Only the Orioles...

Or maybe the Royals.

Brad Bergesen hurt his shoulder filming a TV commercial. I kid you not.
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Brad Bergesen

After turning in yet another quality start yesterday, Brad Bergesen hit the DL today thanks to a line drive off the bat of Billy Butler that left a nasty bruise and created quite the scare. Fortunately, it appears the injury will end up being minor. Still, the Orioles are right to be cautious; injuries to a pitcher's legs can cause slight alterations to mechanics and lead to cascading injuries as players adjust to compensate. It's also unfortunate that the Orioles will lose their most effective starter and a Rookie of the Year candidate for at least two weeks.

However, so long as the injury truly is minor, this could actually be a blessing in disguise. Bergesen has been worked fairly hard this year, having already thrown 134.1 innings, just 31 innings short of last season's total. With 61 games to go, Bergesen would likely make 10 to 12 more starts, easily pushing him past last year's total and perhaps close to 200 IP. That would make the 23-year old Bergesen a candidate for the "Verducci Effect", which basically states that young pitchers (< 25 years of age) should not exceed the previous season's inning total by more than 30 IP. This injury will likely keep him within that threshold, and perhaps keep him healthier for next year.

It's also worth noting that last year Chris Tillman threw 135.2 innings for Bowie. This season, he's notched 100.2 between Norfolk and Baltimore. If he gets 10 more starts, he'll likely finish in the 160 IP ranged, meaning that the Orioles will have successfully managed the 21-year old's workload as well. To round out the pitching prospects: Jake Arrieta threw 113.0 last year, and 110.2 so far this season. One more month in Norfolk would put him at about the allowable increase, but also preclude a September call-up. Brian Matusz has thrown 112.0 innings in 2009, and did not pitch professionally in 2008. He threw 105.0 collegiate innings in 2008, and 123.0 in 2007. As much as we'd probably like to see them, I doubt either debuts for the Orioles in 2009. Instead, we're probably in for a mix of Mark Hendrickson, Brian Bass, David Pauley and Chris Waters spot starts.
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Little Big League

Last night, the first of a bevy of talented young pitchers, Brad Bergesen, impressed Oriole fans in his Major League debut. I was tremendously excited to get my first glimpse of the future, and even kept a running diary of his first start. Since Bergesen was so successful, the conversation has naturally turned to when we'll get to see Chris Tillman, David Hernandez, Jake Arrieta, Brian Matusz and other young pitchers. After all, it's not like the guys currently in the rotation are really performing adequately. Besides, what harm could come in at least getting the fans excited, right? Peter Schmuck:

Everybody, me included, wants to see these kids as soon as it makes sense for both them and the team, but there is plenty to lose if it doesn't [work out]. There are all kinds of examples of top pitching prospects who came up too soon and had either
their arms or their psyches damaged before they could reach their full potential.

We all know 2009 is a bridge season. The hopelessness of the last decade is gone, but the team hasn't quite fully emerged from the Tunnel of Darkness to the sunny lands of Contender Meadows. There is still work to be done, and just because Brad Bergesen met expecations doesn't mean we should throw The Plan out the window. Remember, we suspected all along that Bergesen was ready and that he would be in the Baltimore rotation in short order. In other words, things are going according to The Plan, not ahead of it.

I fully subscribe to the idea that the Orioles actually have better pitchers--not just more talented ones, actually better ones--in the minor leagues than in the Major Leagues, but that does not mean they should all be starting in Baltimore every five days. Young pitchers are fragile beings, especially when rushed--just look at Hayden Penn and Adam Loewen. Allowing them to develop in the minors, where it is much easier to control pitch counts, workloads, and definitions of success can be just as valuable as experience against Major League hitters. Is there a learning curve associated with the jump from the minors to the Majors? Absolutely. But making sure these guys are ready to tackle that learning curve is MacPhail's job one right now. If he deems them ready in June or July, that's perfectly fine. But just because we see the 2009 Major League season slipping away and Brad Bergesen made an excellent debut, does not mean the careful planning should be thrown out the window. It just means everything is pretty much as we expected it to be two months ago.
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Brad Bergesen

We (or at least Buck Martinez) may not know how to say his name yet, and this moment may be a bit rain delayed, but it's Brad Bergesen time! Updates with thoughts here as the game progresses...

Update (8:43): This guy works fast! I like it.

Update (8:45): He's getting some serious armside run on his fastball. That pitch may have only been 90mph, but it rode right into the kitchen of Josh Fields to induce a dribbler to the mound.

Update (8:49): Thirteen pitches later, Carlos Quentin strikes out. Three up, three down! When do Matusz, Tillman and Arrieta come up?

Update (9:00): Bergesen allows his first baserunner, a one-out, four-pitch walk to Jermaine Dye. He bounces right back with a first pitch strike to Konerko.

Update (9:03): A ground ball to third starts a 6-4-3 double play and Bergesen has faced the minimum through 2.0 IP. We also find out that, had he not signed with the Orioles after being drafted in 2004, Bergesen would have been teammates with Brian Matusz at the University of San Diego. They'll likely have that chance shortly.

Update (9:17): Another ground ball out to start the third inning, and one pitcher later Wiggington makes another nice play to retire the second batter of the inning. Eight outs: one strikeout, six ground balls.

