Notes on Bergesen, Britton and Rupe

SARASOTA, Fla. - Brad Bergesen is receiving treatment today on his right arm, but he isn't scheduled to throw. He's supposed to pitch tomorrow. The question is where. Bergesen could head over to Twin Lakes Park. The Orioles could arrange an intrasquad game at Ed Smith Stadium. We should know more later today. Bergesen said his arm feels good after being hit Friday by a Denard Span line drive in Fort Myers. He hopes to start Sunday's game at Tropicana Field, but that decision hasn't been made. Zach Britton is still in camp. He hasn't been cut this morning. Britton hung around the clubhouse a little longer than usual yesterday, in case manager Buck Showalter and president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail needed to speak with him. MacPhail complimented him on his start. Britton thanked him and figured it was safe to leave. I would have run to my car. Josh Rupe would have been a terrific dark horse pick when camp started. A spring trainee invitee coming off a season where he posted a 5.59 ERA in 11 games with the Royals, Rupe apparently will be part of the Orioles' bullpen for opening night at Tropicana Field. That sort of thing happens when you don't allow an earned run in 13 2/3 innings and you outpitch your competition. Rick VandenHurk, Mark Hendrickson, Ryan Drese and David Riske have been cut, though the VandenHurk transaction isn't official. The Orioles are waiting to find out whether he cleared waivers and can be outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. "Last year I did the same thing with Kansas City, come in and hope you pitch well," Rupe said. "In this camp, everybody pitched well. Everybody here was shoving pretty much the whole time, so it was good because that keeps you working, keeps you thinking, 'Hey, I've got to do this, I've got to do better.' But it's also good because everybody here was a good guy. Some guys I've known in the past, like Drese and (Clay) Rapada. It's a friendly competition, and I think that's one thing Buck does. Bucks brings in guys that are very competitive, but they're also good guys and good teammates. No matter what happens, I'm happy for them and they're happy for me. "It's really been a great camp, probably the best camp I've been in. It's been really good." Rupe, 28, recognized an opportunity here because of his past connections to Showalter, pitching coach Mark Connor and bullpen coach Rick Adair. He spent parts of four seasons with the Rangers. "For me, just coming in, I know the opportunity's here and being that I had Buck before, Goose, Rick, they've all seen me. They've seen me at my best and my worst," said Rupe, who's 5-3 with a 5.00 ERA in 81 career major league games. "I know coming here, the way Buck runs things, you get rewarded more times for doing what you're supposed to be doing than maybe some other organizations. There's different factors that weigh into it. He's one of the guys who's going to give you the shot if you've earned it, if you do what you're supposed to do. For me, coming in and getting back with Goose and Rick, who know me better than probably anybody in baseball, as far as pitching-wise, to get back with them, to get somewhere where I'm comfortable and know that it's just a comfortable setting, it's been good. And I've been fortunate enough to pitch good. "I was just coming in and, knock on wood, do what I do, do what I have done, and throw up zeros and make them have a tough decision. I've done my part, and all things hopefully will come together. And if not, I'm only a phone call away. I know at some point it's going to happen, if not now than down the road hopefully."