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We've learned at least one thing from the Orioles' decision to option Brad Bergesen to the minors, a move that will be made official later today: They don't believe that he's injured.
He's going to Triple-A Norfolk, not the disabled list.
Update: The Orioles just confirmed that Bergesen is going to Triple-A. They'll announce the corresponding roster move later today. The word out of Norfolk is that left-hander Alberto Castillo is joining the team in Seattle. If you're there, please check out all the Starbucks and get back to me.
If he's having any lingering effects from the shin or shoulder injuries, they could be disturbing his mechanics or wrecking the confidence he once held in his pitches.
We can only wonder at this point.
I don't believe 2009 was a fluke, though a few people close to the team predicted a sophomore slump. Bergesen just looks so uncomfortable to me, from his delivery to his movements between pitches.
He always works at an accelerated pace, but he looked like he wanted to jump out of his skin after the Casey Kotchman home run. It made me jittery.
Bergesen and Chris Tillman in the same rotation. We expected it to happen, but not in Norfolk.
The Orioles assigned Tillman to Norfolk so he could work on a few things in a less-pressurized environment. That same reasoning applies to Bergesen. He should deal with whatever's bothering him in the International League, not the AL East.
It's been a strange reversal for Bergesen, who made two starts with Norfolk last year before getting called up on April 21. Now he's made three starts with the Orioles before getting sent down on April 20.
That's a circle of life that you want to break.
A few housekeeping items:
The Orioles and Ravens will partner again for the O's Ravens Rally, presented by MASN, that will be held at Camden Yards on June 12 when the Orioles play the Mets at 7:05 p.m. The first 20,000 fans 15 and over will receive an O's Ravens Rally Cap featuring a purple Oriole Bird and bill. A Raven will throw out the ceremonial first pitch, and the team's cheerleaders, mascot and marching band will make appearances.
There will also be a special ticket offer available for the rally. Ravens PSL owners can show their PSL card when they purchase tickets for the game to receive $5 off a regularly priced, single-game ticket (up to six tickets per member.)
Mother's Day is fast approaching. Says so in the Hallmark aisle. If your Mom likes sports and jewelry, you're in luck. Check out Dana Hoiles' site.
I'll pass along my ring size before Father's Day.
I saw the following headline on AOL: Kid Chokings Often Caused By Food
How much are we spending on this research?
Funny how when a player has options, he suddenly didn't come up with a mysterious injury?
Bergy is either not applying what Kranitz is saying in terms of making the adjustment to the league or.......Kranitz is not proactive with making the changes to the changes. I am not sold on Kranitz. What pitcher has he polished and molded into a quality starter?
Another night...another loss! And remember, Andy will NOT fire DT at any time during this season. He would be admitting a mistake and Andy doesn't do that! Andy has to be the one to get credit for the turnarond. It will look good on his resume when he goes after the commish job. And Ole Pete will have a "in" when it comes to the commish's office!
This team is downright HORRIBLE!
Roch, do you think Jake Arrieta would be coming up soon to replace Bergesen?
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Don't know. He's one option, along with Berken. - Roch
Smart move. His next 3 starts would be against Boston and New York, and clearly you don't want the guy we saw last night facing those squads. Skipping his starts would possibly only hurt his confidence more, and it also doesn't allow him to work on what you need him to work on.
I hope we call up a hitter and go one pitcher down for a few days, since the hitters are ailing. Once again I am championing for Rhyne Hughes... I want to see this guy.
Castillo coming up makes sense for the Orioles since they only need 4 starters for now, but what about Norfolk? They don't need 6. This could mean Tillman joins Britton in AA. Berken would become the 5th starter with Castillo remaining in the bullpen. If Tillman stays in AAA, it would make sense to swap Bergesen with a AAA starter. Arrieta has been head and shoulders above the rest and like you said, it only took a few weeks into the season for Bergy to get the call last year. I would give Arrieta a shot. He can't make this team any worse, but he could make it much more interesting to watch.
It looks like his pace of his game should have the "Benny Hill" theme in the background. He walked off the mound and into the dugout and looked like he was going to run back to Baltimore, or in this case, Norfolk. He looks like a 78 record out their. I'm sure he needs some mechanical adjustments, but it looks like he could use some mental adjustments as well.
And on what, may I ask, are the Orioles choking? Has anyone, other than Ken Rosenthal, done any research on that?
