| Bruce Berenyi | |
|---|---|
 Berenyi in 1986 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:August 21, 1954 Bryan, Ohio, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 5, 1980, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 9, 1986, for the New York Mets | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 44–55 |
| Earned run average | 4.03 |
| Strikeouts | 607 |
| Teams | |
Bruce Michael Berenyi (born August 21,1954) is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher from 1980 to 1986.
Berenyi's uncle was MLB pitcher Ned Garver.
Berenyi played basketball as well as baseball at Fairview High School in Sherwood,Ohio. [1] While attending Glen Oaks Community College,Berenyi was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the nineteenth round of the 1975 Major League Baseball draft,but did not sign. After a year at Northwest Missouri State University,he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the first round (third overall) of the June 1976 Secondary draft.
Berenyi went 37–30 with a 3.07 earned run average and 519 strikeouts over five seasons in the Reds' farm system to earn a mid-season call up to the majors in 1980. His major league debut,against the Houston Astros,went poorly;making the start,he retired just one of seven batters,and was pulled with four runs already scored,and runners on first and second. Reliever Mario Soto allowed both inherited runners to score before retiring the next two,giving Berenyi six earned runs allowed in one-third of an inning. [2] Berenyi earned his first career win,against the New York Mets,on July 18. He held the Mets scoreless with seven strikeouts through seven before allowing the first three batters he faced in the eighth to reach. The Mets had pushed a run across,and had runners on first and third when Berenyi exited the game in favor of Tom Hume. Hume allowed both inherited runners to score,giving Berenyi three earned runs allowed in seven innings on the day. [3]
Young starters Berenyi,Soto,Frank Pastore and Mike LaCoss,behind veteran future Hall of Famer Tom Seaver,pitched the 1981 Reds to a Major League Baseball-best 66–41 record. However,due to a split-season format,caused by the 1981 Major League Baseball strike,the Reds finished in second both halves of the season and thus failed to make the playoffs. Berenyi was 4–2 with a 5.01 ERA when he pitched a one-hit shutout against the Montreal Expos to lower his ERA to 4.31 as the players headed into the strike. [4] Berenyi ran into some hard luck in the second half of the season,and was just 4-4 despite dropping his ERA to 2.64. Overall,he was 9–6 with a 3.50 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 20 starts. His 77 walks led the National League.
Berenyi got off to a 4–1 start in April 1982 before hard luck began to haunt him once again. He went 1–8 over his next thirteen starts,despite an ERA that was only slightly above 4.00. After a decent stretch following the All-Star break (3-1,2.35 ERA),Berenyi lost his next eight decisions in a row with a 3.84 ERA. He was the losing pitcher on August 14 against the Astros despite not allowing an earned run. [5] He also did not allow an earned run in his next start,and got a no decision (for the season,Berenyi had a 2.15 ERA in his no decisions). [6] Berenyi shut out the Astros for his ninth and final win of the season on September 24. [7] He had a league-worst eighteen losses for a Reds team that was last in the major leagues in scoring (3.36 runs a game) and slugging (.350),and lost 101 games. [8]
After a 1983 season that saw Berenyi go 9–14 with a 3.86 ERA,he began requesting a trade,but went into the 1984 season still with the Reds. In the second game of the season,he pitched six strong innings,allowing two runs,but the Reds did not score any runs. [9] On May 5,Berenyi faced five batters,and failed to record an out in a start against the Philadelphia Phillies. [10] On May 19,he faced five St. Louis Cardinals batters,and failed to record an out. [11] He was 3–7 with an even 6.00 ERA on June 15 when the Reds traded him to the Mets for minor leaguers Jay Tibbs,Eddie Williams and Matt Bullinger.
Due to their core of young prospects,the perennial cellar-dwelling Mets were a surprising 33-25 when Berenyi joined them. The Mets released veteran Mike Torrez in order to make room for Berenyi in their starting rotation,making Berenyi the Mets' oldest starter at 29 years old. [12]
He lost his first Mets start, [13] but rebounded in his second,pitching seven shutout innings against the Expos before handing the ball to Doug Sisk. [14] As a Met,Berenyi went 9–6 with a 3.76 ERA.
Despite Berenyi's only being with the Mets for half a season,1984 turned out to be the year he made the most appearances with his new club. In his first start of 1985,against Mario Soto and the Reds,he pitched seven innings of one-hit,one walk ball. [15] Berenyi pitched two innings into his third start of the season before being lifted with shoulder pain. [16] He would undergo arthroscopic shoulder surgery that would sideline him for the remainder of the season. [17]
The Mets took a slow approach with Berenyi in 1986. He made four appearances out of the bullpen,pitching 5.1 innings,before making his first start. Berenyi would make 14 appearances for the eventual World Series champion Mets,going 2–2 with a 6.35 ERA before being reassigned to the Triple A Tidewater Tides in July,where he went 2–6 with a 6.61 ERA. He failed to make the postseason roster with the parent club,but was awarded a World Series ring by the club,which he later sold at auction for $15,000.
