Bergy's back in Baltimore

Brad Bergesen just stepped off a plane at BWI and is getting ready to pack up his gear at Camden Yards and head to his next destination: Triple-A Norfolk. Bergesen said he was "a little bit surprised" when manager Dave Trembley and pitching coach Rick Kranitz broke the news following last night's game that he was being optioned after only three starts. "Obviously, I haven't been pitching well, so I knew I needed to turn it around or that was inevitable. But I was surprised by it coming so quickly," he told me in a brief phone interview. "It's for the best. I'm not mad at the organization by any means. It's me that's pitching this way, so I think it's for my best interest that I get down to Triple-A and refine some things. "It's just a funny game. I can't put my thumb on exactly what it is. To be honest, for a couple innings last night I felt pretty good. But once a couple things happened, it just snowballed from there and I kind of lost it. I don't think it's anything that's too far off. I just need a few good things to go my way and I need to be more consistent with my sinker. That's obviously my pitch, my bread and butter. It's been there at times this year and it hasn't been there. It's been inconsistent. I've got to be able to rely on it and get it down cold." Bergesen said he's fine physically. There's nothing wrong with his shin or his shoulder. He also disputed that getting hit by Billy Butler's line drive last year has influenced the way he pitches and perhaps made him more timid or distracted. "That hasn't been a thought in my mind since I got the live batting practice sessions under my belt in spring training," he said. "Since then, it doesn't affect me one bit. It hasn't been in the back of my mind at all." Bergesen isn't required to report to Norfolk immediately, but he seems to be in a rush. "I want to get to Norfolk as soon as I can and start getting my 'pens going again," he said. "Hopefully, something will click here soon."