Matusz speaks

[NewMarketSean]

I think a lot of what wildcard says is right. Matusz was like whatever, Im good as is. Connor was not completely invested. It was just a perfect storm of crap. This same thing probably didnt help Bergesen or Tillman either.

[crawjo]

Huh, I actually read this interview and came away feeling that Matusz is in the process of getting his confidence and mechanics back. In other words, I thought what Matusz had to say was encouraging. I'm surprised everybody seems to be taking it the other way. Matusz admitting that he wasn't mentally prepared is a good thing...it means he understands the requirements of his profession and will rededicate himself to his craft.

[murrayfan420]

We never should have let Kranitz go.

[Frobby]

We never should have let Kranitz go.

With 20/20 hindsight, I think this is right. Things were going in the right direction at the end of last year with all the pitchers, so it just wasn't the time to make a change. The decision to replace Kranitz and Dunn and bring in Connor and Adair is Buck's alone, and he is accountable for that decision. No, I do not expect or want Andy MacPhail to interfere with a new manager's selection of coaches, nor do I expect the GM to have any role whatsoever when a new coach tells a player to change something. And it is not the place of the AAA pitching coach (who, by the way, never coached Matusz in the minors before this season) to tell the new major league pitching coach that he thinks the changes the coach is making are a mistake. This is on Buck and Connor, entirely.

As to the concern that Matusz has conditioning issues, I find that extremely puzzling. As I posted elsewhere, Matusz spent 13 weeks at API this winter, following a conditioning and diet program. He also coordinated with the strength and conditioning coach. I just don't get it.

[TiredofLosing20]

This interview is extremely depressing. The two potential takeaways are:

1. Matusz is a jerk, a whiner and doesn't prepare well in the offseason or;

2. Buck, Connor, Adair are boneheads in trying to change their best pitcher who has pretty good success thus far in his career to try to prevent base stealing which is not all that relevant anymore.

Either way.. more of the same. bleh

[Tony-OH]

So, they asked him to tweak his mechanics out of the stretch, and that ruined his entire repertoire of pitches? He was equally as horrible pitching from the stretch as he was with no runners on base. And he's had six 6 starts with Griffin coaching him in AAA, and the results are still piss poor. I'm thinking its more than Connor trying to get him to throw across his body more with runners on base. But, if I were a 24 year old millionaire who had never had to face any adversity, I'd probably be a d-bag too if I was stinking up the joint.

Things that make you go hmmmmm? :scratchchinhmm:

I've always liked Brian and I think he's being genuine by taking SOME blame. In the end, a tweak here and there should not drop your velocity or cause you to basically lose your command. His velocity has been dropping each of the last two years so this is really more of a trend then a sudden drop in velocity although the drop is much more this year.

I asked Brian on opening day whether he thought he needed to adjust his offseason workouts due to his "slow start" this spring and he didn't think so at the time. Now it appears he might be coming around that his offseason workouts at Athletes performance might not be what he needs to prepare correctly.

Hopefully this lost season will make Brian take a hard look at himself and he'll comeback next year in the best shape of his life and in turn, we'll see a return of his velocity.

If he's healthy, and whether he feels any pain of not, I'm still not totally convinced he is, then next season I expect a return of the Brian Matusz we were counting on. If the same Brian Matusz returns next year it's time to seriously worry.

[Tony-OH]

With 20/20 hindsight, I think this is right. Things were going in the right direction at the end of last year with all the pitchers, so it just wasn't the time to make a change. The decision to replace Kranitz and Dunn and bring in Connor and Adair is Buck's alone, and he is accountable for that decision. No, I do not expect or want Andy MacPhail to interfere with a new manager's selection of coaches, nor do I expect the GM to have any role whatsoever when a new coach tells a player to change something. And it is not the place of the AAA pitching coach (who, by the way, never coached Matusz in the minors before this season) to tell the new major league pitching coach that he thinks the changes the coach is making are a mistake. This is on Buck and Connor, entirely.

As to the concern that Matusz has conditioning issues, I find that extremely puzzling. As I posted elsewhere, Matusz spent 13 weeks at API this winter, following a conditioning and diet program. He also coordinated with the strength and conditioning coach. I just don't get it.

Absolutely. Buck has to back Connor/Adair because he brought them in to replace the guys who had basically the same pitching staff pitching great at the end of last year. Since the main reason the Orioles have stunk this year is their terrible pitching, Buck has to be held responsible in the end.

[Hank Scorpio]

Absolutely. Buck has to back Connor/Adair because he brought them in to replace the guys who had basically the same pitching staff pitching great at the e4nd of last year. Since the main reason the Orioles have stunk this year is their terrible pitching, Buck has to be held responsible in the end.

100% correct.

[vab]

If Buck becomes GM or de-facto GM this offseason, you've probably seen the last of Matusz in Baltimore.

[Sports Guy]

If Buck becomes GM or de-facto GM this offseason, you've probably seen the last of Matusz in Baltimore.

Zero chance of this.

[mazarelo]

The guy is a pu***.

"I wasn't "mentally" prepared."

"They changed my mechanics."

"I was out of shape."

WTF! Be a man. All he does is complain. He just gets bombed by the Toledo "freakin" Mud Hens and he's crying in his cheerios about how it's everbody elses fault. But, "I'll just throw them half-way under the bus so I don't look like a total *****." Please! Brian would rather hang out with Chris Tillman in the minors then be a great pitcher in the big leagues. Period.

:agree:

[Stotle]

Team Matusz

[TiredofLosing20]

Zero chance of this.

I don't know... I am guessing this interview along with the other grumblings we have heard do not qualify you as a "nugget".

[Burg]

In this case, they are/were. I have no problems saying that.

I'm not so sure that I would believe Matusz's version 100%. Tweaking deliveries, etc. can't be that uncommon and, quite frankly, it doesn't seem like this was a major overhaul by any stretch. The fact that he's been as bad as he's been this year, in my opinion, indicates a much larger problem than a tweaked delivery. Also, I'm a bit concerned that he appears to be so mentally fragile. Adversity happens in baseball and I'm not sold on his response.

[turtlebowl]

The thing about him going to work out at the athletes performance in the off season means nothing to me. That is really no different than me saying that I am going to join golds gym and work out this summer, I may actually go a few times but may have more fun hanging out at the juice bar with friends checking out the girls working out. I could also see a scenario where you are there with a bunch of friends and it becomes all about tee times and chasing skirts in the evening.

As far as I know about those places it is really about what you put into it, nobody is making you bust your a**.

I don't think anybody looks at Matusz and gets the impression that physically he looks strong. Palmer talks about it all the time and he was someone who always appeared thin but he understood how important leg strength was and ran to stay in shape.

It may not be fair but with Tillman and Matusz being good friends and watching them regress I have to think that priorities may be an issue for those 2.