Yeah, I could hear him from the stands,” Cam Bedrosian said after a successful Cedar Rapids Kernels pitching debut. “He'd tell me little stuff like stay back (in his delivery). I could hear him through the crowd. I know his voice. He's done it many times.”

Steve and Tammy Bedrosian drove 15 hours from their home in the Atlanta suburbs to watch the Kernels topple West Michigan, 8-0. This was the first time their son had pitched in a professional game in over a year.

Cam was a first-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Angels in 2010 but missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery. He got called up to the Kernels from extended spring training in Arizona last weekend and showed no fear and no rust, throwing 4 1/3 hitless innings before being replaced after 52 pitches.

“His mother and I are very proud of him,” said Steve Bedrosian, who pitched for the Braves, Giants, Phillies and Twins. “With four boys, I've always been a little bit nervous. But you learn that you don't have control over it. All I could do was teach them and coach them the best I could. I've kind of passed the baton to him, now he's got to do it himself. He's got to learn now.”

Steve is going to fly to Arizona, pick up his son's truck and drive it to Iowa before heading back home with Tammy. How's that for a dad?

Because of his youth (20) and inexperience (six pro games) and because he's coming off surgery, you expect Cam to be with the Kernels for awhile. But he's got the stuff and pedrigree to move quickly through the Angels farm system, as he showed Tuesday.

“It feels really good to be back playing ball again. I'm really happy,” said Cam, whose middle name is Rock. "Bedrock" was his father's nickname in his playing days.

“I wasn't actually that nervous," Cam said. "I was trying to stay calm. When I stay calm is when I do my best. You don't want to get hyped up that much. I felt good going into it. Of course, I didn't know what the outcome would be, but it was good.”

Joe Melioris (2-0) actually notched the win in relief for Cedar Rapids (12-13), which begins a three-game home series against Beloit tonight at 6:35. Four guys combined for a one-hitter, with Kaleb Cowart supporting offensively with his third home run.

Cowart, Bedrosian and center fielder Chevy Clarke were all 2010 first-round picks out of high schools in the Atlanta area.

“That was the first time I'd seen Cam throw, and I was very impressed,” said Kernels Manager Jamie Burke. “He was down in the zone, consistent with his pitches. It was fun to watch.”

Here is a copy of the game boxscore:

Scoreboard _ Midwest League Scoreboard