Bergin back home, but wearing new colours

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This article was published 10/07/2018 (2667 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Sioux Falls Canaries first baseman David Bergin doesn’t need a hotel during this week’s four-game series against the Winnipeg Goldeyes.

Bergin, 28, and his wife Tiffany, who he met in Winnipeg, have a home near Shaw Park. Bergin spent last year with the Goldeyes and he was a key contributor to the team’s championship run by putting up an impressive .323 batting average with 20 home runs and 77 RBIs — all while not missing a single game.

Bergin re-signed with the Fish prior to the 2018 season but a hand injury, which ended up not being as serious as originally thought, led to his release. In late May, Bergin was told he broke the hamate bone in his right hand and would be out approximately two weeks.

The Goldeyes could have placed Bergin on the seven-day disabled list, but with his injury expected to sideline home for two weeks, it didn’t make sense to do that — especially since it meant his salary would have counted against the cap. The other option was putting Bergin on the inactive list, which would have meant he would have to wait a minimum of 30 days before being activated. That option also didn’t make sense.

So, the Goldeyes and Bergin opted for another option — to release the power hitter, but not close the door on him eventually returning. But a couple days after his release, Bergin found out his injury was misdiagnosed. The bone wasn’t broken and he was back swinging again. He said the two sides “jumped the gun, unfortunately” when it came to the decision to release him.

“It was kind of a shock to everybody and we really needed to make a team decision, especially in the time we were at in the beginning of the season,” Bergin said on the reaction to the injury. “It was just a little too late when we found out my hand was actually good and by that time, we couldn’t really negotiate on bringing me back.”

Bergin signed with the Canaries on June 13. The Tampa, Fla., native played for the team in 2015 and the majority of 2016.

“Sioux Falls has always been there for me and took care of me since I’ve been there in 2015,” Bergin told the Free Press after Tuesday’s 4-2 win over the Goldeyes. “I’ve had a lot of teams in this league contact me to play for them. I really wanted to come back to Winnipeg and everything, but it was really unfortunate we couldn’t get a contract good enough for me. By that time, Sioux Falls was my next option. I gave them a call and we worked something out immediately that day.”

This week’s four-game series with the Goldeyes is Bergin’s first time playing in Winnipeg since he joined the Canaries. Bergin, whose numbers have dropped this year — he’s batting .225 with two home runs and 18 RBIs in 34 games between the Goldeyes and Canaries — said leaving Winnipeg was difficult, as playing in his “backyard” was an ideal situation. But he said staying in Winnipeg didn’t work out financially, as he’s starting a family and needed to go to a place “where finances are going to take care of you for the most part.”

“I’m never going to turn my back against Winnipeg,” Bergin said. “I love Winnipeg. The fans, the front office, the coaching staff, everybody treats me so well. That’s just kind of how baseball rolls. Sometimes it doesn’t work out in your favour, but the best thing you can do is stay strong and try to stay as positive as you can.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @TaylorAllen31