Roch
You'll never convince me that Butlers line drive isn't on his mind and he's pitching scared.
Roch, you're the hardest working man in bro business.
Roch,
So I've started reading Tim Kurkijan's "Is this a great game or what?" and just finished the part about fear of the ball and how everyone in the game has it whether pitching, hitting or fielding. How much of Bergy's control problems/lack of sink would you put on the line drive he took off the shin effecting the mental aspect of his game compared to mechanical flaws they keep talking about when he pitches?
Jimmy
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Only Brad can answer that one. It's one theory. - Roch
I hope Bergy can pick it up. I also hope they aren't considering Berken for the rotation. He's good for a few innings but I think he'll be the kind of guy that gets creamed if he's in there for five or six. The only success he's had in the majors is as a reliever, let it be. Reminds me of Jim Johnson in a way.
I'm probably in the minority with this request, but as someone who grew up in AA. Co. (and with parents originally from the DC region), I was raised an O's and Skins fan. I am generally ambivalent towards the Ravens (except when their fans become unnecessarily antagonistic, annoying and bandwagoneeresque). Perhaps you could suggest to Andy or whomever you speak with on a regular basis that can make things happen and see if they could arrange a joint O's / Skins event. Biscoti may have a problem with it, but tell him this is coming from a fellow SPHS alum.
Birkan needs to be added to the rotation. Just as I predicted all spring, he is one of the better pitchers on the roster. Him and Matusz are CARRYING this team right now.
He began to turn the corner at the end of last year. Clearly he's learned a lot. Let's see what he can do.
Arrieta needs more time in the minors in my opinion.
Call up a reliever. Give Birkun a 3 start trial. If he is stinking it up, Jake should be ready by then and move Berken back to the pen.
This is my plan. This is what should be communicated to the fans.
That's a good thing for bergy, get down on the farm and get it back together and come back.
Hey Rock, Why don't we send Reimold down for the same reason as bergy?
The defense has been really bad behind him in every start, besides the errors, there have been numerous plays that haven't been made. i feel bad for the guy but this is probably the best thing for him, hopefully he'll be back in a couple weeks. I was hoping to see Arrieta called up so Berken can stay in long relief, he's been awesome this year. Quick question, when do you think we'll see Arrieta?
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Don't know. He's one option to replace Bergesen when the Orioles need a fifth starter. - Roch
I saw the following headline on AOL: Kid Chokings Often Caused By Food
How much are we spending on this research?
I have 3 little ones and I find them choking on little toys they put in their mouth more then food. So I disagree with the research. And that is from experiance.
What a difference a year makes for Bergy. That is why it is hard to win with young talent. He got out of his grove and can't get it back. Most Veterns have learned how to turn it around from experiance. He will be back soon! Someone will get hurt and he will be back up.
Poor Brad. I wrote a post a while back at Steve’s blog saying how important BB was to my perception of The Plan, since he’d bucked the trend of highly-touted pitching prospects who fizzled by being a lowly-touted prospect who sizzled. I didn’t intentionally bet against him last year, just tried to bet ON Jeremy. Now it looks like both have reverted somewhat to expectations, but where was that regression to the mean when I really needed it?
At least we’ve got Matusz. As I posted previously, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which the O’s return to contender status without Matusz succeeding as a stopper. On that front at least, so far so good. Hopefully Wieters will continue to progress also. (Does he look faster this year, at the plate and on the bases, or is it just me?). Much rests on the shoulders of these two.
Kevin H.: Thanks for the FIP stat on Tillman. Nice work. A friend of FIP is a friend of mine, and if he can compute it himself, all the better. Again, welcome aboard the School of Roch. What took you so long?
Roscoe: As ever, thanks for your impassioned defense. Right, left or middle, I’m glad I’m on your team.
jdb: I’m speechless at your largesse! The shirt is colorful, enthusiastic, and very orange, just like my heart!
Was at the game last night. Roch, you are so right about his body language.
I always remember what Mike Mussina said after he was hit in the face by that line drive. It was essentially about how difficult it was to pitch for a while. That was a veteran ace.
Bergy must go down and now that which he has feared has been encountered .
He'll be back in July.
Looking forward to a rebound tonight.
The bats do not look good.
P.S. Millwood was having quite a good time delivering the lineup.
Reckon we won't see that again.
