[ BASEBALL ]
A switch in roles might be the key to Dusty Bergman's future in professional baseball. It certainly made a difference for the former Hawaii Rainbow left-hander this year. Role change a relief
for ex-'Bow Bergman
By Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.comBergman was coming off a 2001 season in which he allowed almost 12 hits per nine innings as a starting pitcher for the Arkansas Travelers in the Double-A Texas League. That, coupled with a 5.11 earned run average and a 7-13 win-loss record, was not encouraging.
"I had a down year last year and didn't really show any signs of improvement or progress," Bergman said.
The Anaheim Angels' minor-league brass decided a change was necessary and sent Bergman to the bullpen to see how he would perform as a reliever.
"We thought his ability to pitch, from an arm standpoint, and bounce back on multiple nights was a plus. We think the experiment worked and we're interested to see how he fares next year," said Tony Reagins, Anaheim's director of player development. "With the velocity he showed and his ability to pitch, we thought it would be the best for Dusty."
Bergman said, "I was a little disappointed at first because I like starting, but I came out of the gates throwing really well. I got to like the bullpen and enjoyed the fact I could pitch everyday."
He began the season at Arkansas. After 10 appearances in which he allowed no earned runs and only three hits in 16 innings, he was promoted to Triple-A Salt Lake City in the Pacific Coast League. He started well with the Stingers, then ran into trouble.
"I had three or four tough games, gave up five home runs and a bunch of runs. I just got destroyed," Bergman said of his fourth pro season.
"As a reliever there is no margin of error. It takes a month and a half to get the ERA back to being respectable. As soon as I went back to Little Rock (where the Travelers play) I figured out I was rushing things. After that, I threw really well the rest of the season.
"I think the change in the routine gave me a new frame of mind. My coaches told me at the end of the season to just come back to camp in good shape and ready to go. They said I would probably start in Triple-A and may get up (to the majors) and see some time. That's been my goal since I was seven."
He finished the season with a combined 6-1 record. In 56 appearances he allowed only 72 hits over 85 innings and had a strikeout (64) to walk (17) ratio of almost 4 to 1.
"I always tell our players it doesn't make any difference how you get to the bigs as long as you get there," said Reagins. "Dusty was quite effective at Double-A and did OK at Triple-A. In short stints he was very, very good."
