masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgCalling into last night’s Hot Stove Show on 105.7 The Fan, Orioles pitcher David Hernandez conceded that he needs to command his fastball down in the strike zone. He can’t always live dangerously with the high heater.

“You keep repeating the upper strike,” he said, “and hitters start looking at that one area.”

The kid is learning.

Hernandez notices that he’s constantly mentioned in the same sentence as Jason Berken (see, it happened again), though they’re totally different pitchers….Calling into last night’s Hot Stove Show on 105.7 The Fan, Orioles pitcher David Hernandez conceded that he needs to command his fastball down in the strike zone. He can’t always live dangerously with the high heater.

“You keep repeating the upper strike,” he said, “and hitters start looking at that one area.”

The kid is learning.

Hernandez notices that he’s constantly mentioned in the same sentence as Jason Berken (see, it happened again), though they’re totally different pitchers. They’ve always been roommates, so maybe it does make sense.

Hernandez wants to remain a starter, but he’ll gladly take a bullpen role if it keeps him in the majors. And considering that he held batters to a .184 average with runners in scoring position last season, maybe it does make sense.

It might not make sense to many people that Brad Bergesen hurt his shoulder during a commercial shoot to promote the club, but it doesn’t qualify as the freakiest injury in Orioles history.

If being burned in a tanning bed counts as an “injury,” Marty Cordova can step to the front of the line.

The guy had griddle marks on his face. He couldn’t play in a day game because the sun was too intense for him.

Even if Bergesen is blushing, his face isn’t more red than Cordova’s.

We also must give a special nod to Jason Johnson, who fractured the tip of his finger while shadow throwing.

The drill requires a pitcher to practice his delivery without holding a ball. Johnson’s right hand slammed on the mound and, well, you can figure out the rest.

Jeremy Guthrie does the same drill, but he holds a towel. I guess that helps.

Brady Anderson was diagnosed with appendicitis, but refused to have the surgery. He kept playing, his appendix never ruptured and the problem somehow went away.

I checked a few years ago to make sure this wasn’t an urban legend, and I received confirmation from the training staff. The Orioles would alert the pilot on their charters and map out emergency landing spots in case Anderson’s appendix burst.

Mark Smith injured his hand once after sticking it inside an air conditioner to find out why it wasn’t working properly. At that moment, Mark Smith stopped working properly.

If we venture outside the organization, former St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Vince Coleman missed the 1985 World Series after the machine-operated tarp at Busch Stadium ran over him. He didn’t stay underneath it through all seven games, though it would have made for a better story. He suffered an injury and couldn’t play.

Former Blue Jays outfielder Glenallen Hill crashed through a glass table in his hotel room while sleepwalking. He was dreaming about spiders and, well, you can figure out the rest.

Former Red Sox third baseman Wade Boggs injured himself while pulling on his cowboy boots. And he wasn’t shooting a commercial for Old Gringo.

Former Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz deserves a trophy to go with that Cy Young Award after burning his chest while ironing a shirt.

How does this happen?

He was wearing the shirt.

So don’t be too hard on Bergesen. It happens to the best, and worst, of them.

Check out this link for more bizarre injuries.

I’d love to know how Kevin Mitchell hurt himself while eating a cupcake. Where’s the video?