Orioles starter Brad Bergesen was in Baltimore earlier this month to have his shoulder looked at by the team's medical staff, but the visit was more for precautionary measures, according to both the pitcher and president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail.
"It was more of a preventive type thing," said Bergesen. "From what I dealt with last year, they wanted to see where I was at. They just wanted to check my strength and see how I was doing and it's been great so far. Compared to last year, it's just leaps and bounds better than how I felt. Last year, I wasn't even throwing at this point."
Bergesen hurt his shoulder in December 2009 while filming a team-sponsored commercial. The injury delayed his preparation for the 2010 season and then hindered him at times during an up-and-down campaign. Bergesen went 8-12 with a 4.98 ERA, but pitched to a 3.94 ERA after the All-Star break.
With the Orioles yet to add to their starting pitching depth this offseason, Bergesen's performance will be key in 2011.
"From everything I've been told, he feels better now by lights years than how he felt a year ago," MacPhail said. "I don't have any cause for concern at this point. He just wants to make sure he does everything he can so he doesn't have the ups and downs that he had last year."
Bergesen has thrown three times since getting his shoulder looked at and said that he has felt great. He's scheduled to throw from off the mound for the first time tomorrow at Auburn University. Bergesen and his wife, Shea, live not far from the campus of the recently-crowned college football national champions.
"I want to jump-start this thing," Bergesen said. "I've been long tossing and everything and I feel good."
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