Roch, If you get a chance to talk to Bergy, let him know that we're all pulling for him. He's gotten his bad luck out the way now, so he just needs to work hard and get his mojo back. I don't think last year was a fluke either.
Sorry you had to wake up to bad news, but it sure could have been worse (or more substantial anyway). I'm not so sure that it is a good idea for Berken to start. He's doing very well, but even last night he threw too many pitches to get through 3 1/3. As a long man that's no problem, but not so great for a starter. Also, as pointed out already, why mess with success? I think you're right, Castillo is temporary. Someone will go down when they need a 5th starter. Who knows, maybe that gives Tillman a couple more starts at Norfolk to show he can do it.
It makes sense that Bergy is rusty after missing a good chunk of the season last year.
I'd look into bringing up Alfredo Simon before deciding on Arrieta. Partly because I wouldn't want to risk Arrieta become a Super Two, partly because I wouldn't want to rush Arrieta and mainly because Simon is doing well in AAA and can become good trade bait with a few good outings.
He needs to go back down and fix his issues and come back and pitch the way he is capable of being...we need him to be good really realy bad......it seems mental or mechanical for sure or both.
Roch, do you think Arrieta will be promoted and take Bergesen's spot in the rotation?
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It could happen once they need another starter. Berken is another option. - Roch
Bergy needs to work on his command and mound presence. How in the world has anyone not pulled this kid aside and said "its ok to work quick, but you've got to stay within yourself & keep your composure out there". Just goes to show this organization is a complete joke from top to bottom.
It's pretty funny how all the folks at MASN, 105.7 & the Orioles busted out their pom-poms for this season and proclaimed it is about winning this time. This team and franchise flat out stinks! Shame on you guys for trying to sell a disgruntled fan base a lemon.
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MacPhail said the team would be judged more on wins and losses this year. That's it. I don't recall any pom poms. Perhaps some people misunderstood, which is a shame. - Roch
Roch,
I think Jason Berken has earned a spot on the starting rotation. Is it too late? Would they have to wait for Koji to make a move like that?? What do you think? Also it seems like Adam Jones has had an error in each game since receiving the golden glove. Thoughts?
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Berken is one option. Arrieta is another. Berken has been very valuable in long relief, so you hate to weaken yourself in one area to fill another. We'll see. - Roch
Do you think Dana could make a four finger ring that says "ROCH"?
That would be hot.
I wonder if Bergy knew he was on a short leash by the way he stormed off the field. He'll be back. I am not worried about him. He'll definitely be back. He rushed to come back from two injuries he shouldn't have, he did... he'll be back.
Weird to see the cavalry in retreat. So much for not wanting to rush them to the bigs.
I can only ask.... Where do we go from here? This isn't where we intended to be, we had it all, you believed in me I believed in you
You know its bad when I am quoting Madonna. Uhh... must be the sleep deprivation from the west coast trip. Yeah... that's it.
I'll be disappointed if Berken takes over in the rotation. He's been fine as a long man, where he pitches after the game's already been decided. But asking him to step back into the rotation against Boston would be a disaster.
Career vs. Boston: 0-3, 11.66 ERA, 45 baserunners in 14.2 IP. As a TEAM, Boston hits .452 against him.
To the poster who requested crow be eaten by the appropriate parties on Mr. Wigginton's account, yes, that would definitely be me. Ty was awful in virtually every dimension last year, earning sub-replacement player WAR stats from both FanGraphs and CHONE. His execrable defense and baserunning, combined with his poor offensive numbers, led me at one point to call him a no-tool player.
In my defense, I have already posted that Ty looks like a completely different player to me this year. I was planning a larger mea culpa, especially considering that Ty's got an OPS over 1.000 despite a BABIP of .208. But I thought I'd wait until he'd actually played more than, you know, ten games, two of which he's helped lose with his glove. So it's a little early to be going SEOD just yet, as The Wolf says in Pulp Fiction.
Is that Brad Bergesen on the Sarasota ad at the top of the page? Seriously? Who is running this website? You couldn't come up with something better than Brad Bergesen in an O's uniform on the day he gets sent down to the minors? Yikes...
It doesn't take long for the league to catch up to new pitchers , they muct adjust and readjust to stay competitive,,,,,,,,,,,,some do and some don't obvioulsy the O's have very few that do and several that don't.................that is why Andy is stock piling arms,,,,,,,,,my only question is when are they going to get serious about buying bats? Or are they just blowing smoke again ?
