Dave Beard | |||
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Pitcher | |||
Born: Atlanta, Georgia |
October 2, 1959 |||
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MLB debut | |||
July 16, 1980, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
Last MLB appearance | |||
July 21, 1989, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
MLB statistics | |||
Win–loss record | 19–20 | ||
Earned run average | 4.70 | ||
Strikeouts | 185 | ||
Teams | |||
Charles David Beard (born October 2, 1959) is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, and Detroit Tigers from 1980 to 1989.
Following his high school days at Sequoyah High School in Doraville, Georgia, Beard was drafted by the Athletics in the sixth round of the 1977 amateur draft. After two strong minor league seasons in three years, Beard was promoted to the Athletics and made his major league debut at age 20 on July 16, 1980, pitching the ninth inning of a loss to the Tigers. He appeared in twelve more games that season, all in relief, and earned one save and one loss on the season, posting an earned run average of 3.38. The Athletics tended to use him in games they were losing; in fact, his team was on top only twice when he was summoned to the mound, and their only win in a game where Beard appeared was when he earned his lone save on August 1 against the Cleveland Indians.
In 1981, Beard was called up to the big leagues when rosters expanded September 1, and he appeared in eight games over the final month, collecting three more saves and his first big league win, which came in the first game of a doubleheader against the Toronto Blue Jays on September 22, when he held Toronto scoreless for the final 5 1⁄3 innings of an extra inning tilt. He made two postseason appearances with the playoff-bound A's. His first appearance was a 1 1⁄3-inning save to close out the Divisional Series against the Kansas City Royals. However, his ALCS appearance versus the New York Yankees would be less successful; he allowed three earned runs in 2⁄3 of an inning in game 2 as the Yankees swept the A's out of the playoffs.