Bergesen to start Tuesday

by SC on Apr 19, 2009 9:44 PM EDT in News Comment 32 comments

The Orioles are planning to recall Brad Bergesen to start Tuesday's series opener against the Chicago White Sox at Camden Yards.

The club, which also considered recalling Triple-A left-hander Chris Waters, will likely hold off on making the announcement until Monday, when it will also have to make a roster move to accommodate Bergesen. However, multiple team sources confirmed that the plan is to give Bergesen an extended look in the rotation in place of injured right-hander Alfredo Simon, who is out at least a month, if not much longer, with elbow problems.

It will be the major league debut for Bergesen, a 23-year-old right-hander who was the organization's Minor League Pitcher of the Year last season.

So for all those hoping to see Bergesen sooner than later, here's his chance. But please do yourself a favor and don't get carried away. He's an extreme control specialist and most of these guys (Josh Towers was one, too) have some (or a lot of) trouble in the majors.

But I'm happy he's getting the chance. I don't really have anything against Chris Waters (I'll take Waters over Eaton), but Bergesen had a great 2008 at Bowie and a nice spring, and he's earned the look. Do it to it, Brad.

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Brad Bergesen at least gives us 3 pitchers I’m genuinely interested in seeing pitch.

by math_geek on Apr 19, 2009 9:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

and Simon comes back in a month

he is my pet.

The stock market will never recover, our armies will never again be #1, and our children will drink filthy water for the rest of their lives - HST

by the fix is in on Apr 19, 2009 10:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn't expect to see

Alfredo Simon pitch again in the majors. Ever.

Matt Wieters took batting practice this morning. There were no survivors.

by duck on Apr 20, 2009 6:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I suspect he won't last

but hey, we’ll see what happens

by pipkin on Apr 19, 2009 10:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

YES!

Koji day isnt going to be completely horrible!

"I’m sure glad he didn’t try to bunt." - DD on Melmo's game winning double, 6/17

by daveh873 on Apr 19, 2009 10:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Meet Brad's Dad at Bowie last year

I am just glad to see him get a shot at the bigs. His dad flew out from Calif to see him pitch last year. I sat by him for 7 innings before he told me his kid was on the mound. He also said it was his first time watching him pitch at this level. I wish them both good luck. Maddox was a control pitcher also and we see where he will end up over 300 wins later.

by Baysox39 on Apr 19, 2009 10:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Garry Maddox?

"I’m sure glad he didn’t try to bunt." - DD on Melmo's game winning double, 6/17

by daveh873 on Apr 19, 2009 11:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maddux was more than just a control pitcher

he was a pitcher with great stuff and exceptional control.

ted lilly or somebody like that is a control pitcher. maddux was a genius and artist.

by pipkin on Apr 19, 2009 11:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like this

Let’s see what he can do. He had an awfully good year last year, hope he can keep it up in the majors.

by Steve. on Apr 19, 2009 10:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

His 4.4 K/9 at AA last year may not translate to MLB.

I feel like fans fall for guys like this but lets be honest, his ceiling is not Greg Maddux, its closer to Steve Trachsel. Although Steve had a 6.4 K/9 at AA when he was 2 years younger than Brad. The odds are against him but he deserves a shot.

"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law

by Reddrummer9187 on Apr 19, 2009 11:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

agreed

by pipkin on Apr 20, 2009 12:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

But...

k/9 isn’t the end-all, be-all of pitching success. He doesn’t throw a lot of home runs, he walks virtually no one, and gets a lot of ground balls. Maybe, just maybe, there’s a reason he keeps winning games down on the farm.

But recently it’s kinda looked like all the O’s have been dipping their gloves in ky jelly before each inning hasn’t it?

Just because you know how to read, doesn't mean you'll like the book.

by arlingtonOsFan on Apr 20, 2009 3:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know k/9 isn’t the end-all, be-all but my point is more if he can’t fool AA batters to swing and miss and he will have to get a ton of groundballs in order to succeed.

"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law

by Reddrummer9187 on Apr 20, 2009 3:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

whoops, one too many and’s there

"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law

by Reddrummer9187 on Apr 20, 2009 3:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

it's a pretty good predictor, though

by pipkin on Apr 20, 2009 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't care about Ks

I care about outs and runs allowed. I’m not picky on HOW they get out, as long as they get out.

Matt Wieters took batting practice this morning. There were no survivors.

by duck on Apr 20, 2009 6:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

As others are stating

K/BB is way more important than K/9. A high K/9 is almost always good (Daniel Cabrera aside), but a low K/9 is not always bad, and not just for the Maddux/Glavine type guys, it works for the Webb/Moyer/etc. type guys as well. I just mean that plenty of non-brilliant guys get by with many passable major-league years without gaudy strikeout numbers.

by punkrawka on Apr 20, 2009 7:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree that K/BB is more important (true outcomes and all that good stuff). But his K/BB isn’t good either, mainly because he strikes out so few people. His K/BB dont compare favorably to even Josh Towers. You can succeed without gaudy strikeout numbers, but generally you need to be able to strike out minor league batters before you can be even a passable major league pitcher.

