Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Gone But Not Forgotten : Dave Berg

In all the hustle and bustle of the offseason, particularly our software change, I forgot to collect our thoughts on some departed players.

Please share your memories of Dave Berg in this thread.

Dave Berg has departed the Jays, and is hoping to catch on with the rival Red Sox this spring. I will miss Berg; he was the classic "good soldier", a player who would do what it took to help his team, following any order, no matter how difficult. His willingness to grab a glove and play the outfield, where his normally efficient defensive play was cruelly exposed, was an example of someone sacrificing his individual goals in order to follow orders from his manager.

Berg's struggles in his last two years in Toronto shouldn't overshadow memories of his fine 2002 season, where he was instrumental in knitting together a team in transition with his defensive versatility and even his timely hitting. Dave Berg took a lot of criticism from folks (both here at Batter's Box and elsewhere), a lot of it undeserved.

He was a consummate professional. Good luck, Dave.

Posted by Craig B on Thursday, March 10 2005 @ 02:00 PM EST.

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Four Seamer - Thursday, March 10 2005 @ 02:14 PM EST (#105422) #

I second all of that. As frustrating as it was to watch him play at times last year, his professionalism was always apparent. The injuries and lack of depth were not of his doing, and he deserved better than he received, both from management and the fans.

I hope he enjoyed his time here in Toronto, and best of luck (though not too much!) in Boston.

Anders - Thursday, March 10 2005 @ 02:17 PM EST (#105423) #

Alas Dave Berg, we hardly knew ye.

Baseballreference.com has Craig Grebeck as one of Berg's most comparable players. The cycle is complete.

The consumate proffesional, he only didnt play ss and cf last year, and although he never caught, he was the emergency catcher too.

Fawaz - Thursday, March 10 2005 @ 02:21 PM EST (#105424) #

When Chris Gomez pimp-smacked Schilling's pitch, I was sure that I had just seen my favourite at-bat of the season. Turns out it ended up being a distant second to Berg's 57 pitch epic against Eddie Guardado.

I hated seeing him play the outfield and I wept when he donned the firstbaseman's glove, but we could always appreciate that it wasn't his fault.

Who knows what kind of effect those dizzy spells really had on his effectiveness?

Dave Till - Thursday, March 10 2005 @ 03:15 PM EST (#105431) #

I remember his chin. It made him look hardworking and resolute at all times.

Dave Berg's job was a tough one: play any of about 7 positions on a moment's notice, or be sent up to pinch-hit against the other team's dominant reliever.

It wasn't his fault that he couldn't play shortstop or the outfield. How many of us can?

For a while there, before the wheels fell off, he was the sort of player that every team needs. I'd wish him luck, except that he's trying to catch on with a divisional rival. :-)

Useless Tyler - Thursday, March 10 2005 @ 03:21 PM EST (#105433) #

What's cooler than being cool? Ice Berg!

That one power streak he had last season made his entire service time worth it - especially that one neverending at-bat he had.

I'll certainly miss him.

Rob - Thursday, March 10 2005 @ 03:24 PM EST (#105434) #

I think, deep down, everyone loved Bergie. It was hard not to.

VBF - Thursday, March 10 2005 @ 03:32 PM EST (#105439) #

Now what will I do with that "Mista Behg" Seinfeld reference sign I made?

My best memory of Dave Berg was that 13(?) pitch at bat against Seattle on July 8th which ended up becoming a home run in the bottom of the ninth.
That later sparked Carlos Delgado's 3 run blast against Eddie Guardado which was one of the best come from behind wins, I've ever experienced.

While I was walking with my friend to Union station afterwards, someone my age said to me "How about Carlos Delgado...but don't forget about Dave Berg!"

Although I am praying for a Boston collapse, I hope Dave can find a place on that roster.

Anders - Thursday, March 10 2005 @ 04:59 PM EST (#105448) #

It wasn't his fault that he couldn't play shortstop or the outfield. How many of us can?

actually, the illustrious career (so far) break down of ice berg is:
1b: 19
2b: 181
3b:113
ss: 136
lf:38
rf:16

Magpie - Thursday, March 10 2005 @ 06:13 PM EST (#105459) #

The Guardado at bat.

One of three best things all season (Delgado's HR five minutes later, and the Bush-Harden game)

Mick Doherty - Thursday, March 10 2005 @ 08:15 PM EST (#105529) #

Dave Berg has departed the Jays, and is hoping to catch on with the archrival Red Sox this spring.

This is a real question ... can a team be your archrival when you are clearly not theirs? No offense to Toronto baseball, but I can't imagine a single New England Soxophile thinking "The Yankees? Don't care. But those Blue Jays!"

Thomas - Thursday, March 10 2005 @ 09:44 PM EST (#105605) #

Amen to the Guardado at-bat. That was a thing of beauty.

I also have to give props to Berg. He did a great job in 2002 and he was always able and willing to suit up wherever and whenever was needed to help the team out. And as was pointed above, let's not forget the role vertigo may have played in his struggles the past year or two.

Craig B - Thursday, March 10 2005 @ 10:33 PM EST (#105616) #

Mick, that should be "rival", yes.

Back when the Red Sox and Yankees were ordinary teams, the Jays' archrival was the Tigers, I guess...

Anders - Friday, March 11 2005 @ 10:00 AM EST (#105643) #

I think its clear that our archrival is the Philadelphia Phillies...

Also, this whole notion of the Yankees and Red Sox being the best rivalry in North American sports seems blown way out of proportion to me. There's the Bambino trade 85 years ago, then the last 5 years. Other than that...
The Yankees and Red Sox have played exaclty 3 times since the ALCS format began in 1969. And its not a real rivalry when one team isnt that good.

Number of times winning the pennant, 1920 (Babe trade) to -1968:
Red Sox: 2
Yankees: 29

The dodgers were the Yankees real rivals.

And the best rivalry in sports is UNC-Duke in college basketball

Craig B - Friday, March 11 2005 @ 11:18 AM EST (#105660) #

Back to Dave Berg... a great example of how you can't spell "TEAM" without "DAVE BERG(TM)" was last September, when Gibby went around the clubhouse looking for a live hitter to hit against Halladay for the first time during his rehab. No one volunteered except Berg, but the funny thing was (according to Mike Ganter) Berg told Gibby that he didn't mind, but the last time he had done something like this it was against A.J. Burnett, who had hit him in the head.

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