Who's the #18 prospect?

[Basketeer]

How Bradley Bergesen is only considered our 18th best prospect is beyond me. Top 10 in my opinion.

[NJOriolesFan]

It's a prospect list not a performance list. Otherwise Bergesen would be higher than Rowell but that is not the case. I don't even put Bergesen in Towers class and no way is he comparable to Stephens minor league numbers.

His numbers to me shout out Jeff Ballard, who despite a 57 walk, 62 K year in 1989 went 18-8 with a 3.43 ERA, he was just a one-year highlight.

I like what Bergesen did this year and if he did that at the major league level but a guy who strikes out 4.47 guys per 9 innings in AA would be hard pressed to strike out 3.5 in the majors and that isn't getting it done. I understand the hesitation to rank him anywhere higher than any of the guys already listed.

Is James Hoey still a candidate for this list?

[orioole28]

Is Tony really going to rank Bergesen lower in 2008 than in 2007? I hope not.

I'm with you Frobby!! I believe that Tony will go with Bergesen at this spot, since he went with our Triple Crown winner at 17, then he will go with our Pitcher of the Year with Bergesen in the 18th spot.

[orioole28]

How Bradley Bergesen is only considered our 18th best prospect is beyond me. Top 10 in my opinion.

Out of curiosity, what would of been your Top 10??

[Stotle]

It's a prospect list not a performance list. Otherwise Bergesen would be higher than Rowell but that is not the case. I don't even put Bergesen in Towers class and no way is he comparable to Stephens minor league numbers.

His numbers to me shout out Jeff Ballard, who despite a 57 walk, 62 K year in 1989 went 18-8 with a 3.43 ERA, he was just a one-year highlight.

I like what Bergesen did this year and if he did that at the major league level but a guy who strikes out 4.47 guys per 9 innings in AA would be hard pressed to strike out 3.5 in the majors and that isn't getting it done. I understand the hesitation to rank him anywhere higher than any of the guys already listed.

Is James Hoey still a candidate for this list?

Hoey and McCrory both still have their prospect status.

[Frobby]

It's a prospect list not a performance list. Otherwise Bergesen would be higher than Rowell but that is not the case. I don't even put Bergesen in Towers class and no way is he comparable to Stephens minor league numbers.

His numbers to me shout out Jeff Ballard, who despite a 57 walk, 62 K year in 1989 went 18-8 with a 3.43 ERA, he was just a one-year highlight.

I like what Bergesen did this year and if he did that at the major league level but a guy who strikes out 4.47 guys per 9 innings in AA would be hard pressed to strike out 3.5 in the majors and that isn't getting it done. I understand the hesitation to rank him anywhere higher than any of the guys already listed.

Is James Hoey still a candidate for this list?

Hoey should still be a candidate, since he was on last year's list and didn't pitch in the majors this year.

I understand this is a prospect list and not a performance list, but if Bergesen was considered a decent (no. 18) prospect last year after dominating low A but getting roughed up at Frederick, I don't see how his prospect status can have gone anywhere but up based on the year he had.

I don't think your Ballard analogy is a bad one, either. Ballard and Towers had pretty similar major league careers: 41-53, 4.71 ERA for Ballard in 773 IP compared to 45-55, 4.96 ERA in 726 IP for Towers.

Here's another analogy: Carlos Silva, who had a 4.95 K rate in the minors, and 3.80 in the majors. His career line is 59-61, 4.61 ERA in 1,098 IP. Nothing great, but he eats a lot of innings (over 180 IP four times) and gives his team a chance to win most of the time.

I'd say Bergesen has a decent chance of having a Carlos Silva-like a career. If you ask me, that's not so bad.

[Stotle]

Hoey should still be a candidate, since he was on last year's list and didn't pitch in the majors this year.

I understand this is a prospect list and not a performance list, but if Bergesen was considered a decent (no. 18) prospect last year after dominating low A but getting roughed up at Frederick, I don't see how his prospect status can have gone anywhere but up based on the year he had.

I don't think your Ballard analogy is a bad one, either. Ballard and Towers had pretty similar major league careers: 41-53, 4.71 ERA for Ballard in 773 IP compared to 45-55, 4.96 ERA in 726 IP for Towers.

Here's another analogy: Carlos Silva, who had a 4.95 K rate in the minors, and 3.80 in the majors. His career line is 59-61, 4.61 ERA in 1,098 IP. Nothing great, but he eats a lot of innings (over 180 IP four times) and gives his team a chance to win most of the time.

I'd say Bergesen has a decent chance of having a Carlos Silva-like a career. If you ask me, that's not so bad.

I tend to agree with this -- I think Bergesen can be a productive back-end starter.

