Orioles Bring Up Top Prospect

Before you go rushing to plug Matt Weiters into your starting lineup, or to see if he is still available in your league, I am not talking about the future of catching as we know it. I am talking about a batterymate of Weiters and the Orioles 2008 Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year award winner Brad Bergesen. Bergesen will start Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox after Radhames Liz was optioned to AAA Norfolk. Bergesen is a 23 year old control freak that does not project to be a top of the rotation starter. In 165.1 innings between AA and High A last year he compiled a 16-7 record. Bergesen issued only 33 free passes, but paired that with an uninspiring 87 strikeouts. He managed an ERA of 3.10 and a tidy WHIP of 1.16 so his ratios may make him fantasy relevant. Through two starts this year Bergesen is 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA. Looking at his numbers he appears to be a guy who pitches to contact and relies on his defense behind him. Baltimore has an average defense and plays in the hitter friendly Camden Yards, so I would be hesitant to rush out and grab Bergesen in anything but a deep AL-Only league. Let him get a few starts under his belt and see how his numbers translate at the big league level before adding him to your roster. Scout Hoffman www.profantasybaseball.com