Since we won't need a fifth starter for about ten days why don't we bring up Simon?
He would make a good candidate for the 7th and 8th innings or he could go four or five innings if necessary.
Jason Berken has certainly done everything that's been asked of him but I'm not sure he has yet developed into a pitcher that can go through a lineup more than twice.
Who is Birkin? Birkun? Isn't it odd that you an one of your alter egos, paul have a difficult time spelling names? Now I notice you, er, paul call him Bergy instead of what you called him yesterday, Bergensen. Also odd that last year you blasted Berken, or if you prefer, Birkun, Birkin, for being a lousy Andy addition to the rotation; now he along with Matusz is "carrying" the team? Arietta needs more time in the minors you say? Why didn't you say that last year about Bergesen? You also blasted Andy for sending Tillman back to the minors. Just what is it Brummie, er paul, er dorian? The only thing you're consistent on is your lack of consistency.
I'm a little concerned about Bergesen's leg injury. Don't most shoulder (or elbow) problems originate when a pitcher over compensates for a leg injury. Mark Fidrych comes to mind. Either that, or he's a little gun shy after taking that hit. I would be.
Roch, how many times can different people ask you the same exact question about Arrieta/Berken?
Why watch if they are so HORRIBLE? Brummie? Everyone in here knows your hatred and boorishness. Surely there must be something more constructive to do in "berlin." LOL
Believe Arrieta should get the call to fill the 5th starter role. Berken should remain in long relief where he's been outstanding. However, I concur with the opinion that Berken's likely effective for only twice thru a lineup before hitters start pounding him.
Arrieta's ability and his "stuff" give him a greater upside than Berken, and the current circumstances warrant his promotion and being thrown into the fray - ironically similar to Bergesen's call up last season.
I also think that Bergesen's been seriously affected by the line drive. . .even if the affect is subliminal. He's simply not the same pitcher in any way, e.g., demeanor in addition to results.
Methinks Bergesen is suffering from "I hope I don't get hit by another batted ball" syndrome.
This team is as bad as Brummies spelling
Brummie-
You've been called out before for spelling Berken's name wrong.
Now you just spelled his name 3 DIFFERENT ways in one entry:
1. "Birkan needs to be added to the rotation."
2. "Give Birkun a 3 start trial."
3. "... by then and move Berken back to the pen".
And you call yourself a journalist? You are a joke!
Your trolling is so obvious when you spell a guy's name three different ways in one post. Not even you would be that stupid.
And for what its worth, you were right about Berken. The guy is a fighter, and he's in a very important role right now. I actually don't want to put him in the rotation, because the innings eater doing mop up duty is so important to save a bullpen over the long haul. I think Berken is a very valuable member of this team; but forcing him into the rotation when he finally has found (albeit in a small sample size) big league success is probably not the play.
The Bergesen situation is all my fault. Look, last year, I attended that game against Oakland where they gave out the free Bergesen shirt (which I like, and wear (and wash) often). Yes, that game occurred after Bergesen’s injury, but I bought the tickets before the Bergesen injury. I didn’t pick that game necessarily because I had to have a Bergesen shirt but more because a friend wanted to go to a game and that was the best date. So, I’m sorry.
Know that I also have a Kirby Puckett t-shirt and, first, he suffered the eye problem that ended his career and then he died, and I have a Mike Piazza Dodgers t-shirt and he got traded to the Marlins then the Mets. My birthday is in October and every time the O’s have played on my birthday since I’ve been alive, they’ve lost. Those games have been in the postseason, so, it hurts even more. I was also at the game in September 1997 when John Denver came out during the seventh inning stretch and sang “Thank God I’m A Country Boy”; a few weeks later, he died in a plane crash.
Don’t worry, I didn’t go to the Matt Wieters t-shirt night last week and won’t go to any for Nick Markakis, Nolan Reimold, or Brian Matusz. If you have any ideas for Red Sox or Yankees t-shirts I should buy, please let me know. I think a Teixeira-Yankees t-shirt would make a nice gift (I wear an XL). Thanks.
I am wondering if Bergeson is still feeling the mental effects of being hit by that line drive last July. It would not be the first time a pitcher's career was detour because of mental issues related to being hit by a batted ball.