[ChaosLex]

Not even a mention of Bascom yet?

[glenn__davis]

Not even a mention of Bascom yet?

Bascom was so bad earlier in the year that Tony removed him from the prospect tracker. I don't know that he's ever done that in mid-season. I know he finished better, but I'd be a little surprised to see him in the Top 30 at all.

[slappy12]

Not even a mention of Bascom yet?

Bascom will be lucky to make the top 30.

[NJOriolesFan]

Hoey should still be a candidate, since he was on last year's list and didn't pitch in the majors this year.

I understand this is a prospect list and not a performance list, but if Bergesen was considered a decent (no. 18) prospect last year after dominating low A but getting roughed up at Frederick, I don't see how his prospect status can have gone anywhere but up based on the year he had.

I don't think your Ballard analogy is a bad one, either. Ballard and Towers had pretty similar major league careers: 41-53, 4.71 ERA for Ballard in 773 IP compared to 45-55, 4.96 ERA in 726 IP for Towers.

Here's another analogy: Carlos Silva, who had a 4.95 K rate in the minors, and 3.80 in the majors. His career line is 59-61, 4.61 ERA in 1,098 IP. Nothing great, but he eats a lot of innings (over 180 IP four times) and gives his team a chance to win most of the time.

I'd say Bergesen has a decent chance of having a Carlos Silva-like a career. If you ask me, that's not so bad.

And, I know this means very little, but if Bergesen is our back of the rotation guy, then sadly MANY much more talented guys will have failed ofr us, namely Guthrie, Olson, Penn, Liz, Patton, Albers, Tillman, Matusz, Erbe, Spoone, Butler and even Cabrera.

[Stotle]

And, I know this means very little, but if Bergesen is our back of the rotation guy, then sadly MANY much more talented guys will have failed ofr us, namely Guthrie, Olson, Penn, Liz, Patton, Albers, Tillman, Matusz, Erbe, Spoone, Butler and even Cabrera.

Well, a bunch of those guys are on different time tables. A couple years of Bergesen in the back of the rotation doesn't mean that 9 pitchers have all failed.

[ChaosLex]

Bascom was so bad earlier in the year that Tony removed him from the prospect tracker. I don't know that he's ever done that in mid-season. I know he finished better, but I'd be a little surprised to see him in the Top 30 at all.

Unfortunately, you might be right. Well, as I said with Erbe, it speaks volumes of our farm system that some of our guys are falling down the list OR might not even make it.

[Tony-OH]

Hoey should still be a candidate, since he was on last year's list and didn't pitch in the majors this year.

I understand this is a prospect list and not a performance list, but if Bergesen was considered a decent (no. 18) prospect last year after dominating low A but getting roughed up at Frederick, I don't see how his prospect status can have gone anywhere but up based on the year he had.

I don't think your Ballard analogy is a bad one, either. Ballard and Towers had pretty similar major league careers: 41-53, 4.71 ERA for Ballard in 773 IP compared to 45-55, 4.96 ERA in 726 IP for Towers.

Here's another analogy: Carlos Silva, who had a 4.95 K rate in the minors, and 3.80 in the majors. His career line is 59-61, 4.61 ERA in 1,098 IP. Nothing great, but he eats a lot of innings (over 180 IP four times) and gives his team a chance to win most of the time.

I'd say Bergesen has a decent chance of having a Carlos Silva-like a career. If you ask me, that's not so bad.

Silva is a pretty good comp for Bergesen and I agree, if Bergesen can have a Silva-like career we should be pretty happy about it.

Like I'll say in his wrap up, I believe Bergesen may be able to have a decent career as a 5th starter if he can figure a way to get lefties out a little bit more. I'm more worried about his inability to get lefties out than his poor K/9 rate. He's a groundball pitcher who doesn't walk many guys so he should able to have some success. It might not come right away, but he's shown the ability to make adjustments and I believe he's got the pitchability to do that.

Frankly, considering his change up is a pretty good pitch, I'm surprised he doesn't use it more against the lefties since it would seem to give him the best chance to get them out.

[Frobby]

And, I know this means very little, but if Bergesen is our back of the rotation guy, then sadly MANY much more talented guys will have failed ofr us, namely Guthrie, Olson, Penn, Liz, Patton, Albers, Tillman, Matusz, Erbe, Spoone, Butler and even Cabrera.

You could put four of these guys in the rotation and you'd still need a fifth starter. Some of these guys are at lower levels than Bergesen and won't be ready. Some are coming off injuries and we'll have to see how they rebound. To me the fact that there are a lot of names here is a good thing, not a bad one. And you left off Hernandez and Britton.