The Mets released Berenyi following the 1986 World Series. He signed as a free agent with the Expos prior to Spring training 1987, [18] but failed to make the club.
Joseph Franklin Niekro was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He was the younger brother of pitcher Phil Niekro,and the father of former Major League first baseman Lance Niekro. Niekro was born in Martins Ferry,Ohio,and attended Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport,Ohio,and West Liberty University in West Liberty,West Virginia. During a 22-year baseball career,he pitched from 1967 to 1988 for seven different teams,primarily for the Houston Astros.
In baseball,a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine complete innings recorded no hits. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter". In most cases,no-hitters are recorded by a single pitcher who throws a complete game;one thrown by two or more pitchers is a combined no-hitter.
JoséDennis Martínez Ortiz,nicknamed "El Presidente",is a Nicaraguan professional baseball pitcher. Martínez played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles,Montreal Expos,Cleveland Indians,Seattle Mariners,and Atlanta Braves from 1976 to 1998. He threw a perfect game in 1991,and was a four-time MLB All-Star. He was the first Nicaraguan to play in the majors.
Joaquín Andújar was a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros,St. Louis Cardinals,and Oakland Athletics from 1976 through 1988. Andújar was a four-time MLB All-Star and a Gold Glove Award winner.
James Rodney Richard was an American professional baseball player. He played his entire career in Major League Baseball as a right-handed starting pitcher for the Houston Astros from 1971 to 1980. Richard led the National League (NL) twice in strikeouts and was named an NL All-Star player in 1980.
Donald Edward Wilson was a professional baseball pitcher. He played all or part of nine seasons in Major League Baseball with the Houston Astros.
Patrick Paul Zachry is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in Major League Baseball from 1976 to 1985. Zachry was awarded the Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award for his play in the National League in 1976,but he is likely best remembered as one of the players the Cincinnati Reds sent to the New York Mets for Tom Seaver in one of the infamous Mets trades now referred to as the "Midnight Massacre".
Michael Augustine Torrez is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) starting pitcher. In an 18-season career,he pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals (1967–1971),Montreal Expos (1971–1974),Baltimore Orioles (1975),Oakland Athletics,New York Yankees (1977),Boston Red Sox (1978–1982),and New York Mets (1983–1984). As a member of the Yankees,he won two games of the 1977 World Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers. He batted and threw right-handed.
Bertram Ray Burris is an American former pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB),and the current rehabilitation pitching coordinator in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He played in MLB from 1973 through 1987 for seven different teams. Listed at 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) and 200 pounds (91 kg),he threw and batted right-handed.
Stephen Douglas Rogers is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Montreal Expos. He batted and threw right-handed.
Wayne Lee Twitchell was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher.
Peter Thomas Harnisch is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played in college at Fordham University from 1984 through 1987,and was an All-American pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball from 1988 through 2001 for the Baltimore Orioles,Houston Astros,New York Mets,Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds.
Timothy James Leary is an American former professional baseball right-handed pitcher.
Joseph Charles Sambito is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Houston Astros,New York Mets (1985) and Boston Red Sox (1986–1987). He batted and threw left-handed.
John Eugene Billingham is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from 1968 through 1980,most notably as a member of the Cincinnati Reds dynasty that won three National League pennants and two World Series championships between 1972 and 1977.
Derek Jansen Lilliquist is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher and pitching coach. He played for the Atlanta Braves (1989–1990),San Diego Padres (1990–1991),Cleveland Indians (1992–1994),Boston Red Sox (1995) and Cincinnati Reds (1996),and has coached for the St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals.
Roy Lee Jackson is a former Major League Baseball pitcher likely best remembered for his stint with the Toronto Blue Jays in the early 80s.
Ross John Powell was an American Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Cincinnati Reds,Houston Astros and Pittsburgh Pirates over parts of three seasons (1993–95). A left-hander,he was listed as 6 feet (1.83 m) tall and 180 pounds (82 kg).
The 1984 New York Mets season was the 23rd regular season for the Mets. They went 90–72 and finished in second place in the National League East. They were managed by Davey Johnson. They played home games at Shea Stadium.
Charles Mark "Chuck" Ricci is an American former professional baseball player. During an 11-season professional career,Ricci appeared in Major League Baseball (MLB) during one year,pitching for the National League's Philadelphia Phillies in 1995. He was listed as standing 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) and weighing 180 pounds (82 kg).