Name: Jason Berken
Position: Starting Pitcher
Bats/Throws: Right/Right
Current Age: 28
Uniform Number: 57
Who is this fucking guy?
He's a former sixth round pick of the Orioles (2006). He got a chance to start for them in 2009 and sucked. He was part of their bullpen in 2010 and wasn't too bad. Then he went back to sucking in 2011 again. He has made one appearance for the Orioles this year, where he got lit up like a Christmas tree. His ERA is only 18.00 because five of the seven runs he gave up were unearned. He will be taking Jeff Samardzija's spot in the rotation for the rest of this season.
How the hell did he end up on the Cubs?
The Orioles designated him for assignment and the Cubs swooped in to claim him four days later. He joins Miguel Socolovich as another former Oriole that the Cubs claimed on waivers in what will hopefully not become a reversal of the MacPhail trend of picking up the Cubs' castoffs.
Did he enjoy the Bears/Packers game on Thursday night?
I would imagine so. He's a Packers season ticket holder. I suppose he can't help it. He was born in Wisconsin.
Is his page on Baseball-Reference.com available to sponsor?
Why yes it is. For the low, low price of $25, you can sponsor Jason Berken's player page on the off chance that someone visits it one day. (By the way, I bought Jeff Baker's page a couple years back for $8 and was shocked to see the prices that B-Ref's pages sell for now).
Is there any particular reason you are highlighting him in a post?
We haven't had a new post in awhile and he happens to be making his first start today for the Cubs.
Why We Might Like Him:
- That is an excellent, excellent question.
- To the best of our knowledge, he is not a serial killer.
Why We Might Hate Him:
- He's not very good and some fans still expect this team to win occasionally.
- He's a Packer fan.
- God help us, he could make us miss Jeff Samardzija
If You Rearrange the Letters in His Name You Get:
BAN JERK NOSE
What Cubs Blogosphere Thinks of Him:
He’s not going to knock your socks off, but he’s got as good a shot at locking down a fifth starter’s job as does someone like Justin Germano.
His stuff is better than some of the more recent pickups. He has a solid arm, sitting at around 91-93 mph and also throws a slider, curve, and change. As recently as 2009, he was rated as the Baltimore Orioles #17 prospect, according to Baseball America.
Comments
“BAN JERK NOSE”
(dying laughing)
Jed Jam BandQuote Reply
Jorge Soler is apparently putting on a show during BP today at Wrigley. Kaplan reported 3 out of 4 balls were crushed onto Waveland. If the wind is blowing out, it isn’t blowing much today.
Aisle424Quote Reply
I’m not going to hold that against him.
BerseliusQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Fuck yeah, I just won an autographed Bob Feller ball
BerseliusQuote Reply
(dying laughing) how did you even come up with that?
mb21Quote Reply
Looks like Jason Merkin is fitting right in with the Cubs pitching staff.
BerseliusQuote Reply
http://www.insidethebook.com/ee/index.php/site/comments/when_is_middle_not_the_middle/#28
Wow, that’s extreme even for MGL.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
Are you an expert in MGL memes? If not, then STFU
BerseliusQuote Reply
MGL is a strange person.
mb21Quote Reply
mb21 wrote:
There are a few anagram sites that I’ve used and I sift through and find one or two that strike me as funniest.
Aisle424Quote Reply
@ Aisle424:
What’s the best anagram for mb21? (dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
I love how when you type “anagram” into Google it says, “Did you mean: nag a ram?” at the top of the page.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
New WTF aside in case you missed it yesterday:
http://obstructedview.net/aside/wrigley-talk-friday-the-return-of-julie-for-awhile-9-14-12.html
Aisle424Quote Reply
Two people have found this site today Googling “oh shit train wreck”
(dying laughing)
Aisle424Quote Reply
@ Aisle424:
(dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
@ Aisle424:
Is that describing the Cubs or your blog?
/dick
Rice CubeQuote Reply
New forums: http://obstructedview.net/forums
You will have to register again, which kind of sucks, but it’s not that big of a deal. There is a widget on the sidebar with the most recent topics that has replaced the one from our old forum. There is also a link to the forums on the menu below the banner image.
mb21Quote Reply
Cool, if you squish the window, so the sidebar disappears, my comics enlarge to span the window. Rule.
joshQuote Reply
@ mb21:
I don’t think there is a link back to the main site from the forums (or the link doesn’t work)
WaLiQuote Reply
@ WaLi:
I’ll be adding it (probably tomorrow).
mb21Quote Reply
Also, forgot to mention it before, but nice pickoff throw by Castillo in the first or second. Trying to be Molina —-> failed.
