Bruce Berenyi

Bruce Michael Berenyi (born August 21, 1954) is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher from 1980-1986. His uncle was former MLB pitcher Ned Garver.

Bruce Berenyi
Berenyi in 1986
Pitcher
Born: (1954-08-21) August 21, 1954
Bryan, Ohio
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 record44–55
Earned run average4.03
Strikeouts607
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Early years

Berenyi played basketball as well as baseball at Fairview High School.[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 (3rd overall) of the June 1976 Secondary draft.

Cincinnati Reds

He 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. He was completely dismantled by the Houston Astros in his major league debut. Making the start, he faced seven batters, retiring just one. He was pulled with four runs already across the plate, and runners on first and second. Reliever Mario Soto allowed both inherited runners to score before retiring the new two, giving Berenyi six earned runs in just a third of an inning.[2] He 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 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 (Due to a split-season format, caused by the 1981 Major League Baseball strike, they failed to make the playoffs because they finished in second both halves of the season). 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. He 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 twenty 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 games despite an ERA that was only slightly above 4.00. After a decent stretch after 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] He shutout 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. Off season rumors of deals to the Tigers and New York Yankees never materialized, and he 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 team that scored eight runs for Mario Soto in the season opener was shutout with Berenyi on the mound.[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 wast 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.

New York Mets

Thanks to its 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, he went 9-6 with a 3.76 ERA.

Despite his 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] He 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 used a slow approach with Berenyi in 1986. He made four appearances out of the bullpen, pitching 5.1 innings, before making his first start. He would make seven starts, never pitching more than six innings before being reassigned to the triple A Tidewater Tides. He went 2-6 with a 6.61 ERA at Tidewater.

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.

Career stats
W L Pct ERA G GS GF SHO IP H ER R HR BB K WP HBP BAA Fld% Avg.
44 55 .444 4.03 142 131 4 5 781.2 730 350 392 32 425 607 52 7 .251 .977 .197
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References
  1. Cluff, Rick (January 18, 1971). "Apaches Skin Bears, 72-68". The Bryan Times.
  2. "Cincinnati Reds 8, Houston Astros 6". Baseball-Reference.com. Riverfront Stadium. July 5, 1980.
  3. "Cincinnati Reds 8, New York Mets 3". Baseball-Reference.com. Riverfront Stadium. July 18, 1980.
  4. "Cincinnati Reds 2, Montreal Expos 0". Baseball-Reference.com. Riverfront Stadium. June 7, 1981.
  5. "Houston Astros 2, Cincinnati Reds 0". Baseball-Reference.com. Riverfront Stadium. August 14, 1982.
  6. "Cincinnati Reds 3, New York Mets 1". Baseball-Reference.com. Riverfront Stadium. August 19, 1982.
  7. "Cincinnati Reds 2, Houston Astros 0". Baseball-Reference.com. Riverfront Stadium. September 24, 1982.
  8. Jim Kaplan (April 4, 1983). "Cincinnati". Sports Illustrated.
  9. "New York Mets 2, Cincinnati Reds 0". Baseball-Reference.com. Riverfront Stadium. April 4, 1984.
  10. "Philadelphia Phillies 11, Cincinnati Reds 2". Baseball-Reference.com. Veterans Stadium. May 5, 1984.
  11. "St. Louis Cardinals 9, Cincinnati Reds 1". Baseball-Reference.com. Busch Memorial Stadium. May 19, 1984.
  12. Kaplan, Jim (July 4, 1984). "They're Striking Out in a New Direction". Sports Illustrated.
  13. "St. Louis Cardinals 6, New York Mets 3". Baseball-Reference.com. Busch Memorial Stadium. June 17, 1984.
  14. "New York Mets 2, Montreal Expos 0". Baseball-Reference.com. Shea Stadium. June 23, 1984.
  15. "New York Mets 1, Cincinnati Reds 0". Baseball-Reference.com. Shea Stadium. April 12, 1985.
  16. "St. Louis Cardinals 8, New York Mets 3". Baseball-Reference.com. Busch Memorial Stadium. April 23, 1985.
  17. Hecht, Henry (June 3, 1985). "Inside Pitch (May 20-26)". Sports Illustrated.
  18. Wolff, Alexander (October 5, 1987). "How 'Bout Those Expos?". Sports Illustrated.
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