The Travails of Brad Bergesen

Watched 2 of Bergesen's starts (5/2 and 5/7) on my day off and here are those reports (tried to watch games where I hadn't seen the opposing pitcher, hence the reason they are back to back starts, which normally isn't ideal)

1) Brad Bergesen:
5/7: 88 pitches. 5 strikes swinging. 2 Fastballs (1st, 5th), 2 Changeups (1st, 6th), Slider (6th)
5/2: 90 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

• Bergesen came from a low 3/4, almost side-arm release and showed a fastball with good late run in on righties with good sink, a change with some fade late fade from lefties with solid sink that moves just like his fastball but slower and a 2-7 slider that has inconsistent bite and can be flat. It can look like a cutter at times with just enough break for it to start on the outside corner and end up off the plate. What impressed me about him is the fact he keeps everything down, rarely making a mistake above thigh level. His ceiling is a # 4 starter, but I just don't think he will pitch well enough to be it. He pitched differently in both games, once being FB-CU and in the other being FB-SL. Think he is comparable to Andy Sonnanstine with more velocity on his fastball, but less overall command of his off-speed offerings.

5/7 first, then 5/2

1st: FB (87-91), CU (82-84) / FB (89-91), SL (86)

2nd: FB (88-91), CU (84) / FB (87-91), SL (82-86), CU (82-83)

3rd: FB (89-91), CU (84), SL (81) / FB (87-91), SL (82-84), CU (83)

4th: FB (87-92), CU (82), SL (84) / FB (88-91), SL (80-82)

5th: FB (89-91), CU (80-82) / FB (88-92), SL (80-85)

6th: FB (87-90), CU (81-82), SL (81) / FB (87-89), CU (80-81)

2) Glen Perkins (5/7 Opposing Starter): 101 pitches. 2 strikes swinging. Slider (1st), Changeup (5th)

• Perkins is a 6-0, 200 pound 26 year old. The lefty has a small frame that is maxed out. He came from a high 3/4 release. His fastball has a little run in on lefties while his slider is a 11-5 with solid bite that flashes above average with above average late bite. His 3rd pitch is a change with good fade from righties with solid sink that he will throw in 2-1 and 1-0 counts. He will take something off his fastball to get strike one. Slider down and in to righties is his out pitch and he can be inconsistent with his command. Is a # 4 or # 5 starter to me, not much more then that.

1st: FB (86-92), SL (80-83)

2nd: FB (86-92), SL (82-83), CU (78-81)

3rd: FB (89-93), SL (81-84), CU (81-82)

4th: FB (88-91), CU (80)

5th: FB (88-92), SL (81-82), CU (80-81)

6th: FB (87-92), SL (82), CU (82)

3) Robert Ray: 90 pitches. 4 strikes swinging. 3 Fastballs (2 in 5th, 6th), Cutter (5th)

• Ray is a 6-5, 195 pound righty. The 25 year old has a big frame that can add a lot more muscle, at least to 215. He came from a high 3/4 release and was similar to Daniel Bard a little after the release mechanics, but getting there is a little bizarre. He has a leg kick with his arms crunched up in with him and separates a little funny. His fastball is a 2-seam sinker with good sink and is an above average sinker. His cutter has some cut and he will also mix in an occasional straight 4-seam fastball. His change is a splitter grip that has above average dive, but is difficult for him to command due to the movement it gets. His slider is a 2-7 with solid bite that he can hang, but flashes the ability to be an out pitch. He looks to be a back of the rotation guy, though he is very similar to Roy Halladay with his pitches and hope this guy got as much info as he could from him.

1st: FB (89-92), Cut (89-90), SL (77)

2nd: FB (90-92), Cut (89), SL (79), CU (80)

3rd: FB (89-91), Cut (89-90), SL (81), CU (81)

4th: FB (89-92), Cut (88-90), SL (78-81), CU (80-81)

5th: FB (90-92), Cut (88-89), SL (81-82), CU (82)

6th: FB (91-92), Cut (90), SL (80-81)

4) Jamie Walker:

5/7: 2 pitches. 0 strikes swinging.

5/2: 8 pitches. 1 strike swinging. Changeup.

• Wanted to watch the since released Walker as well and he happened to make appearances in both games. Walker is a 6-2, 195 pound 38 year old. The lefty has a medium frame that won't be getting any bigger. He came from a 3/4 release with a 10-4 slider with good bite, a fastball with a little run in on lefties, a big breaking 11-5 curve with above average depth and a change with good fade from righties with solid sink. The 5/7 outing he faced 1 lefty and on the 5/2 outing he faced one righty. Appears to be FB-SL to lefties and FB-CU-CB to righties. Tools were still there as of these outings, but he obviously lost something as evidenced by the fact he is unsigned.

5/2: 8th: FB (87), CU (77-79), CB (73-74)

5/7: 7th: FB (86), SL (76)