As for the rotation, keep in mind that the Orioles do not need a fifth starter until May 1 because of the two off-days on Thursday and Monday. They do not need to bring up anyone to fill the starters role.
See Brummie, this is where you start to lose people. You don't need to make personal attacks against McPhail.
Roch, it's AOL what do you expect?
I was watching last night. Bergesen looked bad, his mannerisms I mean. That error by Wigginton sure didn't help him either.
Planning to use Berken as the 5th SP doesn't make me feel much better either. Frankly, it's a shame, it appears Berken may have found his niche.
When are they having the renaming ceremony Roch? Baltimore is fast becoming more like Little Big Horn.
To the poster quoting ancient movies... One error in one game doesn't wash out the other plusses. Also, how many players don't make an error? How many have already? Even our GG OFer has botched a very catchable ball that lead to a loss.
To the Guy who suggested an O's -skins game: No freakin' way. They are the Baltimore Orioles, not the Washington Orioles. Go pull for a nats -skins game. You are very much in the minority. If you don't want to see the Ravens influence then don't come. Plus, a Redskins fan has a lot of nerve to call us Ravens fans bandwagoners. Every year the skins are preseason Super Bowl champs, only to see their fans fade away during the season.
the first time you ever made a great observation. An observation that need to be followed, although, i still think you are a clown, with big feet, big hair, and a funny nose.
Brummie, how do you misspell your favorite pitchers name THREE times in the same entry and still claim to be a journalist?
that's also a picture of Pie on the O's side of the page a day after it is reported he's out for 3 months.
roch
i completely agree with you ob bergesen looking uncomfortable. when they were showing the replay on his deliveries he was very inconsistent and seemed to want to run off the mound as soon as he threw the pitch. there is probably some confidence issues after getting nailed with that line drive. not the first time a guys gets knocked and has a hard time coming back to it
When the time comes that we need a fifth starter again, I'd prefer to leave Berken in the bullpen. He's been lights out in the long relief role so far. Plus, last year, he got lit up a lot in the rotation. Let him stay in the relief role he's excelling in and keep building confidence. Maybe being a middle or long reliever is his ticket to a big league career. Why mess with success at this point? The team doesn't have a lot going right for them at the moment... might as well keep one that is.
It reminds me of Albers 2 years ago. He got hurt and the bullpen imploded. What if moving Berken back to the rotation has a similar effect this year?
Roch
Is Berken allowed to pitch in games other then those when the O's trail by a touchdown? Maybe DT has yet to notice he has been really good.
Also I still think we would be better if Jim Johnson was a starter again. I think he learned how to pitch in the bullpen and really, whats the point of a good set up man on a team that loses 90+ games. He seems to get cranked up after an inning or so. Any thoughts within the organization that he could start again?
I agree with the posters that say keep Berken where he is. The ability to get quality major league innings from him is a real bonus in my book. Unlike JJ who never really got a shot as a starter and who I still believe could have done a credible job, I don't think Berken has the raw stuff to post a high frequency of good 7 inning starts. Realistically, he will take a little step backwards even in the middle relief role as teams understand that they may see him for several innings. It's amazing how high we fans seem to get on the middle reliever du juor- how great was Albers for 3-4 games. Then a couple of shoddy performances and "it was just a matter of time before the old Albers showed up." How about the fact that most long relievers are decent ML pitchers who are in the bullpen because they are flawed starters. Let's maximize what we get from them.
Anyway, I wish we had that extra starter that we thought would be an unwise expenditure. Now we have to pick from middle reliever creating another hole, subpar journeyman, or rushing a premium prospect because the FO lacks foresight or is profit-oriented; likely both. And I am not even talking about a difference maker like Lackey- just a solid #3-4 ML pitcher would really help out. I don't feel like talking about the "buy the bats" rhetoric at this point.
Hey Roch, this might be a little out of left field, but has the PTBNL in the Julio Lugo trade been named yet?
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The Orioles haven't announced anything. - Roch
Albert Castillo??? Uhhhh, how 'bout Wilfredo Perez instead??? Please!? Castillo has proven over and over again that he can't be effective in the majors. Wouldn't it make sense to have Alfredo Simon take over Berken's role if Berken goes to Bergesens' spot?
Didn't it occur to anybody that the dude spelled his name different to get a rise out of you people. Duuuhhhh!!!! It worked.
