Bergesen optioned to Triple A

[Fan4Life]

The sad part is we could have had it both ways. We don't have to be terrible on the field in the majors to rebuild...

There is more than one way to rebuild this team. Why make fans and the players like Roberts and Markakis suffer even more? At least make it so the team has a chance every night.

Yeah, I'm not saying I like it. But unfortunately this offseason told me 2011 was our target year to make some noise with 2010 having potential if many things go well. This is the same reason Roy posted his thread a while back about the writing off of a season or 2.

[JTrea81]

You were being rationale for a while, then you had to go wit the "message for the young guys."

That is clearly not the message.

1) Penn, Simon, and Pauley have, for all intensive purposes, no major league experience but they are still being considered.

2) The younger guys know they haven't been to AAA and the Orioles want them to get a little more grooming before coming up for good. MacPhail doesn't want to play the back/forth game.

Pauley shouldn't be considered for anything. He's been terrible. Penn looks like he'll never get it back. Simon might be worth keeping around. But the bottom line is Bergesen earned his shot.

MacPhail seems to want to keep these guys down just because he can even though they would probably do better, give the fans some hope and make the team exciting to watch. Is that too much to ask for?

[Anonymous]

Anybody who doesn't think MacPhail is obsessed with pitching should really look at this move.

We are so desperate to keep guys like Eaton and Pauley that we are willing to send somebody who outpitched them down to AAA just because he has options and they don't.

Brad Bergesen should have made this rotation last August let alone to start the season, but once again the Orioles waste another option to send the guy down for no reason other than to keep dreck on the team so we can keep an "inventory."

This sent a great message to the young guys: you can be the second coming of Jim Palmer but if you don't have major league experience, you don't deserve to make this roster. This team would rather put Adam Eaton in the rotation than to put a guy who has earned his spot.

I hope MacPhail's master plan is to tank the season for a high draft pick in 2010 because it sure looks like that's what he wants to do. Nobody should go see this team in April because MacPhail obviously doesn't give a rat's butt what kind of product he puts on the field.

Null Hypothesis: Andy MacPhail decided that in the interest of Bergesen's optimal development, it would be best for him to get some seasoning at AAA Norfolk to start the 2009 season after having started the prior season at high A Frederick and then proceeding to have a great rest-of-the-year at AA Bowie. This uses the first of his 3 options, and he can be recalled to the big league club at any point that the organization decides to do so -- and will still have 2 options remaining for future use in the event of unforeseen but not inconceivable contingencies.

Alternative Hypothesis Drama Club, Stanza 1: Andy MacPhail is "obsessed with pitching."

Alternative Hypothesis Drama Club, Stanza 2: "We are so desperate to keep guys like Eaton and Pauley that we are willing to send somebody who outpitched them down to AAA just because he has options and they don't."

Alternative Hypothesis Drama Club, Stanza 3: "Brad Bergesen should have made this rotation last August let alone to start the season, but once again the Orioles waste another option to send the guy down for no reason other than to keep dreck on the team so we can keep an 'inventory.'"

Alternative Hypothesis Drama Club, Stanza 4: "I hope MacPhail's master plan is to tank the season for a high draft pick in 2010 because it sure looks like that's what he wants to do. Nobody should go see this team in April because MacPhail obviously doesn't give a rat's butt what kind of product he puts on the field."

Let's see now. Do I go with the null hypothesis or the alternative?

[Crazysilver03]

Pauley shouldn't be considered for anything. He's been terrible. Penn looks like he'll never get it back. Simon might be worth keeping around. But the bottom line is Bergesen earned his shot.

MacPhail seems to want to keep these guys down just because he can even though they would probably do better, give the fans some hope and make the team exciting to watch. Is that too much to ask for?

You are the one that said:

This sent a great message to the young guys: you can be the second coming of Jim Palmer but if you don't have major league experience, you don't deserve to make this roster. This team would rather put Adam Eaton in the rotation than to put a guy who has earned his spot.

That is the only reason I brought up those three. Just because you want to make a claim and then try to disprove critiques by discounting three exceptions to your claim is neither here nor there.

MacPhail wants to keep the younger guys down and in this scenario it is really only Bergesen who would be up here now, because if we release the placeholders and call up the youngsters and they flounder, we are screwed as an organization.

When the placeholders flame out come May, then we can turn to Bergesen, possibly Hernandez, and hopefully Hennessey and Parrish if need be.

If any of them flame out by July, then we can turn to Patton, Arrieta, or Berken.

It sucks that we are going to suck hardcore in April, but I know it will be worth it because come 2010, I don't expect Walker, Baez, Pauley, Hendrickson, Eaton, or Penn to be on this team.

[Fairfax Bird]

Pauley shouldn't be considered for anything. He's been terrible. Penn looks like he'll never get it back. Simon might be worth keeping around. But the bottom line is Bergesen earned his shot.