Update (9:19): Strikeout. Man, that was a fast inning.

Update (9:27): After a Markakis single, Aubrey Huff crushed a home run down the right field line. 2-0 Orioles!

Update (9:33): Chris Getz walked to lead off the 4th, but Bergeson gets Fields to strike out. One out and a man on for the middle of the lineup.

Update (9:36): Wiggington boots a routine grounder off the bat of Carlos Quentin, putting runners on the corners for Jim Thome. Those leadoff walks always seem to haunt a pitcher.

Update (9:39): Big strikeout! Bergesen freezes Thome with a fastball up in the zone and over the middle of the plate.

Update (9:41): Jermaine Dye makes the Orioles pay for the walk and the error as he singles to center to plate the first White Sox run. Konerko then singles to right to score Quentin, but Markakis cuts down Dye at third base to end the inning. The pair of unearned runs tie the score at two.

Update (9:55): A.J. Pierzynski grounded a single through the hole to lead off the 5th, and then Alexei Ramirez doubled down the line in left. A ground ball to shortstop scores Pierzynski and gives the Sox the lead. Bergesen hasn't looked quite as good the second time through the order. He's up to 78 pitches, and with 46 going for strikes. He is still getting lots of groundballs, however.

Update (9:59): After a hit batter, a fly ball to right by Fields advances Ramirez to third. Should have been another run for the White Sox, but Ramirez didn't move up on the ground ball to short. Buck Martinez and Jim Hunter are all over it; a good piece of announcing. Another ground ball from Quention, Getz force out at second, and the 5th is history. So far for Bergesen: 5.0 IP, 4 hits, 3 runs (1 earned), 2 walks, 4 strikeouts, 85 pitches, 52 strikes, 9 ground outs, 1 fly out.

Update (10:05): Markakis is a great hitter. What a beautiful double up the gap in right center. His 17th RBI of the young season ties the game.

Update (10:11): Luke Scott gets the Orioles the lead, driving in Markakis with a single to right.

Update (10:17): Bergesen gives up a looong fly ball to centerfield, but Pie makes the catch against the wall. One down in the fifth.

Update (10:18): The ground ball machine is back on, as Dye grounds out to short.

Update (10:19): Trembley heads to the mound to lift Bergesen in favor of Baez as Paul Konerko comes to the plate. If you're trying to win tonight, I don't necessarily agree with this move, but if you're focused on developing Bergeson win in the future, I have no problem at all with lifting the kid now. 95 pitches, 58 strikes, 5.2 IP, 3 runs (1 earned), 4 hits, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts, 10 groundouts, 2 flyouts and he's in line for the win since Baez gets Konerko to ground out to first. Quite the successful debut; Orioles fans have a lot to be excited about considering that Bergesen is (at best) the 4th best pitching prospect in the system.

And, with that, I'm heading to bed to dream of the 2010 World Series.
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And so it begins...

The past week has been a rough one for the Orioles pitching staff. Dating to last Sunday, the staff has allowed 60 runs in just six games. Needless to say, the natives are getting restless. But this morning's paper brought some good news: Brad Bergesen will start on Tuesday, in Baltimore, against the White Sox.

Unfortunately, that same notebook has news that Matt Wieters left Friday night's game with a mild hamstring strain. He's likely to miss a few games; let's hope he has a speedy recovery, but also that the Orioles don't take any chances on this one.
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Matt Wieters: The AAA Experience

A special thanks to Baseball America...

An inauspicious start as Wieters strikes out in his first at-bat. He atones quickly, however, gunning down Rays prospect Reid Brignac with a 1.91 pop time. For the Yankees today, Molina threw a nice pop to nab Felix Pie, but I didn't have my stopwatch out. Anyone seen the replay and timed that one?

In his second at-bat, Wieters lined out to a leaping second baseman. In other news Brad Bergesen seems to be pitching well, striking out six, allowing one earned run (two total) and just one walk and four hits through 5.0. He's not a hard-thrower, sitting at about 88-89 mph, so command is critical for him.

Update: Wieters just walked on five pitches in his third at-bat of the night.

Update II: Wieters struck out in his final at-bat, but Nolan Reimold homered to give the Tides their only run of the night. Elsewhere around the minors, both Jake Arrieta and Brian Matusz pitched tonight. Arrieta threw 4.0 shutout innings for the Baysox against Akron, striking out eight, walking two and allowing just one hit. Matusz, in his professional debut, threw 6.0 innings, allowing two earned runs while striking out six, walking two, and giving up five hits. He is line for the victory if the Keys hold a 5-3 lead over Salem in the 9th. A pretty good night for your 2010 Baltimore Orioles.
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Norfolk Season Opener

If you're interested in the Norfolk season opener (I hear Norfolk has some hot prospect behind the plate), the Baseball America Prospects Blog is offering live updates. Brad Bergesen is set to pitch for the Tides against the Durham Bulls; David Price will throw tomorrow.
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Eastern League Awards

In addition to Arrieta, a pair of Bowie Baysox also collected postseason hardware. Lou Montanez picked up the league MVP award, and Brad Bergesen pitcher of the year. While neither is the same caliber of prospect of Arrieta, this is still a feather for the player development cap. Combine the surprisingly inspired play of the major league club with very positive developments in the minor leagues and 2008 can only be considered a whopping success for the Baltimore franchise.