Hey Brummie,
Who is Birkan?
What an idiot!
As a "journalist", have you ever heard of spell check?
You better get upstairs, I think mom just yelled that dinner is ready.
Freak
I am not on the "Fire DT" bandwagon, but I do have a question about DT.
How come he only comes out to the mound when there is a pitching change.. I understand RK comes out to talk to the pitcher when there isn’t a pitching change.. but shouldn’t DT come out occasionally and give the pitcher a kick in the butt?
just curious if you have or had any thoughts of this nature..
So it's Birkin time! Heck yeah! Now we will see some TALENT in the rotation.
CRB, It's okay. As long as you're willing to admit that we can move on. I appreciate your honesty.
I am starting to think the Orioles are just cursed!!! Between the blown saves, blop singles, injuries.... Since 1997 not thing good. I call it the "Curse of John Miller"
Leave Berken in the pen. He has been outstanding in his role this year where he goes through the line up at most once. Why not give Arrieta a shot and see what happens?
That's just plain wrong! Skins fans are there, losing or not. 4-12 or 12-4 they come out. I can vividly recall some down years for the ravens & I duly noted the LARGE decrease in the number of minivans & sedans no longer having the pennants attached to the backseat windows.... That's the one large difference I see with raven fans vs Skins fans , visible support lean years or not.
Wow, Brummie totally lured you folks with that spelling nonsense. It's getting a little too easy for him around here.
That being said, I wonder where Kurt Birkins is these days?
Guys,
His misspelled it on purpose to get more attention. If he can't rail about the plan 20 times a day, he'll find another way to get his name in all the posts. He doesn't really care about baseball, just getting attention.
He's like a little kid acting out for attention. If you ignore it, truly ignore it, he'll become bored and go away. There is no way he actually believes everything he says. He's immature, not stupid.
Jack on the other hand is stupid ... but he is to be ignored too.
bandwagoners Rob, ask the Nationals about bandwagoners , last night they had 11,600 in DC for that game !!! can you say BUFFALO NATIONALS ???
Thanks to John in NYC and OCJ -- there's just so much going on in the "real world" that I like to keep insulated in baseball's warm glowing warming glow. But then, who understands grim reality better than an O's fan? So maybe we should talk politics here...(just kidding) Though, I'd love to see the equivalent of some of these farfetched Ad. Gonzalez trade proposals with respect to Iran's nukes or China'a pollution (Obama as "McPhail": "OK, we give you three McDonald's, a Bob Evans, and a Chipotle in exchange for no nukes.").
Lucky -- No surprise that perpetual shouters and fact-manipulators/ignorers don't rate highly with you. Don't ask me how I knew...
JPA -- See, THIS is exactly why you have to post early and often. You're gone for like three hours, a troll praises you, and you're suddenly accused of being an alter ego! Also, your posts tend to inspire thinking. So we miss you when you're gone...
Ryan (et al.) -- I think you're quite right about Berken. Why take a guy who's performing an invaluable role right now and move him elsewhere, into a position where we actually HAVE depth? There's Simon, there's Arrieta, there's Tillman if/when we really need another starter. Having Berken perform like this gives us the ability to really conserve a struggling back-end of the bullpen. If Koji/Kam, Johnson and Gonzo were nailing down the late innings, I'd be more comfortable with Berken getting another shot at starting (and the season has a ways to go). Bass last year saved a lot of arm work especially early (hoping Berken doesn't end up the same, of course).
Brummie -- Glad you "liked" the "Troll Patrol", my best way to be succinct about it. Often a pleasure when you let the irony more than the nasty out of the bottle. Re: Berken, I'm happy to give you some props on this (although you've noticed that I want him where he is). But one of the problems I have/had about your prediction here is that Berken has at least 5 years on Tillman. He really SHOULD be more polished, if nothing else, at this point. Over the long haul my bet doesn't change. BTW, since we're praising Berken, have you noticed how not only Berken but many of our RHP seem to be really good at breaking bats, jamming the RH batters up and in? Any credit to Kranitz for that (if you've noticed...I have)?
