A longtime math trainer, Andy Bednar tells his college students to think about success like a graph.
“I often say success isn’t linear,” added the educator, who additionally coaches the baseball crew at Mars Space Excessive College, positioned simply exterior of Pittsburgh. “It’s up. It’s down. The people who have the most success in whatever their endeavor is are the ones who stay the course.”
Andy’s son, David, resides proof of that, because the Yankees’ nearer, thriving forward of his first postseason, discovered himself a demoted hometown hero not too way back.
A member of the Pirates earlier than being traded on July 31, David was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on April 1. The choice got here after David recorded simply three outs in his first three video games of the season, in addition to a 2024 marketing campaign that noticed the righty submit a 5.77 ERA.
As dangerous as final season went, David stated that getting demoted served as his “low point.” A two-time All-Star who logged a 2.25 ERA and 61 saves for Pittsburgh from 2021-2023, he described his return to the minors as “falling right back on my face” after an offseason of exhausting work.
Failing the group he grew up rooting for less than amplified his disappointment.
“I was probably every emotion in the book. Frustrated, upset, all of it.”
These emotions didn’t final lengthy, although, as David stopped by his dad and mom’ dwelling earlier than reporting to Indianapolis. There, his dad and childhood coach advised him, “You have a couple hours to sulk, and then it’s back to work.”
“He said, ‘Keep going,’” David recalled. “I remember he said, ‘This isn’t rock bottom, man. It’s still all right.’ When you get in those ruts, you kind of think everything’s so much bigger than it is, and then that makes it harder and harder to get out of.”
By day’s finish, David, Andy and a household buddy went to a close-by area for an impromptu bullpen session.
“He was ready to start moving forward,” Andy proudly stated, although he didn’t need to take credit score for his son’s mindset. “There was no magic bullet. It was just like, ‘Listen, there’s 30 [closers] in the world who do what you do, and very few of them go unscathed.’”
Yankees pitcher David Bednar along with his dad, Andy (r., and mother, Susan (l.).
With some fatherly recommendation resonating, David additionally leaned on his spouse, Casey; his brother, Will, a Giants minor league pitcher; his early-career scuffles in San Diego; and the chip he developed on his shoulder as a Thirty fifth-round draft choose who acquired minimal collegiate recruitment earlier than starring at Lafayette.
Doubted earlier than however by no means accepting dismissal, David was decided to show his demotion right into a constructive expertise.
“It’s really just looking yourself in the mirror and being like, ‘How do we get through this?’” he stated. “‘Because it’s gotta stop now.’”
With the assistance of Pittsburgh’s Triple-A pitching coaches, David labored to regulate his curveball and splitter as soon as he arrived in Indianapolis. He pitched effectively within the minors, permitting only one hit over 5 scoreless innings earlier than incomes his means again to the massive leagues on April 19.
David continued to seem like his greatest self after his promotion, pitching to the tune of a 1.70 ERA whereas hanging out 50 batters, reclaiming ninth inning obligations, and saving 16 video games over his final 37 innings as a Pirate.
But had it not been for David’s worst self, the Yankees might not have had the 30-year-old as excessive on their commerce deadline want listing as they did.
After the crew accomplished its swap for David — Pittsburgh acquired prospects Rafael Flores, Edgleen Perez and Brian Sanchez — Aaron Boone stated that he had been “pounding the table” for the pitcher in conversations with the Yankees’ entrance workplace. When requested why, the supervisor cited David’s stumbles as a promoting level.
“He’s been through some struggles in his career, even recently, and come out the other side probably even a better, more refined pitcher,” Boone responded. “He is a little battle-tested with a lot of success. An All-Star reliever, and [he’s] also fallen down when he’s gotten to the top.”
Pitching coach Matt Blake echoed that sentiment, as David’s hardest instances advised the Yankees that his make-up might stand up to the burdens of the Bronx.
“We know it’s going to happen here, so if you can stress test them in some ways before they arrive in New York, you get a chance to see how they handle adversity,” Blake stated. “Obviously, he’s had some ups and downs in his career and come back and been stronger for it.”
Andy fully understands the Yankees’ viewpoint.
He has the identical tackle his son’s worst moments, which is why David’s profession is now a part of the annual “success isn’t linear” speech that Andy shares along with his Mars college students and gamers.
“I used his story in every class today,” Andy, two days into the beginning of a brand new college yr, stated in mid-August. “I stated, ‘Listen, he could have sulked and he could have been bummed out and depressed.’ After which I used the analogy, ‘If things don’t go effectively, you may complain concerning the trainer. That’s positive, however on the finish of the day, you gotta be accountable for all of your actions.’
“What he went through was that. It was perfect to a tee.”
As David continues to function inspiration in his hometown, he has remained a drive with the playoff-bound Yankees, tallying a 2.19 ERA, 10 saves and 35 strikeouts over 24.2 innings and 21 video games because the commerce.
He has introduced stability to the nearer’s job, which Devin Williams misplaced twice this season, and dependability to a bullpen whose success graph would characteristic a number of squiggly strains.
“He’s a dog,” stated Tim Hill, who first performed with David in San Diego.
One other bullpen-mate feels a special animal higher represents David.
“I call him ‘El Oso,’” Fernando Cruz stated, utilizing the Spanish phrase for bear. “He’s nasty. He has everything a high-leverage guy needs. We’re blessed to have him.”
The Yankees will discover out simply how true that’s as they start their postseason run with the rival Crimson Sox within the Wild Card Collection, which begins Tuesday within the Bronx.
David has by no means tasted the playoffs earlier than, however he’s trying ahead to pitching on baseball’s largest levels this October after spending a piece of April within the minors. A troublesome tablet to swallow at first, he hopes the demotion helps him finish his yr on some excessive notes.
“Being able to get through that and past that, now there’s just a whole other layer of confidence and conviction that I have in myself,” David stated. “”‘ve been very happy with myself to have the ability to crawl out of that.”