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
There’s only 1 Molina. OK, there are 3 Molinas. But Castillo’s not one of them.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I like how the Cubs teased us again with a ninth-inning rally. Good ol’ Cubs.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
Yoshi is only an honorary Molina.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
THT just posted this:
http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/blog_article/why-the-media-hopes-the-2012-brewers-and-ryan-bruan-go-away/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
Can Yoshi catch?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
He’s been known to carry a team on his back, but every now and then he’ll lay an egg.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
A recent throw I enjoyed:
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=24811133&c_id=mlb
Rice CubeQuote Reply
WaLi wrote:
There is a link on the navbar back to Obstructed View Blog and down in the footer menu to Blog.
mb21Quote Reply
today game Cubs a there is?
Suburban kidQuote Reply
@ Suburban kid:
Probably. (dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
http://deadspin.com/5943639?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_facebook&utm_source=deadspin_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow
That’s dedication.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
There are probably only a few places I’d rather not have sex in than a stall a ballpark.
mb21Quote Reply
I know the Pirates have a good record and all but they aren’t a good team and it’s still embarrassing when the cubs lose to them.
mb21Quote Reply
Rizzo!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
@ mb21:
I don’t think you have to be embarrassed anymore.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ mb21:
Their record is barely over .500. (And BaPro’s Odds Report says their predicted record is barely under .500.)
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I’m getting more happy every day with that Cashner/Rizzo trade. What were the Pads thinking?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Much better
mb21Quote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
I’m not sure there was actual thinking from that end.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
I think in-season projections more heavily weight the current season than they should. I think their true talent is closer to 70 wins.
mb21Quote Reply
Radio guys keep talking about how Lee Smith should be in the HOF.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
http://www.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=24831695&c_id=chc&partnerId=aw-7038593883731599046-1023
Rizzo’s grand slam. Brenly gets a little Santoish as the ball leaves the yard.
Aisle424Quote Reply
Stupid Pirates (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rizzo the Rat:
If Lee Smith is a Hall of Famer so is Carlos Zambrano.
mb21Quote Reply
@ mb21:
They used Dennis Eckersley as another example of a closer who made it, but Eck had a fine career as a starter, too.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
@ Aisle424:
Oh sure, TODAY they have an awesome game.
joshQuote Reply
MB, sweet tees you had made for the fam:
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=24837373&c_id=mlb
Wonder when the birds will get their revenge on Castro…poo poo bombadiers, away!
Rice CubeQuote Reply
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=24834497&c_id=mlb
FAIL
Rice CubeQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=24822503&c_id=mlb
Wow, indeed.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I thought this was photoshopped but apparently it’s for real going to be in the show:
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
Oh, so that’s why the world’s going to lose all electricity and be plunged into apocalyptic chaos. Damn it! Why does NBC always have to give away the big reveals in their commercials?
5 Run Home RunQuote Reply
@ 5 Run Home Run:
Because they have to.
Jed Jam BandQuote Reply
Suburban kidQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
That’s the show where humanity reverts to using bows and arrows because they can’t plug in their guns, right?
BerseliusQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
(dying laughing)
Aisle424Quote Reply
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/09/17/tony-la-russa-holds-a-grudge-against-keith-law/
MishQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
I’m not sure what the premise of the show is but I assume it’s slightly more plausible than a bunch of technologically advanced humans deciding to travel back in time and forgetting that “oh yeah, dinosaurs lived here too”…
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Aisle424:
To be fair, I stole that joke from twitter (IIRC it was @jlwoj)
BerseliusQuote Reply
@ Suburban kid:
(dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
I just found a blurry unicorn and rainbow icon on my phone and thought my daughter downloaded something. Nope. Just OV. (dying laughing)
Suburban kidQuote Reply
new shit: http://obstructedview.net/site/obstructed-view-is-now-responsive.html
mb21Quote Reply
Wait a minute.. is he right handed? I thought the main thing about him was that he was left handed 😀
GamesQuote Reply
naturally like your website but you have to take a look at the spelling on several of your posts.
A number of them are rife with spelling problems and I in finding it very bothersome to tell the truth on the other hand I’ll definitely come again again.
Truth About AbsQuote Reply