"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law

by Reddrummer9187 on Apr 20, 2009 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maddux averaged around a 7 K/9 at his peak

That was in the majors. Glavine was around 6-7. By comparison Roger Clemens was like 8-10.

Maddux had good stuff. Remember that. Always.

by pipkin on Apr 20, 2009 11:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's not pitching...

But Gammons said on Baseball Tonight yesterday that Trembley has told him Wieters’ arrival date has been “moved up”. This team could look very different in a couple weeks.

From the Land of Pleasant Living...

by OEutaw on Apr 20, 2009 8:05 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

By June 1

1/4 of the OD roster may not be here

Eaton – Gone – I’d imagine 2 more starts max
Albers – Probably down again
Bass – may have bought some time with his lastest outing
Liz – one more bad outing from Norfolk
Moeller – that’s a given
Freel – hope you rented, dude.
Hendo – Biding time until Hernandez or Waters is ready to come back up (preferably Hernandez)
Andino – not a given to still be here
Pie – If he’s not hitting by June 1, the Nolan Reimold Experience may start

The Orioles may want to consider opening a corporate account with Greyhound – that Baltimore-to-Norfolk run will be getting a lot of business this summer….

Matt Wieters took batting practice this morning. There were no survivors.

by duck on Apr 20, 2009 9:35 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rotation

Hill and Patton could possibly be ready within the next month as well.

"Hey Yankees... you can take your apology and your trophy and shove 'em straight up your ass!" --Tanner Boyle

by BirdFanInPhilly on Apr 20, 2009 10:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That is huge.

Considering Simon’s already down, Eaton & Hendo suck… I’m all about having Hill, Patton, Hernandez, and Bergesen to pick from. Someone’s got to step up. At this rate we’ll set records for pitching futility.

From the Land of Pleasant Living...

by OEutaw on Apr 20, 2009 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And Liz is heading to Norfolk already

Sent down immediately after today’s game.

Matt Wieters took batting practice this morning. There were no survivors.

by duck on Apr 20, 2009 3:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think Hendo

is doing OK – not great, not even good – but OK as a 5th slot guy. Problem is, he’s basically our #3 right now.

Matt Wieters took batting practice this morning. There were no survivors.

by duck on Apr 20, 2009 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I agree. Hendo wasn’t great but he (sorry for the cliche) “kept ’em in the game” today.

I wonder if I can bill Jeff Lurie and Peter Angelos for the years of therapy their teams are going to put me through.

by BrianS on Apr 20, 2009 7:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

But the problem is pitch count, right?

Even if he keeps us in the game, he’ll keep hurting the pen when he has to get pulled in the fifth.

Just because you know how to read, doesn't mean you'll like the book.

by arlingtonOsFan on Apr 21, 2009 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Steelers thanked the Ravens for

knocking out QB Maddox and forcing them to play Rothesburger and we see how that turned out of them. Maybe we should thank the Pink Hat Crew for destroying the O’s and revealing what they really are. Now we get to see a few of our pitchers and our franchise catcher a lot sooner.

by Baysox39 on Apr 21, 2009 1:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

post topic

We sure need help Brad,it would be nice to see a good young stud pitch well.

by hagers on Apr 20, 2009 9:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Brad Bergesen

I am entirely optimistic about Brad.

I really don’t see how you can be otherwise, given the alternative. I see Hendrickson, Eaton, Simon, or Liz starting, and I’m just dreading the outcome. At least with Bergesen there is hope.

Sure, he may not have the sort of stuff that is typical of a major league ace, but he’s young and if nothing else he’s not those other clowns.

The comparison to Maddux, though…maybe we hold off on that for just a bit.

"BJ on the BE" - Kierkegaard

by Brett Jones on Apr 20, 2009 10:24 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

if he's an average number 4/5 starter

it’s a huge upgrade. the crap we’ve been sending out there is so far beyond terrible that he almost can’t help but be better. given his propensity to put the ball in play though, we’d better start playing defense a little better.

by joet on Apr 20, 2009 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Defense

I agree. I mean, either they get more action and step their game up, or worst case scenario they don’t make the plays and hey, at least we know what positions can be addressed.

That is, of course, assuming they want to stick with Bergesen for any appreciable amount of time. Sure, I’m optimistic about him, but who knows what’s going to happen?

"BJ on the BE" - Kierkegaard

by Brett Jones on Apr 20, 2009 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs