Kranitz on Bergesen
My ears are still ringing from the sound of Billy Butler's line drive smacking off Brad Bergesen's left shin.
Imagine how it sounds to Bergesen.
He'll be a full-go in spring training after a long and painful recovery, but I keep wondering how he'll react to the first ball that's hit up the middle. And the second and third.
I don't know about Bergesen, but I'll be flinching.
"I've seen it happen more when guys get hit above the shoulders, somewhere in that area, where it really makes an effect," pitching coach Rick Kranitz said. "I've been hit many times in the legs and you just don't think about it.
"I know he missed a substantial amount of time, but he's not that kind of guy, I don't believe, that even thinks about that kind of stuff. He's a different breed. All he does is pound that strike zone. I don't see him changing one bit. And I'm just glad we know his leg is healthy and he can get a nice, fresh start, because this guy really threw well.
"I will say that if he had not been hurt, he would have plenty of votes for the Rookie of the Year because his numbers were standing right up against everybody else's at that particular time.
"I'm just happy that he's back and I expect good things from him."
So do I. And may that first line drive find his glove instead of his shinbone.
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Categories (click for archive)Roch Kubatko | Roch Kubatko Orioles |
sooooo, if he is back to where he was when he got hurt would you place him in the number 2 spot?
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We need to see how the other guys are pitching before we start slotting them, but he has a shot. - Roch
My friend I are were commenting at FanFest how Bergy reminded us of Mussina. Hopefully the rest of his career will turn out like Mussina's.
Roch,
Do you think Bergeson can repeat last year's performance? Especially given all the debateaobut his average stuff etc.
And, being in Kentucky so not getting to talk with people on the street, listen to local radio, go to FanFest etc., I was wondering about the energy level of the local fans and the players and coaches. Are the Charm City residents so tired of losing that there is a show me first mentality, or have all the changes started a tingle of excitement in the air? Do the guys seem to think that something special (or at least bettr than usual) is in the works?
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He'll be fine as long as he keeps pounding the strike zone low, working fast and fielding his position. He knows how to pitch. He just needs to stay out of the way of those line drives. - Roch
I agree with Kranny. I think we tend to forget injuries that happen below the waist pretty quickly (okay, maybe for guys it more like below the knees) ... otherwise I would NOT keep walking into the same piece of furniture every time I get up to use the bathroom in the dark and stubbing my toe to the point that I'm sure it's broken.
Not saying that Bergy might not end up doing a little more dancing on the mound when a ball is hit up the middle, but I don't think it's going to be a factor in his mind while he's pitching the ball.
That being said, Billy Butler is still going to be getting the evil eye from me the next time he's in town.
His injury looked nasty, but fortunately that could have been much worse. Do you remember when Matt Reilly was drilled in the head a few years back. I think that was against KC too, but i might be wrong.
sam
INJURIES.......always the one thing that seems to doom the O's....I sure hope he is fine and stays that way for the whole season...he was for sure good when healthy..it for sure would be a mind blower to get hit above the shoulders with a line drive...guess he was lucky if you think about it like Kranny said...scary dangerous.
Hey Roch, thanks for taking my mind off my pain and this weather(I'm in the hospital recovering from a spinal fusion!) Just wanted to say thanks for keeping my mind a little occupied between pain shots.
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Take care of yourself. I hope you have a speedy recovery. - Roch
Good news on Bergy and Koji, Roch.
Since the big talk right now is top prospects, how about you give us your list of the top 10 O's prospects since it seems all the dust has settled from the offseason. And how many wins do you think the O's will get next year? I say they break the sub-.500 streak and go 83-79. I know that's pretty hopeful, but I like the additions and subtractions this team has made compared to the beginning of last season, and I think Atkins and Tejada will help tremendously in the second half.
Bergeson has the potential to be a high performing 2d or 3d big league starter for many years; he's capable of winning 15 games per season for the O's year in and year out.
Hopefully Koji will be able to rebound and contribute all season.
thanks for the updates and insights.
Clearly the solution is to find a way to get Butler on the Orioles so this never happens again.
I really wish Bergesen all the best in his comeback. The club surely needs a repeat of his performance in 2009. Still, I'm concerned about his stuff and whether or not he can excel at the big league level or simply become another Josh Towers. He has all of 19 starts under his belt. It's a bit early to count on his continued success.
One thing is certain. If Bergesen begins poorly and gets hit hard, everyone will conclude the Butler line drive had everything to do with his performance. Whether that would actually be the case or not, no one (maybe not even Bergesen) will ever know.
