Scott White

Sticking your neck out for a player is dangerous. If that player doesn't go anywhere, standing rigid like a signpost as the season flies by, you might end up losing your head.

But I did it anyway for a few players this spring -- it's kind of my job, you see -- and for none more so than Jason Bergmann. I mentioned him in a few columns, in this blog, in chat boxes as I clicked "draft." Whenever I saw an opportunity to get his name out there, I took it.

Boy, did that one blow up in my face.

The Nationals pulled the plug on Bergmann after he posted an 11.68 ERA in two starts and one relief appearance, sending him to Triple-A Columbus. When it happened, I felt a little bit sheepish and secretly hoped nobody had ever read anything I'd written.

So why do I bring it up again here, rebroadcasting my public humiliation as soon as people started to forget about it? Because Bergmann is back, baby -- back and better than before.

Boomshakalaka.

If his nine strikeouts in seven shutout innings against the Mets on Thursday didn't do anything for you, let me remind you why I had such confidence in Bergmann in the first place. It wasn't so much his 6.7 strikeouts per nine innings or 1.23 WHIP in his first full season starting last year. It was more his eight (of 21) starts in which he allowed four hits or fewer in six innings or more. The term "quality start" doesn't do that brand of pitching justice. Those eight starts, even with the handful of blowouts in between, suggested that when Bergmann had his sinkerball working, he was close to unhittable.

Bergmann might never become an ace. He might never win many games for the bottom-of-the-division Nationals. He might never eliminate those suicide starts, making him the biggest tease since Dave Bush. But his track record says that when he makes the most of his stuff, he clearly has something special working. And just in case he does find some measure of consistency, I've gone back to scooping him up in every league I can. If you find yourself kicking the tires on low-reward, fringe-waiver types like Gil Meche and Mark Buehrle, why not take a flier on this guy instead? What do you have to lose?

I'll tell you what I have to lose: every ounce of my credibility. Gosh, I hope nobody reads this.

That's all for now.