MacPhail seems to want to keep these guys down just because he can even though they would probably do better, give the fans some hope and make the team exciting to watch. Is that too much to ask for?

Time after time you question MacPhail's moves and time after time he seems to get them right. That SHOULD tell you something.

[JTrea81]

Null Hypothesis: Andy MacPhail decided that in the interest of Bergesen's optimal development, it would be best for him to get some seasoning at AAA Norfolk to start the 2009 season after having started the prior season at high A Frederick and then proceeding to have a great rest-of-the-year at AA Bowie. This uses the first of his 3 options, and he can be recalled to the big league club at any point that the organization decides to do so -- and will still have 2 options remaining for future use in the event of unforeseen but not inconceivable contingencies.

Bergesen outpitched everybody in the starting rotation in camp. Using one of his options makes no sense when he might be able to stick in the rotation the whole year. Bergesen to Norfolk given the state of the Orioles rotation is an absolute waste...

[JTrea81]

Time after time you question MacPhail's moves and time after time he seems to get them right. That SHOULD tell you something.

How was the Millar move or non-move? What round are we picking in again for him signing with Toronto?

How'd Luis Hernandez work out at SS?

[Crazysilver03]

Bergesen outpitched everybody in the starting rotation in camp. Using one of his options makes no sense when he might be able to stick in the rotation the whole year. Bergesen to Norfolk given the state of the Orioles rotation is an absolute waste...

The first sentence is true.

The second sentence is wrong, because it does make sense, to option out someone who has options instead of sending out a player who doesn't have options.

The problem is that sentence one and two are in conflict.

[Crazysilver03]

From Orioles.com:

Bergesen said that Kranitz specifically wanted him to work on throwing his changeup to right-handed hitters and on throwing sliders when he's behind in the count. That tutorial went well, but the 23-year-old still doesn't know when he'll pitch again. And as of right now, that's perfectly fine with him.

I assume this is one of the few things the Orioles want him to work on before he is called up to the majors.

[Sports Guy]

Pauley shouldn't be considered for anything. He's been terrible. Penn looks like he'll never get it back. Simon might be worth keeping around. But the bottom line is Bergesen earned his shot.

MacPhail seems to want to keep these guys down just because he can even though they would probably do better, give the fans some hope and make the team exciting to watch. Is that too much to ask for?

Well, he hasn't been terrible in the minors and that means a lot more.

[Anonymous]

Bergesen outpitched everybody in the starting rotation in camp. Using one of his options makes no sense when he might be able to stick in the rotation the whole year. Bergesen to Norfolk given the state of the Orioles rotation is an absolute waste...

If outpitching everybody in the starting rotation in camp is the appropriate sole criterion upon which to judge who makes the team, then you'd be right. But sadly, our dear JTrea, it isn't.

Few on the board are more sensitive than I am regarding the unnecessary exercise of options, the value of which I'm pleased you recognize. But yet, they should not be retained simply because we can do so. There are always trade-offs. In this case, I would posit that the risk of Bergesen's career with the O's being derailed because he no longer has an option available in the 2012 season is small. Is that a major concern of yours? Or a red herring to make it look like you're presenting a sophisticated and well-thought-out argument?

[Ven6]

I might be missing something, but Eaton and Bergesen have nothing to do with each other.

Bergesen is going to AAA because that is the organizational philosophy. You prove yourself at each level and move up. Period. No exceptions. It's a great message to the rest of the young arms.

Eaton is here just in case Pauley, Penn, Baez, Simon, Bass, Waters, etc. don't step up and outright earn a rotation spot. And they are not stepping up and earning a rotation spot (though I'm really pulling for Simon at this point.)

Eaton will make the rotation, but it's not his fault. It's not even AM's fault. The fallback plan won out because a lot of guys were handed the ball and tons of opportunity and did nothing with either.

[bird watcher]

At some point we really are going to have lots of guys that deserve and chance and don't get it. I am mildly surprised that they aren't ready to go ahead and see Bergesen.

Arrieta

Matusz

Tillman

Hernandez

Bergesen

(I feel like I am leaving someone out)

-Are all looking to be ready at about the same time. What do we do then? I guess they will trade someone because there aren't enough rotation spots to give all these guys at the same time. Especially with Guthrie, Hill (if healthy) and Uehara (I suppose he could move to the bullpen).

[JTrea81]

You are one uptight individual. You must be the life of every party.

It rained earlier this week. I'm guessing that was MacPhail's fault? You probably blame your shrinking 401K on MacPhail as well.

I can only imagine what you were like during the Thrift years.

I'm just pointing out that MacPhail isn't always right, no matter how many people insist every move he makes is...

[Crazysilver03]

I'm just pointing out that MacPhail isn't always right, no matter how many people insist every move he makes is...

MacPhail can be and has been wrong, but there is no reason to over dramatize every poor decision he makes.

The move to option Bergesen to AAA to start the season is not that big of a deal long term or short term really.