I see a lot of reasons to be positive about this team. Baseball being the sport it is, however, you can always count on at least one serious injury and one player performing well under expectations. I'm not trying to be pessimistic, just realistic. On paper things look pretty good. Some folks here are predicting 90 wins in 2010. That's probably pushing it, but a .500 season seems within grasp. The team just has to avoid the annual August and/or September swoon. Perhaps the added depth this year will help reduce the risk. Maybe the club can absorb one or two players under-achieving but anything more than that may lead to more disappointing results.
Off-topic, but...
Before, we discussed you coming onto my radio show early in the spring semester at College Park. My show begins Monday night. I was wondering if you wanted to call into the show on Monday, or maybe a Monday after that. We would ask you to call into the show at 8:15 p.m. The call-in number is 301-314-9979.
Thanks,
Luke
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Let's shoot for the following week, if that's OK. I've done like six shows this week alone and I'm even tired of my own voice right now. - Roch
Question on Sarfate not Bergesen. If no team claims Sarfate the O's keep him and outright him to Norfolk? Lets say he gets a spring training invitation and doesnt make the team the O's have to request waivers on him again and if no team claims him he has to accept the demotion to Norfolk? Its confusing the waivers and outright rules of players. I still think Sarfate if he ever gets the control he needs he could be an effective reliever. Love the arm he has. I personally hope he doent get claimed. Every time I have seen him on TV he has seemed nice and polite. Of course Roch has talked to him and can comment on his demeeanor and personality.
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He wouldn't be on the 40-man roster, so he could be sent back to Norfolk. If he makes the team and the Orioles want to send him down later, they'd have to put him through waivers again. - Roch
I have never been as impressed with a rookie pitcher's makeup as I was with Bergesen last year (...until Matusz came along and became his equal). I believe every word that Kranitz says; nothing is going to shake him. I wouldn't blame him if it did, but we have every reason to believe he's going to go out there and be the stud that he was in '09.
It's defiently great to hear that Bergy is going to be healthy for Spring Training and the season. I was very impressed with his performence last year and hope that he can duplicate it this season. By Bergy's new commerical, It sounded like he was excited and ready to "attack 2010." However, I would like to point out that if Bergy did not get injured last year, Matusz would have never been called up, gain valuable experience, and be really considered for a 2010 rotation spot. But, I am pumped for the 2010 season to start and it's going to be a fun ride seeing Matusz, Tillman, Bergy, Weiters, Reimold, ext. develop into great ML players.
Roch, any news on acquiring another starter??? I'm hearing the slot will not be given automatically to Tilman....
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I don't think anyone has reported that the Orioles are giving the job to Tillman or any of their young starters, though it's hard to imagine Matusz or Bergesen going back to the minors. Tillman won't be on the Opening Day roster if he can't get hitters out in spring training. - Roch
Can't wait to see Brad "Big Business" Bergesen back on the hill this spring. There is nothing more fun than watching batters utterly fooled by that movement.
On a side note, Roch, how do you think David Hernandez will preform this year? Some pitchers are better as starters and some are better in the 'pen. Do you think he'll be effected by the potential switch?
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I think he'll be fine coming out of the 'pen if that's his role, though there's only one way to find out. He just needs to keep the ball down. Pitching up in the strike zone is a hard way to make a living. - Roch
Tracy, I promise to go to any game in which I can find Billy Butler and do whatever I did when I broke Nolan. Except, you know, resulting in a broken Billy Butler instead.
I wanted to apologize to Nolan at FanFest but I was already pretty cranky by the time he was around. No need for expletive-laden apologies...
Bergesen will probably turn out to be the ace of the staff. He is the best (and most underrated) of the Orioles young pitchers. I can't believe that scouts still, after all of the evidence to the contrary, judge young pitchers on almost nothing but the speed of their fastball. Bergesen has a decent fastball but is awesome in all of the facets of the game that matter so much more than the speed of his fastball (secondary pitches, control, movement, deception, makeup). At least half of the best "aces" of the last 20 years have had average fastballs (Maddux, Glavine, Mussina, Pettite and many more) and there are routinely "busts" that have 98 mph fastballs. I love Bergesen and think he will be better (with all due respect to the other talented young O's pitchers) than any of the other O's prospects.
Steve in DE, Bergy like Moose? Interesting observation; just exactly what made you think of that comparison.