Paul | April 20, 2010 7:58 AM | Reply
This team is downright HORRIBLE!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And yet, you still come here and say the same things. If your railings against the front office worked, the team would be winning. Try something new. You know, one thing you might do is to offer something besides your conspiracy theories to comment on, perhaps a suggestion of a roster move to make. Your mention of the pitching coach is the first time I can ever recall you making a concrete suggestion about something that could be changed. Perhaps there are others that I ignored, but unlikely. Heck, you can't even say that you think MacPhail should be fired. If he was, then you wouldn't have anything to complain about.
Since you finally posted something that could be argued on its baseball merits, I will comment on that. You say that you're "not sold on Kranitz". First off, that's rather tame considering the fire and brimstone you lob at MacPhail every single day. I think that Mike Griffin at Norfolk should be next in line for the job if Kranitz gets removed. Every pitcher we've had who worked with Griffin at Norfolk or Bowie has given him resounding praise for his work with them. Kranitz is supposedly one of those "always talk positive" coaches, but I think sometimes you need to kick them in the butt and tell them what they are doing wrong. I don't know how good he is at correcting mechanical flaws, but if Guthrie's first two outings are any indication then it looks like he might be ok in that department.
In the end, the pitcher still has to throw the ball. If Kranitz can't get into their heads and someone else can, then maybe Kranitz isn't the right guy. So on that, Paul, we might come close to agreeing. And it was nice to argue a baseball point with you for a change.
JackW....are you having a bad day or what?
Chill dude!
Best regards,
PAUL
I wonder if Bergesen is in Norfolk today if Wiggy can make a play on that double play ball???
I floated this with no follow-up last year...let's try again. Since we have no wins or healthy players left to talk about, and I think we could get together with some "School Spirit" on this...
Anyone know the best means to start a viable petition? It seems that the least thing Hilton could do for the Orioles (and, frankly, themselves) would be to just have a nice Orioles mural on the back of the ugliest building in downtown Baltimore (the Block excluded) to face INTO the stadium. Great conversation starter for traveling business ("I stayed in Matusz's glove last night"), does not FIX how that hotel ruined the view of downtown from RF but would at least stop the Hilton from seeming like the tall and fat guy at a concert, and properly marketed could make them some scratch from doing it. You could do a new one every year (or use it for a "All-Time Orioles" collage, which always works well IMO for murals, with Cal, Brooks, Frank, Boog, Eddie, etc.), fans could vote on who was there, they could reveal it for every Opening Day, Kate Wheeler would be posting a tiny part of it for us to guess where it came from, etc.,...
Anyone else like this idea?
Would it not make sense to for Berken and Bergy to just swap roles? Berken is pitching well, he's the long man. Bergy is not pitching well, he's a starter. Make Bergy your long man and Berken your starter.
Isn't the long man there just to eat innings after a starter gets crushed?
Steve, I thought this would be the likely move as well. I'm sure we'll get a statement from management as soon as the move is official, but I imagine they are hoping that Bergy can still start at Norfolk and hopefully work things out. If they don't need him for two turns in the rotation and he pitches great in those turns at Norfolk, it is even possible that he will be the starter recalled when they need the 5th starter again.
I think this just gives them the most options (speaking of which I'm sure Bergy still has plenty of them).
Roch,
Brummie_Oriole | April 20, 2010 11:58 AM | Reply
So it's Birkin time! Heck yeah! Now we will see some TALENT in the rotation.
He's just here to piss people off. He adds nothing to the conversation. No rational person could honestly believe some of the things he posts. It's obvious he is only here to stir the pot. He insults you, he insults others. He does this using more than one name. He's only "sorry" when he thinks he might get booted for something. A few days later he's back to the same thing.
Boot him and do it for good.
Count my vote for Simon being called up instead Arietta(not ready yet). That's when they need that 5th starter. I don't see Simon as part of the future and dont see Bergy staying too long in Norfolk.
I know that it is only 15 games into a 162 game marathon, but this is a BAD team with a cumulative low baseball IQ. Vargas was having trouble getting strikes called in tonights game. So what do Markakis and Scott do? Swing at the first pitch. Result pop ups. BRILLIANT. We wouldn't want to make Vargas frustrated or drive up his pitch count. Think of how the poor guy would feel if he was not able to pitch effectively against this team. It's one thing to not make productive outs or not be comfortable hitting with 2 strikes, but to swing at the first pitch against a pitcher with control issues/strike zone issues. Outside of NY and maybe Boston there are many times with similar talent levels to the O's and much better results. Why is that?